Optimize Existing Skills

Improve existing skills by preserving intent while making SKILL.md clearer, easier to trigger, and more execution-ready.

When to use

Use this skill when the user asks to:

• improve an existing skill
• review or rewrite SKILL.md
• optimize skill trigger descriptions
• reduce ambiguity in skill instructions
• tighten or refactor skill documentation

Required workflow

1. Locate and read the target SKILL.md fully.
2. Map current intent in 3-6 bullets before editing.
3. Audit quality using the rubric below.
4. Propose changes grouped as:
   • keep (already strong)
   • tighten (wording/structure)
   • add (missing critical guidance)
   • remove (noise/redundancy)
5. Rewrite with minimal drift:
   • keep core behavior and scope
   • improve wording, ordering, and actionability
   • avoid introducing new product/domain claims
6. Return both:
   • concise review summary
   • improved SKILL.md content (or patch-ready diff)

Optimization rubric

1) Frontmatter quality

• name is stable and slug-safe
• description clearly states capability + trigger contexts
• Trigger language includes realistic user phrases
• Description remains concise and specific

2) Trigger precision

• Skill should be discoverable from common user wording
• Trigger list avoids over-broad claims
• Adjacent skills are not duplicated without need

3) Instruction quality

• Steps are explicit, ordered, and observable
• Ambiguous phrases replaced with concrete actions
• “Do this first” constraints are clearly marked
• Safety/guardrail rules are easy to spot

4) Information architecture

• Most important guidance appears early
• Long sections are chunked with headings/lists
• Optional/advanced material is separated from core flow

5) Token efficiency

• Remove repeated ideas
• Prefer short, directive sentences
• Keep examples only when they reduce ambiguity

Rewrite standards

• Preserve original intent and scope unless user asks to expand
• Prefer minimal-diff edits over full rewrites
• Keep voice imperative and implementation-oriented
• Use checklists for repeatable procedures
• Keep claims timeless (avoid version/date-sensitive phrasing)

Output format

1. Audit summary (strengths, gaps, risks)
2. Optimization plan (what changed and why)
3. Improved SKILL.md
4. Open questions (if any assumptions remain)

Anti-patterns

• Rewriting into a different skill/domain
• Adding verbose theory with no execution value
• Removing trigger phrases that aid discovery
• Making the skill longer without improving clarity
• Introducing tools/workflows not available in the environment