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    Workspace

    Skills: Reusable AI Instructions for Better Responses

    Skills are markdown-based instruction sets you attach to models or invoke in chat. Teach your AI how to approach tasks — code review, writing style, troubleshooting — without writing code.

    Basics
    ≈ 8 min read
    Feature Guide

    What Are Skills?

    Skills are reusable, markdown-based instruction sets that teach AI models how to approach specific tasks. Unlike Tools (which run executable Python code), Skills are plain-text instructions — guidelines, playbooks, or rules that the model follows when generating responses. Think of them as "how-to" guides you attach to a conversation or a model. When the model needs to perform a task, it can load the relevant skill and apply its instructions.

    Skills vs Tools

    Tools execute code (Python, APIs) — they run in a sandbox and can call external services. Skills are instructions only — no code execution, no security risk. They're safe to create and share, and they keep your context window efficient.

    How Skills Work (Lazy Loading)

    Skills use a smart lazy-loading design so the model's context window stays efficient:

    1

    Manifest injection

    When a skill is active (bound to a model or mentioned in chat), only a lightweight manifest with the skill's name and description is injected into the system prompt. The model sees what skills are available without loading full content.

    2

    On-demand loading

    The model receives a view_skill built-in tool. When it decides it needs a skill's full instructions, it calls view_skill with the skill name to load the complete content. Only the skills the model actually uses get loaded into context.

    How to Use Skills

    In chat ($ mention)

    Type $ in the chat input to open the skill picker. Select a skill and it attaches to your message (like @ for models or # for knowledge). The skill manifest is injected for that conversation.

    $ Code Review Guidelines

    Bound to a model

    Go to Workspace → Models, edit a model, and scroll to the Skills section. Check the skills you want that model to always have. When you chat with that model, the selected skills' manifests are automatically injected.

    Example: Code Review Guidelines

    Here's a simple skill you could create to improve code review responses:

    Skill: code-review-guidelines

    1. Check for correctness and logic errors. 2. Look for security vulnerabilities (SQL injection, XSS). 3. Verify error handling and edge cases. 4. Suggest performance improvements. 5. Ensure code follows project style guidelines.

    When you ask the model to review code, it loads this skill and applies these steps — giving you consistent, thorough reviews every time.

    What Can You Use Skills For?

    Code review guidelines

    Step-by-step rules for thorough, consistent code reviews

    Writing style rules

    Tone, format, and structure for emails, docs, or reports

    Troubleshooting playbooks

    Systematic steps for debugging or incident response

    Domain-specific instructions

    Legal, medical, or financial compliance guidelines

    Response formatting

    How to structure answers (bullet points, sections, examples)

    Per-model behavior tuning

    Customize how a specific model approaches tasks

    Frequently Asked Questions

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