Glossary
Agent skill
An agent skill is a written procedure an AI agent follows the same way every time — captured once and reused, rather than re-explained in each prompt.
A procedure, not a prompt
A prompt is typed for one task. A skill is written once and invoked whenever the situation recurs, which makes the agent's behaviour repeatable — the difference between occasionally useful and dependable.
Where skills come from
Two routes. You write one, usually the second time you correct the same mistake. Or the agent distils one from work it has already done, which is the mechanism behind self-improvement claims.
Portability
Because a skill is text rather than a model artefact, it is portable in principle. Whether a given platform lets you take yours is a separate and worth-asking question.
Related terms
FAQ
What is an agent skill?
A written procedure an AI agent follows the same way every time, captured once and reused rather than re-explained in each prompt. Skills are what make an agent's behaviour repeatable rather than occasionally useful.
How does an agent get a new skill?
Either you write one — usually the second time you correct the same mistake — or the agent distils one from work it has already done, which is the mechanism behind most self-improvement claims.