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Quick start

This walks you from your app's repository to a validated skill for one page. Run every command from your project's root folder.

Commands are run by an agent

skillgen's commands are designed to be run by an AI agent such as Claude Code, which reads skillgen's instructions, runs the commands and asks you whatever needs a decision. You can run them yourself too; nothing ever waits for input.

1. Initialise the workspace​

cd ~/code/my-app
git init                          # only if the project is not a git repository yet
skillgen init --app-name "My App"

init creates .skillgen/, skillgen's working folder. Commit it; its secrets/, cache/ and logs/ folders are ignored by the .gitignore it writes. Git is optional, but with it skillgen records which commit each skill was made from and check can tell which skills went stale.

Add --url http://localhost:3000 if you have a dev copy and want field positions later.

2. Find the routes​

skillgen routes --all

This writes .skillgen/routes.json. Open it to check what was found:

  • Add a missing route with skillgen routes --route /path.
  • Set "skip": true on a route you do not want.
  • Edit a skill name to choose it yourself.

Folders such as node_modules and dist are never searched. See Route discovery for every source.

3. Generate a skill​

Choose one way.

skillgen install
claude

Then type /skillgen /campaigns/new (one page) or /skillgen all (every page). Claude does the reading in your session, follows each result's next step, and asks you questions in chat.

B. Batch​

skillgen calls claude -p once per route:

skillgen generate --route /campaigns/new --name new-campaign    # one route, exact skill name
skillgen generate --all --name myapp                  # every route, names start with myapp-

Either way you get skills/<name>/ with SKILL.md, scripts/fill.js, references and evals.

4. Answer open questions​

Facts the code leaves unclear stay out of the skill until you answer:

skillgen questions
skillgen answer q1a2b3c "yes"
skillgen generate --all --overwrite
skillgen validate

--overwrite is needed because the skill already exists; your notes in its user section are kept. See Questions and rules.

5. Use the skill​

Pick the export for where the skill is going:

DestinationCommand
Claude or ChatGPT skill uploadskillgen export --one-skill --zip, then upload dist/skill/<name>.zip
Claude Code or Cowork on your machinecopy a folder from skills/ into ~/.claude/skills/
A pluginskillgen export --plugin --zip or skillgen export-chatgpt --zip

Then ask the AI to fill the page. It opens the page in its built-in browser and uses the skill. See Using generated skills and Exporting.

6. Keep skills current​

skillgen check --since HEAD~1 --regenerate
skillgen index                    # skills-index.html: every skill and a graph of the app

Next​