> Documentation index: [/llms.txt](/llms.txt). Every page as one file: [/llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt).

# Skills

Skills [#skills]

A skill is a packaged set of instructions an agent follows for one kind of task, such as matching invoices or writing variance commentary, with any scripts and reference files it needs.

Open **Agents** > **Skills** in the sidebar.

<img alt="The Skills page Library tab with Variance Commentary as an individual skill and the Accounts Payable Toolkit set holding Invoice Matching Rules and Expense Policy Check" src="__img0" />

How an agent uses a skill [#how-an-agent-uses-a-skill]

Skills cost little until they are needed:

1. An agent always knows the **name** and **description** of every skill it has, and uses them to decide when a skill applies.
2. When a task matches, the agent reads the skill's instructions, its `SKILL.md`.
3. The agent opens the skill's other files, such as a script or a reference table, only when the instructions point to them.

So the description matters most: write it to say when the skill should be used, in a sentence or two.

Give an agent skills [#give-an-agent-skills]

* **For good:** in the agent editor, open **Skills** and select the skills or [skill sets](/docs/platform/skills/skill-sets) the agent should have. See [Configure an agent](/docs/platform/agents/configure).
* **For one chat:*&#x2A; type &#x2A;*/*&#x2A; in the composer, or select &#x2A;*+** > **Skills**, and pick a skill. See [Mentions and commands](/docs/platform/chat/mentions-and-commands).

<img alt="The Skills pane of the Invoice Checker editor with Invoice Matching Rules selected among the workspace's and the built-in skills" src="__img1" />

Built-in skills and your own [#built-in-skills-and-your-own]

|            | Built-in skills                                                                  | Your skills                                                                                       |
| ---------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Made by    | Alomana                                                                          | Members of your workspace, or installed from the [marketplace](/docs/platform/skills/marketplace) |
| Seen in    | Every workspace                                                                  | This workspace only                                                                               |
| Change it  | **Fork to customize** copies it into your workspace, where you can edit the copy | Edit, replace with a ZIP, download or delete                                                      |
| Shown with | A globe icon and the **Platform** label                                          | A lock icon while you are the workspace's only member                                             |

The buttons above the list switch between them:

| Filter       | Shows                                                                           |
| ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Space**    | Skills made or installed in this workspace.                                     |
| **Alo**      | Built-in skills of Alomana's own agents, such as Agent Builder and App Builder. |
| **Platform** | Every built-in skill.                                                           |

The **Source** column says where a skill came from: **custom** (made or uploaded here), **marketplace** or **seeded** (built in).

Skills and agent changes [#skills-and-agent-changes]

An agent keeps the skills it was published with, content included:

* When you edit a skill, every agent that uses it shows **Update available** and takes the change when it is next published. The skill editor shows how many agents that is: **Used by** *n* **agents**.
* When you delete a skill, it is taken off every agent's draft. Agents keep using the copy in their published version, and show **Update available**, until they are published again.

See [Test and publish an agent](/docs/platform/agents/test-and-publish#when-a-skill-or-prompt-template-changes).

Next steps [#next-steps]

* [Create a skill](/docs/platform/skills/create), or import one as a `SKILL.md` or ZIP.
* [Group skills into skill sets](/docs/platform/skills/skill-sets).
* [Install a skill from the marketplace](/docs/platform/skills/marketplace).

To manage skills with an API key, see [Create and configure an agent](/docs/api/configurable-agents/create-and-configure#prompt-templates-and-skills) in the API documentation.