skill-updater

Skill Updater

This skill guides you through improving existing skills based on execution feedback and real-world usage.

When to Update a Skill

Update a skill when:

• Execution wasn't smooth (errors, workarounds needed)
• Instructions were unclear or incomplete
• Edge cases weren't handled
• Better patterns were discovered during use
• User explicitly requests improvements

Update Workflow

Step 1: Diagnose the Issue

Analyze what went wrong:

Issue Type	Symptoms	Solution
Missing steps	Had to improvise mid-task	Add the missing instructions
Unclear instructions	Misinterpreted what to do	Rewrite with concrete examples
Edge case	Failed on specific input	Add conditional handling
Outdated info	Commands/APIs changed	Update to current versions
Over-specified	Too rigid for variations	Add flexibility guidance
Under-specified	Too vague, inconsistent results	Add specific constraints

Step 2: Locate the Skill

Find the skill file:

~/.autoskills/personal-skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md

Or use the MCP tool:

get_skill(name: "<skill-name>")

Step 3: Apply Targeted Fixes

Principle: Make minimal, focused changes. Don't rewrite the entire skill.

For Missing Steps

Add the step in the correct sequence:

## Instructions
1. Existing step
2. **NEW: Handle edge case X**
3. Existing step

For Unclear Instructions

Replace vague guidance with concrete examples:

Before:

Configure the settings appropriately.

After:

Configure settings in config.json:
```json
{
  "timeout": 30000,
  "retries": 3
}

#### For Edge Cases

Add conditional handling:
```markdown
## Instructions
1. Check input type:
   - **If JSON file**: Parse with `JSON.parse()`
   - **If YAML file**: Use `yaml.safe_load()`
   - **If unknown**: Detect format from content

For Outdated Information

Update commands/APIs to current versions:

<!-- Updated 2024-01: API v2 now requires auth header -->