What does this skill do, and when should you use it?
template-skill is one of the 15 skills bundled in the Mini-Agent repository (MiniMax-AI/Mini-Agent), located at mini_agent/skills/template-skill/SKILL.md. Its content consists only of name and description frontmatter fields plus a single placeholder line inviting you to insert instructions — it has no functionality of its own. Its value is as a minimal, standards-compliant example of the Agent Skills file format and a starting point for writing custom skills. The surrounding repository showcases the MiniMax M2.5 model, is MIT-licensed, and installs via uv.
It performs no concrete operations: the SKILL.md defines a name (template-skill), a to-be-replaced description string, and an empty instruction section. It reads nothing but its own file, runs no scripts, calls no tools, and produces no output. Its practical function is structural — you replace the description with a trigger statement, write real instructions in the body, and rename the folder to create your own skill.
- A developer writing their first custom skill for Mini Agent or any Agent Skills-compatible client who needs the minimal valid structure as a reference
- A team contributing new skills to the Mini Agent skill collection, copying this template as a uniform starting point for consistent formatting
- Teaching or demo contexts where the minimal valid SKILL.md format (YAML frontmatter plus body instructions) needs to be explained to beginners
How do you install this skill?
- The SKILL.md at this path is an unfilled template placeholder and does not constitute a deployable skill; it should not be semantically triggered or installed for use.
- This is a purely static review with low confidence; no code was executed. If the template is later populated, reassessment is required.
- Do not infer the quality of this specific skill file from repository-level signals (README, tests, license).
The skill ships with the repository and needs no separate install. Quick route: uv tool install git+https://github.com/Mini-Agent.git (full URL: https://github.com/MiniMax-AI/Mini-Agent.git), then run the repo's setup script; development route: git clone the repo and run uv sync. The skill file lives at mini_agent/skills/template-skill/SKILL.md.
tmp="$(mktemp -d)"
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/MiniMax-AI/Mini-Agent.git "$tmp"
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills
cp -R "$tmp/mini_agent/skills/template-skill" ~/.claude/skills/
rm -rf "$tmp"Generated from the source repository and skill path; it copies only this skill's folder. If the author's install steps above differ, follow those first. To scope it to one project, replace ~/.claude/skills with that project's .claude/skills.
How do you use this skill?
Once installed, send your agent any of these to trigger it:
- # Insert instructions below
Copy the template-skill directory, edit SKILL.md: rewrite description to state when the skill should be used, add your actual instructions under "# Insert instructions below", and rename the folder to your skill's name. The source does not document how Mini Agent discovers and loads custom skill directories at runtime; that mechanism should be confirmed from the code or other docs.
What are this skill's strengths and limitations?
- Extremely simple — a minimal working example of the Agent Skills standard (name + description frontmatter plus body)
- Zero dependencies: no scripts, network calls, or tool requirements; copies into any compatible environment
- Distributed under the MIT-licensed main repo, free to modify and redistribute
- No functionality at all — a pure placeholder whose description text is still unfilled
- No dedicated documentation on writing custom skills or frontmatter field conventions in the source material
- No optional scripts/references/assets directory examples; authors of complex skills must study the other 14 sibling skills instead
How does this skill compare with similar options?
Side by side with related skills; every score comes from the same FSRS standard.
| Skill | FS score | Stars | Last updated | License |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template Skill (Mini Agent template-skill) this page | Insufficient evidence | ★ 3.1k | 8mo ago | MIT |
| APS Skill Template (agnostic-prompt-standard skeleton) | 28 · Not recommended | ★ 38 | 19d ago | MIT |
| Skill Creator | 70 · Strongly recommended | ★ 2.2k | 12d ago | MIT |
| Create New Skills (Meta-Skill) | 62 · Recommended | ★ 1.5k | 8mo ago | — |
| DeepTutor Skill Creator | 57 · Use with care | ★ 41k | 18d ago | Apache-2.0 |
Anthropic's official skills repository (github.com/anthropics/skills, cited as a reference in this repo's README) offers many fully functional skills; template-skill complements it as a blank starting point rather than a finished product.
How did FollowSkills review this skill?
Evidence confidence：Low — Mostly static review, author material or a limited demo; useful for discovery, not high-risk decisions.
See the full review method →