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+---
+name: create-skill
+description: Use when the user wants to persist a preference, skill, or knowledge. Use when it would aid future val development to store a memory of how best to build something.
+triggers: [skill, preference, knowledge, memory]
+---
+
+Skills in Val Town instruct Townie and other AI agents using the Val Town MCP server how to write idiomatic vals that respect a user's preferences and knowledge.
+
+In any val, a user can create a `/skills/<name>/SKILL.md` file, e.g. `/skills/design/SKILL.md`. 
+Townie and the Val Town MCP server index skills with that directory/file structure across all of a user's vals. 
+A user may choose to centralize their skills in one val or co-locate skills across multiple vals.
+
+## Frontmatter
+
+A skill markdown file must have frontmatter:
+
+- `name`: kebab-case name of the skill; contains lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens
+- `description`: helps the agent decide when the skill is relevant. **A good skill description is critical for agent discovery**
+- `triggers`: (optional) is a list of keywords to tip off the agent
+
+The `description` and `triggers` fields enable skill discovery, i.e. tells the user's AI agent (e.g. Claude Code, Codex, Cursor) when to use it. 
+The more specific the better, including key terms that should trigger use (which can also be enumerated in `triggers`). 
+Skills without frontmatter will be silently skipped, so Townie/MCP will not be able to access them.
+
+## Best practices
+
+The [Claude Platform Docs](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/agents-and-tools/agent-skills/best-practices) offer skill authoring best practices, including:
+
+- Be concise. The context window is a public good
+- Always write in third person
+- Default assumption: AI agents are already very smart
+- Be as specific as possible (e.g. code is better than plain english where possible)
+- Improve skills based on usage and testing
+
+## Example
+
+```md
+---
+name: design
+description: Use when styling a val's UI. Use for frontend vals that return JSX or HTML
+triggers: [css, styling, layout, theme]
+---
+
+- Use `.css` files, avoid inline styles and Tailwind
+- Locate React components in a `/components` directory, one component per file
+- Use a sans-serif web-native font stack, no external fonts
+- ...
+```
+
+## Remixing
+
+A new skill can be created by remixing another user’s skill and customizing the `SKILL.md` file.
+There is a remix button in the val.town UI, and a `remix_val` tool in the Val Town MCP server to do so.