10 minbeginner

Create Your First Skill in 10 Minutes

Turn a task you do every week into a single command. Copy, paste, done.

Skills are markdown files that teach Claude how to do specific tasks. Instead of typing the same instructions over and over, you write them once and Claude follows them every time. Think of it like creating a custom command. Let's make a code review skill.

Create the skills directory

Skills live inside the .claude/skills folder in your project. If it doesn't exist yet, create it.

bash

mkdir -p .claude/skills

Setting up skills

Create a code review skill

Create a markdown file that tells Claude exactly how to review code. This is where the magic happens — you define the rules, the format, the tone, everything.

bash

cat > .claude/skills/code-review.md << 'EOF'
# Code Review Skill

When asked to review code, follow this process:

## Steps
1. Read the changed files (use git diff if available)
2. Check for these issues:
   - Security vulnerabilities (SQL injection, XSS, exposed secrets)
   - Performance problems (N+1 queries, missing indexes, memory leaks)
   - Missing error handling
   - Unclear naming or overly complex logic
3. Rate each issue: CRITICAL, HIGH, MEDIUM, or LOW

## Output Format
For each issue found:
- **File**: path/to/file.ts
- **Line**: 42
- **Severity**: HIGH
- **Issue**: Description of the problem
- **Fix**: Suggested solution

## Rules
- Be direct. No sugar-coating.
- If the code is good, say so briefly and move on.
- Always check for hardcoded secrets first.
- Suggest specific fixes, not vague advice.
EOF

Writing your skill

Test it with a real review

Now use the skill. Ask Claude to review your recent changes and watch it follow your exact format.

bash

claude "review my recent changes"

Skill in action

See the skill activate

Notice how Claude followed your exact format — severity ratings, file paths, specific fixes. That's not coincidence. That's your skill definition driving the output.

What just happened

Customize it for your team

Now make it yours. Add your team's specific rules, coding standards, or things that always get missed in reviews. The skill grows with you.

markdown

# Add these to your code-review.md:

## Team-Specific Rules
- All API routes must have rate limiting
- Database queries must use the repository pattern
- React components must have error boundaries
- No inline styles — use Tailwind classes only
- All public functions need JSDoc comments

Your team's rules, automated

What's next?

Deep dive into skills and custom commands

Stay in the loop

New guides, templates, and tips. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.