Turn a checklist you keep forgetting into a Claude Code skill

Tools used

Claude CodeLoads and runs the skill
GitShares the skill with your team

Step navigator0/5 done

0 of 5 steps done

What you'll get

A committed skill you run with /name that does your checklist the same way every time.

Who this is for

Claude Code users who repeat the same instructions across sessions.

Read this first

Before you start

One r/ClaudeAI developer built a large collection of skills and hooks the same way each time: after a mistake, they made a small fix, like a slash command for the check they kept forgetting. Anthropic's best-practices guide shows the file format.

Step 1 of 5 · Coding

Notice the instruction you keep re-typing

Done

The developer's origin story: "Each time something went wrong, I'd build a small workaround — a hook to block the mistake, a slash command to automate the check I kept forgetting, a skill to handle the tedious part." Examples include /spec "to force myself to think before coding" and /deploy "so I stop forgetting checklist items."

Turn a checklist you keep forgetting into a Claude Code skill — guide thumbnail

Step 2 of 5 · Coding

Create .claude/skills/<name>/SKILL.md

Done

Add a folder with a SKILL.md. The front matter needs a name and description; the body is the workflow as numbered steps. For workflows with side effects, add disable-model-invocation: true so it only runs when you call it.

Copy-ready promptClaude Code

---
name: fix-issue
description: Fix a GitHub issue
disable-model-invocation: true
---
Analyze and fix the GitHub issue: $ARGUMENTS.
1. Use gh issue view to get the issue details
2. Search the codebase for relevant files
3. Implement the necessary changes
4. Write and run tests to verify the fix
5. Ensure code passes linting and type checking
6. Create a descriptive commit message, push and create a PR

Why this works

Skills load on demand, so they do not bloat every session the way CLAUDE.md does.

Step 3 of 5 · Coding

Run it with a slash command

Done

Invoke it as /fix-issue 1234; $ARGUMENTS is replaced with what you type after the command.

Copy-ready promptClaude Code

/fix-issue 1234

Step 4 of 5 · Coding

Keep broad rules in CLAUDE.md and occasional workflows in skills

Done

Anthropic's guide: CLAUDE.md is loaded every session, "so only include things that apply broadly. For domain knowledge or workflows that are only relevant sometimes, use skills instead."

Step 5 of 5 · Coding

Pair it with a hook for anything that must not be skipped

Done

The same developer backs skills with hooks for the non-negotiables, such as "blocking secrets before commit" and "run tests before push."

End of guide · Reviewed Oct 26, 2026

Pro tips2

Commit .claude/skills/ so teammates get the same workflows.
Keep each skill to one job.

Common mistakes2

Putting every workflow in CLAUDE.md until it is too long to follow.
Letting a deploy skill trigger itself.

FAQ2

Are slash commands and skills the same thing?

A skill gives you a /name command; older command files still work.

Can Claude use a skill without me calling it?

Yes, unless you set disable-model-invocation: true.

Tools used

Before you start

Step-by-step instructions

Related field guides.

Run parallel Claude Code agents in git worktrees without merge hell

Make a coding agent write the failing tests first, then implement

Set up Claude Code hooks for formatting, tests and protected files