Skills
Skills extend what Claude Code can do. They're like plugins that add specific capabilities.
Available Skills
| Skill | Description | Install |
|---|---|---|
| nano-banana | Image generation | claude skill add nano-banana |
| alpha-mcp | Crypto trading | claude mcp add @blockrun/alpha |
What Are Skills?
Skills are prompt-based extensions that teach Claude new workflows. Unlike MCP servers (which provide tools), skills provide instructions and best practices.
MCP Server: Gives Claude new tools to call Skill: Teaches Claude how to use tools effectively
Installing Skills
From BlockRun
# Add nano-banana skill
claude skill add nano-banana
Manual Installation
Skills are markdown files in your Claude Code skills directory:
# Find skills directory
ls ~/.claude/skills/
# Add a skill manually
cp my-skill.md ~/.claude/skills/
Using Skills
Skills are invoked with slash commands:
/nano-banana "a minimalist logo for a crypto trading bot"
Or by natural language when Claude recognizes the task:
Generate an image of a futuristic AI agent
Claude will use the nano-banana skill automatically.
Creating Custom Skills
Skills are markdown files with a specific format:
---
name: my-skill
description: What this skill does
triggers:
- "create a post"
- "write a tweet"
---
# My Skill
Instructions for Claude on how to perform this task...
## Steps
1. First, do this...
2. Then, do that...
3. Finally, check this...
## Best Practices
- Always do X
- Never do Y
Skill Metadata
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
name | Yes | Skill identifier |
description | Yes | Brief description |
triggers | No | Phrases that activate the skill |
Skill Content
The body of the skill file is instructions for Claude. Write it like you're teaching someone the task.
Skills vs MCP Servers
| Feature | Skills | MCP Servers |
|---|---|---|
| What they provide | Instructions | Tools |
| Written in | Markdown | Code (JS/Python) |
| Installation | skill add | mcp add |
| Example | nano-banana | blockrun-mcp |
Use skills when: You want to teach Claude a workflow Use MCP when: You need Claude to call external services
Skill + MCP Combinations
Skills often work alongside MCP servers:
| Skill | Uses MCP |
|---|---|
| nano-banana | blockrun-mcp (for generation) |
| alpha-mcp | alpha-mcp (for trading tools) |
Managing Skills
List Installed Skills
claude skill list
Remove a Skill
claude skill remove nano-banana
Update a Skill
claude skill update nano-banana
Troubleshooting
Skill Not Triggering
Check if the skill is installed:
claude skill list
Try explicit invocation:
/skill-name command
Skill Conflicts
If multiple skills handle similar tasks, use explicit invocation to specify which one.
Skill Not Found
# Reinstall
claude skill remove skill-name
claude skill add skill-name