How to Access and Modify Skill Files in the Anthropics Knowledge‑Work‑Plugins Repository

To access and modify skill files in the anthropics/knowledge‑work‑plugins repository, clone the repository, navigate to the domain‑specific skills/<skill-name>/ directory, and edit the SKILL.md file along with its supporting reference assets while preserving the YAML front‑matter structure.

The anthropics/knowledge‑work‑plugins repository stores automation logic as discrete, domain‑organized skills. Each skill is a self‑contained directory containing a Markdown definition file and optional reference materials, making it straightforward to customize workflows for small‑business, productivity, marketing, or data tasks.

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Repository Structure and Skill File Locations

Skill files follow a predictable path structure based on domain directories. Domains such as small-business, productivity, marketing, and data each contain a skills subdirectory.

Domain Organization

Every skill resides under a pattern like */skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md. For example, the Ticket Deflector skill lives at:

small-business/skills/ticket-deflector/SKILL.md

Other skills follow the same convention:

• productivity/skills/task-management/SKILL.md
• marketing/skills/seo-audit/SKILL.md
• data/skills/write-query/SKILL.md

Core Components of a Skill

A complete skill directory contains three primary elements:

• SKILL.md — The canonical definition containing YAML front‑matter (lines 1‑10) and workflow instructions (lines 12‑70).
• reference/ — A folder holding gotchas.md, example scenarios, and connector queries.
• dashboard.html (optional) — An HTML UI layer for interactive skills, present in some productivity catalog entries.

List all skill definitions by running:

git clone https://github.com/anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins.git
cd knowledge-work-plugins
find . -type f -name SKILL.md | sort

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Accessing Skill Files Locally

After cloning the repository, navigate directly to the skill directory to inspect or edit files.

cd knowledge-work-plugins
cd small-business/skills/ticket-deflector

Open the primary definition file in your preferred editor:

vim SKILL.md

# or

code SKILL.md

Inspect supporting materials by entering the reference folder:

cd reference
ls

# Output: gotchas.md  examples/

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Modifying Skill Definitions

Changes typically involve metadata updates, workflow adjustments, or reference material expansion. Preserve the YAML front‑matter delimiters (---) and maintain relative URLs for internal links.

Editing SKILL.md Metadata and Workflow

The header block (lines 1‑10) declares the skill name, description, and compatibility. The body (lines 12‑70) defines approval gates and step‑by‑step workflows.

Example: Adding a new connector to the compatibility list

- compatibility: "Requires PayPal, HubSpot, Mail. Optional: Intercom, Square."
+ compatibility: "Requires PayPal, HubSpot, Mail. Optional: Intercom, Square, Stripe."

Critical constraints when editing:

• Keep the YAML front‑matter well‑formed; the file must start and end with ---.
• Do not remove approval‑gate language (e.g., “owner confirmation” requirements) that protects sensitive actions like refunds.
• Use relative paths for internal references (e.g., [gotchas](reference/gotchas.md)), reserving absolute URLs for external knowledge‑base articles only.

Managing Reference Assets and Examples

Extend a skill’s utility by updating files in the reference/ directory:

Change Type	Target File	Purpose
Document edge cases	reference/gotchas.md	Warn users about pitfalls
Add usage scenarios	reference/examples/*.md	Provide new response templates
Update UI layout	dashboard.html	Modify button labels or layout (if present)

After modification, stage and commit your changes:

git add small-business/skills/ticket-deflector/SKILL.md
git commit -m "Add Stripe to ticket-deflector compatibility list"
git push origin main

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Validation and Best Practices

Before committing, verify that the YAML header still parses correctly:

head -n 10 small-business/skills/ticket-deflector/SKILL.md | \
  grep -E '^---|^name:|^description:|^compatibility:'

Essential best practices:

• Lint Markdown if the repository provides a linter to catch broken front‑matter.
• Avoid unintentional changes to shared reference files; a typo in gotchas.md can propagate errors across multiple skills.
• Test relative links locally to ensure they resolve within the skill directory structure.

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Summary

• Skill definitions live at */skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md within domain folders like small-business and productivity.
• The SKILL.md file splits into YAML front‑matter (metadata) and Markdown body (workflow) sections.
• Reference assets stored in reference/ folders supplement the core definition with examples and warnings.
• Always preserve YAML delimiters, approval‑gate language, and relative URLs when editing.
• Commit changes via standard Git workflow after validating file syntax.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where are skill files located in the knowledge‑work‑plugins repository?

Skill files are located under domain directories (e.g., small-business, marketing) inside skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md. For example, the Ticket Deflector skill is at small-business/skills/ticket-deflector/SKILL.md, while the SEO Audit skill resides at marketing/skills/seo-audit/SKILL.md.

How do I edit the metadata of a skill without breaking the file?

Edit only the content between the --- delimiters at the top of SKILL.md (lines 1‑10). Ensure the YAML keys (name, description, compatibility) remain properly formatted with colons and spaces, and leave the closing --- intact to separate the header from the Markdown body.

What is the difference between SKILL.md and files in the reference folder?

SKILL.md contains the authoritative skill definition, metadata, and workflow steps used by the system. The reference/ folder holds supplementary human‑readable content such as gotchas.md (common pitfalls) and example scenarios that illustrate usage but are not parsed as executable logic.

Can I add new examples to an existing skill?

Yes. Create a new Markdown file inside the skill’s reference/examples/ directory (e.g., reference/examples/handle-dispute.md) and link to it from the main SKILL.md body using a relative path. This keeps the core definition lightweight while expanding practical guidance for users.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}