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Alex Spinov
Alex Spinov

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How to Create Your First Claude Code Skill in 5 Minutes

#ai #tutorial #productivity #programming

Claude Code skills are the hottest thing in AI dev tools right now. One skills repo hit 2,245 stars in 6 days.

But most developers don't know how to create their own. Here's how.

What Is a Claude Code Skill?

A skill is a reusable prompt/configuration that extends Claude Code. Think of it as a "macro" — you define it once, use it everywhere.

Skills live in your project's .claude/ directory or globally in ~/.claude/.

Step 1: Create the Skill File 

mkdir -p .claude/skills
touch .claude/skills/code-review.md
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Step 2: Write the Skill 

---
name: code-review
description: Review code changes for bugs, security issues, and style
---

Review the current git diff and provide:

1. **Bugs** — Logic errors, edge cases, null checks
2. **Security** — SQL injection, XSS, secrets in code
3. **Performance** — N+1 queries, unnecessary loops, memory leaks
4. **Style** — Naming, structure, readability
5. **Tests** — Missing test cases

For each issue, show:
- File and line number
- What's wrong
- How to fix it (with code)

Be concise. Skip praise. Only flag real issues.
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Step 3: Use It

In Claude Code, just reference the skill:

/code-review
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Claude Code loads the skill and applies it to your current context.

5 Useful Skills to Create Right Now

1. Commit Message Generator 

---
name: commit
description: Generate conventional commit messages from staged changes
---

Look at `git diff --staged` and write a commit message following
Conventional Commits format:

type(scope): description

Types: feat, fix, docs, style, refactor, test, chore
Keep the first line under 72 characters.
Add a body if the change is complex.
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2. PR Description Writer 

---
name: pr-desc
description: Generate PR description from branch changes
---

Compare current branch to main using `git log main..HEAD` and
`git diff main...HEAD`.

Write a PR description with:
## Summary
- What changed and why (2-3 bullets)

## Test Plan
- How to verify these changes

Keep it concise.
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3. Debug Helper 

---
name: debug
description: Systematic debugging of the current error
---

When I share an error:
1. Read the full stack trace
2. Identify the root cause (not symptoms)
3. Check the relevant source files
4. Propose a fix with code
5. Explain WHY the error happened

Don't guess — read the actual code first.
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4. Test Generator 

---
name: gen-tests
description: Generate tests for the current file
---

For the current file, generate tests that cover:
- Happy path
- Edge cases (empty input, null, boundaries)
- Error cases
- Integration points

Use the project's existing test framework and patterns.
Match the style of existing tests in the repo.
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5. Documentation Writer 

---
name: doc
description: Generate documentation for code
---

For the specified function/class/module:
1. Write a clear docstring
2. Document parameters with types
3. Document return values
4. Add usage examples
5. Note any side effects or exceptions

Follow the project's existing documentation style.
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Pro Tips

  1. Be specific — "Review for security issues" > "Review code"
  2. Include examples — Show the output format you want
  3. Set constraints — "Max 5 issues" prevents noise
  4. Reference tools — "Use git diff" tells Claude what to read
  5. Iterate — Start simple, add detail as you learn what works

Where to Find More Skills

What skills have you built? Share your best Claude Code skill in the comments.

I track AI developer tools and write tutorials. Follow for weekly deep dives.

Need help building AI-powered tools? spinov001-art.github.io | Spinov001@gmail.com

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