docs(skills): add documentation for skill packaging and distribution

This commit is contained in:
mkorwel
2026-03-24 15:36:46 -07:00
committed by Matt Korwel
parent 050c30330e
commit 9bf5be1c4a
2 changed files with 60 additions and 2 deletions
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@@ -72,9 +72,55 @@ This skill guides the agent in conducting thorough code reviews.
- **Local Changes**: If changes are local... ...
```
- **`name`**: A unique identifier for the skill. This should match the directory
name.
- **`description`**: A description of what the skill does and when Gemini should
use it.
- **Body**: The Markdown body of the file contains the instructions that guide
the agent's behavior when the skill is active.
## Packaging and Distribution
To share a skill or distribute it as a standalone archive, you can package the
skill directory into a `.skill` file. This is essentially a ZIP archive that
the `gemini skills install` command can process.
### Using the `skill-creator` toolchain
The built-in `skill-creator` skill includes a packaging script that validates
your skill (checking for missing frontmatter, unresolved TODOs, etc.) before
creating the archive.
To package a skill:
1. **Activate** the `skill-creator` skill in a Gemini session.
2. **Ask** the agent to "package my skill located at `./path/to/skill`".
The agent will run the necessary validation and create a `.skill` file in your
specified output directory.
### Manual Packaging
If you prefer to package manually, you can simply create a ZIP archive of the
skill's root directory (ensuring `SKILL.md` is at the top level) and rename the
extension to `.skill`.
```bash
# Example: Package 'my-skill' directory into 'my-skill.skill'
zip -r my-skill.skill my-skill/
```
## Installing a Packaged Skill
Once you have a `.skill` file, you can install it using the `gemini` CLI.
```bash
# Install to the user scope (global)
gemini skills install ./my-skill.skill
# Install to the workspace scope (local repository)
gemini skills install ./my-skill.skill --scope workspace
```
After installation, remember to reload your session to pick up the new expertise:
1. In an interactive session, run `/skills reload`.
2. Verify the installation with `/skills list`.
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@@ -106,6 +106,18 @@ gemini skills enable my-expertise
gemini skills disable my-expertise --scope workspace
```
### Activation and Reloading
After installing or linking a new skill, it is not automatically available in
currently active sessions. To pick up the new expertise:
1. **In an interactive session**: Run the `/skills reload` slash command. This
refreshes the list of discovered skills from all tiers and scopes.
2. **Verify**: Run `/skills list` to confirm the new skill is discovered and
enabled.
3. **Automatic Discovery**: New sessions will automatically discover all
available skills during startup.
## How it Works
1. **Discovery**: At the start of a session, Gemini CLI scans the discovery