SOP 002: Configure Frontmatter
Fresh| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| SOP ID | 002 |
| Version | 1.0 |
| Status | Active |
| Last Updated | 2026-02-14 |
Purpose
Master all YAML frontmatter fields available for skill configuration, understand their defaults, and know when to use each one.
Frontmatter Reference
All fields are optional. Only description is recommended.
Complete Field Reference
| Field | Required | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
name | No | Directory name | Display name and /slash-command. Lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens only. Max 64 characters. |
description | Recommended | First paragraph of content | What the skill does and when to use it. Claude uses this to decide when to apply the skill. |
argument-hint | No | None | Hint shown during autocomplete. Example: [issue-number] or [filename] [format] |
disable-model-invocation | No | false | Set to true to prevent Claude from auto-loading. Use for manual-only workflows. |
user-invocable | No | true | Set to false to hide from the / menu. Use for background knowledge. |
allowed-tools | No | All tools | Comma-separated tools Claude can use without asking. Example: Read, Grep, Glob |
model | No | Current model | Override the model when skill is active. |
context | No | Inline | Set to fork to run in a forked subagent context. |
agent | No | general-purpose | Subagent type when context: fork. Options: Explore, Plan, general-purpose, or custom. |
hooks | No | None | Hooks scoped to this skill's lifecycle. |
Procedure
Step 1: Start with Minimum Frontmatter
yaml
---
name: my-skill
description: What this skill does and when to use it
---Step 2: Add Fields Based on Need
Decision Guide
Ask yourself these questions:
- Should Claude auto-trigger this? If NO ->
disable-model-invocation: true - Should users see it in the
/menu? If NO ->user-invocable: false - Should it run isolated? If YES ->
context: fork - Should it restrict tools? If YES ->
allowed-tools: Read, Grep
Step 3: Example Configurations
Reference skill (API conventions):
yaml
---
name: api-conventions
description: API design patterns for this codebase
---Task skill (deploy):
yaml
---
name: deploy
description: Deploy the application to production
context: fork
disable-model-invocation: true
---Read-only skill (safe reader):
yaml
---
name: safe-reader
description: Read files without making changes
allowed-tools: Read, Grep, Glob
---String Substitutions
| Variable | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
$ARGUMENTS | All arguments passed | Fix issue $ARGUMENTS |
$ARGUMENTS[N] | Specific argument (0-based) | $ARGUMENTS[0] = first arg |
$N | Shorthand for $ARGUMENTS[N] | $0 = first arg |
${CLAUDE_SESSION_ID} | Current session ID | For logging, file naming |
Verification Checklist
- [ ] Frontmatter enclosed between
---markers - [ ] YAML syntax is valid (proper indentation, quoting)
- [ ]
nameuses only lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens - [ ]
descriptionis clear and contains trigger keywords - [ ] Fields match intended invocation pattern