validate-skills

Q: How do I install validate-skills?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/callstackincubator/agent-skills --skill validate-skills in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/validate-skills/ (personal) or .claude/skills/validate-skills/ (project).

by callstackincubator OfficialCode Quality & Workflow

Validates skills in this repo against agentskills.io spec and Claude Code best practices. Use via /validate-skills command.

Installs: 7.3K
Last 24h: +20
Trending rank: #5784
Security: Pass

Install

Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.

npx skills add https://github.com/callstackincubator/agent-skills --skill validate-skills

01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads validate-skills automatically when relevant.
03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.

Security audits

Independent scans of the skill's instructions and bundled files.

Gen Agent Trust Hub PassSAFE ·The skill is a static documentation file defining rules and procedures for validating other AI agent skills against established guidelines. It contains no executable code, remote script downloads, or data exfiltration vectors, and is safe to use.

Socket PassNo alerts

Snyk PassLOW ·Risk: LOW · No issues

Runlayer PassNONE ·1 file scanned · No issues

ZeroLeaks PassNONE ·Score: 93/100 · 2 sections analyzed

SKILL.md

The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.

Validate Skills

Validate all skills in skills/ against the agentskills.io spec and Claude Code best practices.

Validation Checklist

For each skill directory, verify:

Spec Compliance (agentskills.io)

Check	Rule
`name` format	1-64 chars, lowercase alphanumeric + hyphens, no leading/trailing/consecutive hyphens
`name` matches directory	Directory name must equal `name` field
`description` length	1-1024 characters, non-empty
Optional fields valid	`license`, `metadata`, `compatibility` if present

Best Practices (Claude Code)

Check	Rule
Description format	Third person, describes what + when to use
Body length	Under 500 lines
Loading is one-level deep	`SKILL.md` is the only progressive-disclosure entry point: every reference file must be reachable from `SKILL.md`. References may cross-link each other for navigation (see note below).
Links are markdown	Use `[text](path)` not bare filenames
No redundancy	Don't repeat description in body
Concise	Only add context Claude doesn't already have

One-level-deep vs. cross-linking. The one-level-deep rule targets progressive-disclosure loading chains — a reference that can only be discovered by loading another reference first (SKILL.md → a.md → b.md, where b.md is not linked from SKILL.md). That is a defect: it hides content from the loader.

It does not forbid navigational cross-links. Per AGENTS.md, reference files end with a "Related Skills" footer linking sibling references, and this is required. A cross-link is fine as long as both endpoints are also reachable directly from SKILL.md. Only flag a reference that is reachable exclusively through another reference.

How to Run

Find all skill directories:
```
fd -t d -d 1 . skills/
```
For each skill, read SKILL.md and check against the rules above

Report issues in this format:

## Validation Results

### skills/example-skill
- [PASS] name format valid
- [FAIL] name "example" doesn't match directory "example-skill"
- [PASS] description length OK (156 chars)

References

FAQ

What does the validate-skills skill do?

Validates skills in this repo against agentskills.io spec and Claude Code best practices. Use via /validate-skills command.

How do I install validate-skills?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/callstackincubator/agent-skills --skill validate-skills in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/validate-skills/ (personal) or .claude/skills/validate-skills/ (project).

Which AI agents can use validate-skills?

Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.

Is validate-skills safe to install?

Security partners have reviewed it: Gen Agent Trust Hub passed; Socket passed; Snyk passed; Runlayer passed; ZeroLeaks passed. As with any skill, read the SKILL.md and bundled scripts before installing.

Who maintains validate-skills?

It is published by callstackincubator in callstackincubator/agent-skills, and it is an official skill from the maker of the technology it covers. It has 7,284 recorded installs.