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This guide walks through creating a complete skill manually, without the AI generator. This helps you understand the format and write better prompts for the Studio.

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What we are building

A skill that teaches Claude Code how to write Git commit messages following the Conventional Commits specification.

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Step 1: Create the file

In the Editor, create a new file called SKILL.md:
SKILL.md
---
name: conventional-commits
description: Write Git commit messages following the Conventional Commits spec
tags: [git, conventions, workflow]
allowed-tools: [Bash, Read, Write]
---

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Step 2: Write the instructions

# Conventional commits

## Instructions

1. Analyze the staged changes using `git diff --cached`
2. Determine the commit type based on the nature of the changes
3. Write a commit message in the format: `type(scope): description`
4. If the change is breaking, add `!` after the type/scope
5. Add a body if the change needs explanation beyond the subject line
6. Add footer(s) for breaking changes or issue references

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Step 3: Add constraints

## Constraints

- Subject line must be under 72 characters
- Use imperative mood: "add feature" not "added feature"
- Do not capitalize the first letter of the description
- Do not end the subject line with a period
- Allowed types: feat, fix, docs, style, refactor, perf, test, build, ci, chore, revert
- Scope is optional but recommended for monorepos

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Step 4: Add verification

## Verification

- [ ] Commit type is one of the allowed types
- [ ] Subject line is under 72 characters
- [ ] Description uses imperative mood
- [ ] Breaking changes are marked with `!` and documented in footer
- [ ] Related issues are referenced in footer

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Step 5: Add examples

## Examples

### Simple feature
`feat(auth): add password reset flow`

### Bug fix with scope
`fix(api): handle null response from payment provider`

### Breaking change
`feat(api)!: remove deprecated v1 endpoints`
BREAKING CHANGE: The /v1/* endpoints have been removed. Migrate to /v2/* before upgrading.

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Step 6: Run evals

Navigate to the Evals view in the main navigation, enter the skill ID, and run an evaluation. You should see high scores across 6 dimensions: Structure, Content, Evidence, Usage, Toolchain, and Freshness. If any dimension is flagged, review the suggestions and improve that section.

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Step 7: Install

Open the skill in the Library, go to the Deploy tab, and install to Claude Code. SkillCreator writes the skill directory to ~/.claude/skills/conventional-commits/. The next time you use Claude Code, it will follow these commit conventions automatically.
Last modified on March 19, 2026