> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.hellofriday.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Skills

> Reusable instruction sets loaded into agent context on demand. Package your standards, domain knowledge, and workflows into versioned Markdown files.

Skills are instruction sets loaded into an agent's context window on demand. Package your coding standards, review criteria, domain knowledge, or any repeatable workflow into a `SKILL.md` file — agents load the right one for each task and follow it exactly.

Skills are available globally across your Friday instance by default. You can also assign them to a specific space or job by referencing them in `workspace.yml`.

## Adding skills

Open **Skills** in the Studio sidebar and click **+ Add**. Two ways to add:

**Upload file / folder** — drop a folder that contains a `SKILL.md` file, or click to browse. Friday reads the frontmatter and registers the skill.

**Import from skills.sh** — paste an `owner/repo/slug` reference (e.g. `anthropics/skills/pdf`) and click **Import skill**. Browse the full registry at [skills.sh](https://skills.sh).

## Writing a skill

A skill is a folder with a `SKILL.md` file. The file starts with YAML frontmatter:

```markdown theme={null}
---
name: my-namespace/review-criteria
description: Applies code review standards for the payments team. Use when reviewing PRs touching the billing or payments modules.
---

Your instructions here...
```

Key rules:

* `name` must be `@namespace/skill-name` format — lowercase, hyphens only
* `description` drives skill discovery — write it in third person and include a clear trigger ("Use when...")
* Keep the body focused. The agent is already smart; only include what it would otherwise get wrong.

## Publishing via CLI

```bash theme={null}
friday skill publish -p ./my-skill-folder
```

The directory must contain a `SKILL.md`. The skill name is read from the frontmatter `name` field, or you can override it with `--name @namespace/skill-name`.

Other CLI commands:

```bash theme={null}
friday skill list                          # list all published skills
friday skill get @namespace/skill-name     # get skill details
friday skill versions @namespace/skill-name  # list all versions
```

## Using skills in workspace.yml

Reference a published skill from your space:

```yaml workspace.yml theme={null}
skills:
  - name: "@my-namespace/review-criteria"
  - name: "@my-namespace/sql-standards"
    version: 3   # pin to a specific version; omit for latest
```

Or define a skill inline without publishing it:

```yaml workspace.yml theme={null}
skills:
  - name: quick-note
    inline: true
    description: Brief formatting rules for this space.
    instructions: |
      Always respond in bullet points. Keep each point under 15 words.
```

## How agents load skills

At the start of a session, Friday injects an `<available_skills>` list into the agent's context — each entry shows the skill name and its `description`. The agent calls the `load_skill` tool by name when it determines a skill is relevant to the current task.

This is why the `description` field matters more than anything else in the file. It's the only thing the agent sees before deciding whether to load a skill. Write it in third person with a clear trigger: what the skill covers and when to use it.