> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.9thprotocol.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Skills

> Package a repeated workflow into a slash command.

A skill is a markdown file describing a procedure. Invoke it with `/name` and
its contents enter the conversation as instructions.

## Creating one

Drop a `.md` file in either directory:

| Location        | Scope                             |
| --------------- | --------------------------------- |
| `~/.9p/skills/` | every project                     |
| `./.9p/skills/` | this project (wins on name clash) |

```markdown ~/.9p/skills/review.md theme={null}
---
name: review
description: Review staged changes before committing
---

Review what is currently staged (`git diff --cached`).

Check in order:
1. Correctness, logic errors, unhandled cases, wrong assumptions
2. Tests, is the new behaviour covered?
3. Conventions, does it match the surrounding code?

Report findings most-severe first as `file:line, problem`. Do not fix
anything unless I ask.
```

Then:

```
9p ❯ /review
```

Frontmatter is optional, without it the filename becomes the name and the
description is empty.

## Arguments

Anything after the name is passed through:

```
9p ❯ /review src/auth
```

Write the skill so that reads naturally: *"Review what is staged. If an argument
is given, restrict the review to that path."*

## Why not just put it in 9P.md?

Because of context cost. [`9P.md`](/memory) is loaded **every session**; a skill
body enters context **only when you invoke it**. Ten skills cost nothing until
used, ten workflows in `9P.md` cost tokens on every single turn.

Rule of thumb: standing rules go in `9P.md`, procedures go in skills.

## Managing them

```
/skills           # reload from disk and list
```

Skills reload on `/skills`, so you can edit one in another window and pick up
the change without restarting.

## Ideas that work well

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="/ship">
    Run checks, write a commit message in your house style, open a PR with a
    filled-out template.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="/debug">
    Reproduce, find root cause, fix, add a regression test, in that order,
    without skipping to the fix.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="/onboard">
    Read the vault index and the codebase map, then summarise the current state
    of work. Good first command of the day.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="/adr">
    Write a decision record into the vault's `decisions/` folder, linked from the
    relevant notes.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>