Install Validate Skills
Pick your agent. Every command is ready to paste.
npx skills add callstackincubator/agent-skills --skill validate-skillsThe open skills CLI detects your agents (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex and 70+ more) and installs to the right folder. Add -g to install globally.
01
Install it
Run the command above, or upload the folder in Claude.
02
Ask naturally
Describe the task. Your agent loads validate-skills when the request matches its description.
03
Name it if needed
If it does not trigger, say “use the validate-skills skill”. In Codex, type $validate-skills.
The skill itself
SKILL.md
Validate Skills
Validate all skills in skills/ against the agentskills.io spec and Claude Code best practices.
Validation Checklist
For each skill directory, verify:
Spec Compliance (agentskills.io)
| Check | Rule |
|---|---|
name format |
1-64 chars, lowercase alphanumeric + hyphens, no leading/trailing/consecutive hyphens |
name matches directory |
Directory name must equal name field |
description length |
1-1024 characters, non-empty |
| Optional fields valid | license, metadata, compatibility if present |
Best Practices (Claude Code)
| Check | Rule |
|---|---|
| Description format | Third person, describes what + when to use |
| Body length | Under 500 lines |
| Loading is one-level deep | SKILL.md is the only progressive-disclosure entry point: every reference file must be reachable from SKILL.md. References may cross-link each other for navigation (see note below). |
| Links are markdown | Use [text](path) not bare filenames |
| No redundancy | Don't repeat description in body |
| Concise | Only add context Claude doesn't already have |
One-level-deep vs. cross-linking. The one-level-deep rule targets progressive-disclosure loading chains — a reference that can only be discovered by loading another reference first (
SKILL.md→a.md→b.md, whereb.mdis not linked fromSKILL.md). That is a defect: it hides content from the loader.It does not forbid navigational cross-links. Per AGENTS.md, reference files end with a "Related Skills" footer linking sibling references, and this is required. A cross-link is fine as long as both endpoints are also reachable directly from
SKILL.md. Only flag a reference that is reachable exclusively through another reference.
How to Run
Find all skill directories:
fd -t d -d 1 . skills/For each skill, read
SKILL.mdand check against the rules aboveReport issues in this format:
## Validation Results ### skills/example-skill - [PASS] name format valid - [FAIL] name "example" doesn't match directory "example-skill" - [PASS] description length OK (156 chars)
References
Tips for Validate Skills
- • Start a fresh session after installing so your agent picks up the new skill.
- • It is part of a pack with 13 skills. Install only the ones you need with --skill to keep triggers precise.
- • If two skills overlap, mention the one you want by name.
Questions about Validate Skills
What does the Validate Skills skill do?
Validates skills in this repo against agentskills.io spec and Claude Code best practices. Use via /validate-skills command.
How do I install Validate Skills?
Run "npx skills add callstackincubator/agent-skills --skill validate-skills" in your project. The skills CLI installs it for Claude Code, Cursor, Codex and 70+ other agents. In Claude on the web, upload the skill folder as a ZIP under Customize > Skills.
Does Validate Skills work in Cursor and Codex?
Yes. Validate Skills uses the open SKILL.md format, so it works in Claude Code, Claude, Cursor, OpenAI Codex, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and other agents that support agent skills.
Is Validate Skills free?
Validate Skills is open source on GitHub under the MIT license. It is free to install; check the license before commercial use.
Who made Validate Skills?
Validate Skills is published by Callstack in the callstackincubator/agent-skills repository, together with 12 other skills.



