Turn repeated requests into a skill

In one line

Turn repeated requests into a skill
The steps you explain every time become rules you can reuse.

The big picture

Repeated rules written down in SKILL.md — Click the picture to see it larger.

Follow along

A skill is a how-to guide for repeated work

If you type the same format and cautions every time you organize meeting notes, you can bundle those steps into a reusable skill. The key is clearly writing its name, when to use it, and the input and output rules.

Start with one small rule

1. Pick a task that already works well

Start with a task whose results you’ve already checked yourself, like the meeting notes lesson. If the original steps are unclear, a skill will just get it wrong consistently.

2. Ask Codex to make it

Ask it to create a skill, like the first prompt below. You can also call Codex’s built-in creation tool with $skill-creator. How it appears may differ depending on your setup.

3. Check where it’s installed and how to call it

A local skill can be a folder containing a SKILL.md file. Check where it applies, such as .agents/skills for a project, against the official docs and your current setup. Reading this guide doesn’t install a skill.

Test with a good example and an edge case

Testing the skill's rules with two made-up memos — Click the picture to see it larger.

Don’t call it finished after one result. After changing it, check again with the same examples, and if it doesn’t apply automatically, check its name and how to call it directly.

Prompts you can copy

Make a meeting notes skill

$skill-creator I want a small skill that organizes meeting notes into decisions, under discussion, to-dos, and questions to confirm. For to-dos, include the owner, deadline, and the source sentence. Mark missing information as TBD, and keep review dates separate from deadlines. Start with an instructions-only skill that doesn't need to read files or send anything out. Define when to use it and when not to, and first explain where it will be installed and how to call it.

Check how the skill handles edge cases

Test this meeting notes skill with two made-up memos. A: Decided that Sam will write the draft notice by Friday. B: Someone suggested hiring an outside vendor for photos; owner and deadline TBD. Compare each result with the rules, and fix any place where it filled in facts that weren't there. Tell me whether the skill was actually called, or whether you just answered using the same rules.

Where people get stuck

Lots of people get stuck here. Find the one that matches your situation!

Quick check: If the results always come out in the same format, did I test the skill properly?

Answer: “No, also check that it handles edge cases without guessing”
Check not only for a consistent format, but that missing or uncertain input is handled by the rules too.

Official sources

Next tip

Schedule runs and check for failures →

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