Load Skill

VerifiedCaution

Loads a skill from the .claude/library/ directory into the current conversation context. Use this when you need to activate a predefined set of instructions for a specific task, such as coding or debugging.

Sby Skills Guide Bot
DevelopmentBeginner
6/2/2026
Claude Code
#skill-management#claude-customization#library#context-loading

Recommended for

Automated summary

Loads a skill from the local .claude/library directory into the conversation context.

Strengths

  • Simple single-command usage
  • Leverages existing file structure
  • Provides clear success/failure feedback
  • Lists available skills when the specified name is incorrect

Limitations

  • Only works with skills stored in .claude/library
  • Requires exact skill name
  • Does not handle custom paths or subdirectories
When to use it

Use this skill when you need to quickly bring a pre-existing skill's instructions into your current session.

When not to use it

Do not use it if the skill is not yet installed in the library, as it will fail silently.

Security analysis

Caution
Quality score80/100

The skill instructs the agent to run a shell command to list available skills. While the command is hardcoded and non-destructive, it uses a shell command, which could be a concern in unconstrained environments.

Findings
  • •Uses shell command 'ls' to list directory contents, which could be risky if the agent's shell execution is not sandboxed, though the command is hardcoded and benign.
How this analysis is made

Examples

Load a skill named 'jj'
/load jj
List available skills
/load nonexistent-skill

Load Skill

Load a skill from the .claude/library/ directory into the current context.

Usage

When the user invokes /load <skill-name>, load the specified skill from .claude/library/<skill-name>/SKILL.md into the conversation context.

Instructions

  1. Use the Read tool to read .claude/library/$1/SKILL.md
  2. If the file exists, the skill content will be loaded into context for reference
  3. If the file doesn't exist, list available skills using: ls -1 .claude/library/
  4. Inform the user whether the skill was loaded successfully or not

Example

User: /load jj

You should:

  • Use Read tool with file_path: .claude/library/jj/SKILL.md
  • If successful, the skill instructions are now available in context
  • Confirm to the user that the skill has been loaded

Available Skills

Skills are stored in .claude/library/{skill-name}/SKILL.md format.

From the file to a first result

The download contains exactly the content displayed on this page. This copy may differ from the latest version in the source repository.

View the source and supporting files

This download contains SKILL.md only. Any scripts, references, templates and dependencies are not included. Get the required files from the source, preserving their directory structure, before continuing.

1. Download the file

Download SKILL.md

From the root of a test project, save the file as .skill-downloads/load-skill-mmlj2onj/SKILL.md, or use the command below. This folder is for inspecting the skill before installation.

Command for macOS/Linux or WSL: requires a POSIX shell and curl. On Windows without WSL, use the download button and create the folder manually.

mkdir -p '.skill-downloads/load-skill-mmlj2onj' && curl --fail --show-error --location 'https://skills-guides.com/api/skills/load-skill-mmlj2onj/download' --output '.skill-downloads/load-skill-mmlj2onj/SKILL.md.part' && mv '.skill-downloads/load-skill-mmlj2onj/SKILL.md.part' '.skill-downloads/load-skill-mmlj2onj/SKILL.md'

2. Check prerequisites

Read SKILL.md before using it. If it references scripts or external services, inspect them and prepare the required access in your test environment.

No recognized prerequisites section in this file. This does not mean it is self-contained: libraries, tools and access requirements may be mentioned elsewhere in the content or source repository.

The platforms on this page are catalog indications. The paths below follow tool documentation; they do not prove this skill has been run in those tools. No minimum tool version is confirmed for this listing.

3. Load the skill

This file does not provide a usable name/description header for this native procedure. It remains available to download and inspect; use the manual method below.

Manual method or another tool: attach SKILL.md to a conversation, or open it in an agent that can read files. Include any required supporting resources. No universal folder is recognized by every tool.

4. Try a first task

Use a short, synthetic input: an API endpoint, a small document or an interface brief. In a new conversation, attach the file or give the agent its path, then adapt this request:

Read .skill-downloads/load-skill-mmlj2onj/SKILL.md and apply its instructions to this example: [describe a test input]. Identify any missing files, dependencies or access. Produce the result requested by the skill without inventing data or running unreviewed scripts.

Expected result: output matching the skill instructions, or a precise list of missing prerequisites. A read confirmation alone does not validate a first use. If an external resource is unavailable, that path remains untested.

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