Skills
Skills are reusable instruction modules that extend agent capabilities. Instead of duplicating instructions across multiple agents, define them once as a skill and assign it to any agent that needs it.
Why Use Skills?
- DRY — Don't repeat yourself. Define instructions once.
- Consistency — All agents with a skill behave the same way.
- Maintainability — Update a skill, all agents get the update.
- Shareability — Skills are just files. Share them easily.
Install a Skill
ayo skill install customer-service
This downloads the skill to ~/.local/share/ayo/skills/.
Assign Skills to Agents
Add skills to an agent's config.json:
{
"model": "claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
"tools": [],
"skills": ["customer-service", "email-etiquette"]
}
When the agent runs, skill instructions are automatically included in its context.
Create a Custom Skill
Skills are markdown files. Create one in ~/.config/ayo/skills/:
# ~/.config/ayo/skills/formal-writing.md
# Formal Writing Skill
Use formal, professional language in all communications.
## Guidelines
- Use complete sentences
- Avoid contractions
- Use "please" and "thank you"
- Address recipients by title when known
- Close with appropriate sign-off
List Available Skills
ayo skill list
View Skill Contents
ayo skill show customer-service
Example: Support Agent with Skills
Combine multiple skills for a well-rounded agent:
# config.json
{
"model": "claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
"skills": [
"customer-service",
"email-etiquette",
"product-knowledge"
]
}
The agent now has customer service protocols, email formatting guidelines, and product-specific knowledge—all without cluttering the system prompt.
Best Practices
- Single focus — Each skill should cover one topic
- Clear formatting — Use headers and bullets for readability
- Be specific — Vague instructions lead to vague behavior
- Version control — Keep skills in git alongside agents