Lesson Content

What Skills are.

Skills are markdown files containing instructions that Claude Code applies automatically when specific conditions are met. A Skill captures a repeatable workflow, standard, or best practice. When Claude Code detects that the current task matches a Skill's trigger conditions, it incorporates the Skill's instructions into the session without the user needing to re-enter them.

Skills vs. CLAUDE.md.

CLAUDE.md provides persistent project-wide context – tech stack, conventions, current focus. It is always active for sessions in that directory.

Skills are task-specific instructions that activate conditionally – when Claude is doing a code review, when it is writing documentation, when it is debugging a specific error type. Skills extend CLAUDE.md with workflow-specific guidance that does not belong in a project-wide context file.

• Activation; CLAUDE.md: Always active for the directory; Skills: Conditionally, when trigger matches
• Scope; CLAUDE.md: Project-wide context; Skills: Task-specific workflows
• Best for; CLAUDE.md: Architecture, conventions, current state; Skills: Checklists, protocols, specific workflows

How Skill detection works.

Claude Code reads available Skills and evaluates whether the current task context matches a Skill's trigger conditions. When a match is detected, the Skill's instructions are incorporated into Claude's context for that task. Verify current Skill detection implementation at docs.anthropic.com.

Where Skills are stored.

Skills are markdown files stored in a designated Skills directory. In Claude Code, Skills can be stored at user level (available in all sessions) or project level (available for a specific project). Verify current file paths and structure at docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code.