# Turn a checklist you keep forgetting into a Claude Code skill

> When you catch yourself re-typing the same multi-step instructions, put them in .claude/skills/<name>/SKILL.md and run them with a slash command.

- **Category:** [Coding](https://stepgleam.com/categories/coding)
- **Difficulty:** Beginner
- **Time:** ~20 minutes
- **Tools:** Claude Code, Git
- **Reliability score:** 78/100
- **Steps:** 5
- **Last updated:** 2026-10-26
- **Published:** 2026-10-26

## Tools used

- [Claude Code](https://code.claude.com/docs) — Loads and runs the skill
- [Git](https://git-scm.com) — Shares the skill with your team

## 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.

## 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.

## Steps

### Step 1: Notice the instruction you keep re-typing

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."*

[Open step 1](https://stepgleam.com/guides/turn-a-repeated-checklist-into-a-claude-code-skill#step-1)

### Step 2: Create .claude/skills/<name>/SKILL.md

**Tool:** Claude Code

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.

**Why this works:** Skills load on demand, so they do not bloat every session the way CLAUDE.md does.

**Prompt:**

```
---
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
```

[Open step 2](https://stepgleam.com/guides/turn-a-repeated-checklist-into-a-claude-code-skill#step-2)

### Step 3: Run it with a slash command

**Tool:** Claude Code

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

**Prompt:**

```
/fix-issue 1234
```

[Open step 3](https://stepgleam.com/guides/turn-a-repeated-checklist-into-a-claude-code-skill#step-3)

### Step 4: Keep broad rules in CLAUDE.md and occasional workflows in skills

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."*

[Open step 4](https://stepgleam.com/guides/turn-a-repeated-checklist-into-a-claude-code-skill#step-4)

### Step 5: Pair it with a hook for anything that must not be skipped

**Tool:** Claude Code

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

[Open step 5](https://stepgleam.com/guides/turn-a-repeated-checklist-into-a-claude-code-skill#step-5)

## Pro tips

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

## Common mistakes

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

## FAQ

### 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.

---

Canonical guide: https://stepgleam.com/guides/turn-a-repeated-checklist-into-a-claude-code-skill
Read this guide as Markdown: https://stepgleam.com/guides/turn-a-repeated-checklist-into-a-claude-code-skill.md