SKILL.md — Portable reusable capability
A SKILL is a packaged, reusable method a LENSER can invoke — closer to a runbook than to a single prompt. It declares activation rules (keywords, file patterns, signals), a workflow, and anti-patterns.
Filename
- Canonical:
SKILL.md - Container:
skills/<slug>/SKILL.md
Required frontmatter
| Key | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
kind | skill | Discriminator |
schema_version | number | 1 |
id | string | Stable id |
name | string | Display name |
description | string | One-line activation hint |
Common keys: activation.keywords[], activation.files[], inputs[], outputs[].
Required sections
# Purpose# When To Use# Workflow
Validation rules
- Frontmatter and all three sections must be present.
- Disclaimer markers applied for legal/finance tags or keywords.
Canonical template
yaml
---
kind: skill
schema_version: 1
id: skill_<uuid>
slug: competitor-research-skill
name: Competitor Research Skill
description: Repeatable method for researching competitors and building structured reports.
owner: { workspace_id: ws_<uuid> }
visibility: workspace
version: 0.1.0
status: active
activation:
keywords: [competitor research]
---
# Purpose
What the skill helps accomplish.
# When To Use
Activation conditions, preconditions, and anti-patterns.
# Workflow
Step-by-step instructions the lenser should follow.