This page is a reference map of the full directory layout of the anthropics/skills repository. It covers what each top-level directory and file contains, how the flat skills/ directory maps to plugin bundles, and the role of the spec/ and template/ directories. For information about how individual skill folders are internally structured, see SKILL.md Format Specification. For information about how plugin bundles are defined and resolved, see Marketplace and Plugin System.
The repository root contains four directories and a small set of configuration files.
Directory tree: top-level repository layout
Sources: README.md24-27 .claude-plugin/marketplace.json1-45
| Path | Purpose |
|---|---|
skills/ | All skill implementations; each subdirectory is one skill |
spec/ | Redirects to the canonical Agent Skills specification at agentskills.io |
template/ | Starter template used when creating a new skill from scratch |
.claude-plugin/ | Plugin registry consumed by Claude Code's plugin system |
README.md | Primary user-facing documentation: installation, usage, skill authoring |
.gitignore | Ignores .DS_Store, __pycache__/, .idea/, .vscode/ |
Sources: README.md24-27 .gitignore1-5
skills/ DirectoryAll skill folders live directly under skills/ with no further nesting. The directory is flat by design — each subfolder is an independent, self-contained skill.
Diagram: skills/ directory mapped to plugin bundles
Sources: .claude-plugin/marketplace.json11-44
Each skill folder follows the same internal convention:
| Item | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
SKILL.md | Yes | YAML frontmatter + markdown body; the atomic unit Claude loads |
scripts/ | No | Python utility scripts called by Claude during skill execution |
agents/ | No | Sub-agent prompt files used by the skill |
assets/ | No | Static files (fonts, images, templates) bundled with the skill |
For a full description of the internal structure of a skill folder, see SKILL.md Format Specification.
document-skills bundle — source-available license, four skills:
| Skill Folder | Purpose |
|---|---|
skills/docx/ | Word document creation and editing |
skills/xlsx/ | Excel spreadsheet creation, formula recalculation |
skills/pptx/ | PowerPoint slide creation and thumbnail generation |
skills/pdf/ | PDF form field extraction |
example-skills bundle — Apache 2.0, twelve skills:
| Skill Folder | Category | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
skills/algorithmic-art/ | Creative & Design | Generates algorithmic visual art |
skills/brand-guidelines/ | Creative & Design | Enforces brand style rules |
skills/canvas-design/ | Creative & Design | Canvas-based design generation |
skills/frontend-design/ | Creative & Design | Frontend UI design patterns |
skills/theme-factory/ | Creative & Design | CSS/UI theme generation |
skills/internal-comms/ | Communication | Internal communication drafting |
skills/slack-gif-creator/ | Communication | Animated GIF creation for Slack |
skills/doc-coauthoring/ | Communication | Collaborative document authoring |
skills/skill-creator/ | Developer Tooling | Meta-skill: builds and evaluates other skills |
skills/mcp-builder/ | Developer Tooling | Generates MCP server scaffolding |
skills/web-artifacts-builder/ | Developer Tooling | Web artifact generation |
skills/webapp-testing/ | Developer Tooling | Web application test automation |
Sources: .claude-plugin/marketplace.json17-43 README.md12-18
.claude-plugin/ DirectoryContains a single file: marketplace.json.
Diagram: marketplace.json structure mapped to code fields
The strict: false field on both plugins enables permissive resolution mode. The source: "./" field anchors path resolution to the repository root. Skill paths are relative to source.
For a full explanation of these fields, see Marketplace and Plugin System.
Sources: .claude-plugin/marketplace.json1-45
spec/ DirectoryContains a single file: spec/agent-skills-spec.md.
This file does not contain the specification itself. It is a redirect notice pointing to the canonical location:
The spec is now located at https://agentskills.io/specification
For documentation of the Agent Skills standard and how this repository implements it, see Agent Skills Specification.
template/ DirectoryContains a starter skill folder intended for use when creating a new skill from scratch. Its structure mirrors the standard skill folder layout (a SKILL.md with minimal frontmatter and placeholder body). It is referenced in the developer guide as the recommended starting point.
For a step-by-step guide to creating a skill from the template, see Creating a New Skill.
README.mdThe primary user-facing document at the repository root. Covers:
/plugin marketplace add anthropics/skills, /plugin install)SKILL.md example)Refresh this wiki
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