# What is a skill?

A skill packages a working method as reusable execution instructions or a skill package. Use it when several agents need the same method and you want to maintain it in one place.

For example, a terminology skill can require extracting specialized terms, merging duplicates, preserving source evidence, and producing a three-column table. The agent defines the business it serves; the skill explains how to handle a particular kind of task.

| Skill content | Example |
| --- | --- |
| Trigger | Use when the user asks to extract terms from product material |
| Input requirements | User text, attachments, or specified knowledge-base material |
| Procedure | Extract → deduplicate → explain → verify evidence |
| Output format | Term, explanation, and source evidence |
| Boundaries and exceptions | Mark missing information for confirmation; do not invent explanations |

Instructions do not supply tool credentials or knowledge-base content. Check the corresponding resources on the target agent when external capabilities are required.

## Avoid conflicting instructions

“Use only the current user input” suits strict text transformation but restricts knowledge-base questions. Specify which sources are allowed so the skill does not conflict with the agent's responsibilities or the user's goal.