---
title: "Skills · Docs · SourceAnt"
description: "Documentation: Create, import and share reusable instructions, override them for a repository, and use them from MCP-connected coding tools."
url: "https://sourceant.ai/docs/skills/"
---

# Skills

A skill stores instructions for a repeatable task. Use it to share how your team reviews changes, writes requirements or approaches other work.

For an introduction to sharing skills with your team, see [Skills](https://sourceant.ai/skills).

## Create or import a skill

1.  Open **Skills** in the dashboard. Choose a repository if the instructions should apply there.
2.  Choose **New skill**. Give it an identifier made of lowercase words joined by hyphens, a name and a description under **When to use it**.
3.  Choose **Save to**: the workspace or the selected repository. Write the instructions in Markdown.
4.  Choose a **Type**: Guidance, Reviews, Initialization or a custom type. Set any file patterns and purposes, then save.

To bring an existing skill, choose **Import** and select a `SKILL.md` file or paste its document, including front matter. Documents must fit within 100 KB. Creating a skill with an existing identifier in the same scope asks you to confirm replacement.

## Workspace skills and repository overrides

Workspace skills are shared across repositories. Select a repository to see its overrides alongside inherited workspace skills. Open an inherited skill and choose **Override for repository** to adapt it there. Deleting that override makes the workspace version available again.

Built-in system instructions are separate from the workspace catalogue. Platform administrators can inspect them on the read-only **System skills** page.

## Control when a skill is used

Turn off **Allow agents to select this skill automatically** to keep invocation manual. Under **Where it applies**, add purpose names and enable or disable each one. A skill's type describes it; its purpose settings control eligibility for those activities.

Use **Type** and **Enabled for** to filter the catalogue. The navigation search also searches the skills shown for your selected scope.

## Use a skill in a coding tool

1.  Connect the tool using [Settings → MCP](https://sourceant.ai/docs/settings#mcp), or the [local MCP server](https://sourceant.ai/docs/local-setup#mcp).
2.  Open the skill and choose **Copy use request**. Paste the request into your connected tool.
3.  Alternatively, select the skill from the client's MCP prompts. `use_skill` accepts a skill identifier, an optional repository and a task. `choose_skill` helps you select one for a task.

SourceAnt over MCP

Use a shared skill from your coding tool

1.  **Find the skill**Type the prefix. Every workspace skill is listed with what it is for.
    
    /sourceant:skill
    
    -   `**/sourceant:skill:**test-culture`Describe the test framework, layout, and visible limits without assuming coverage or quality.
    -   `**/sourceant:skill:**contract-consistency`Check whether changed inputs, outputs, errors, or access rules break existing consumers.
    -   `**/sourceant:skill:**duplicate-implementation`Check whether newly added code duplicates existing behavior and introduces a concrete problem.
    
2.  **Give it a task**Add what to work on. Name a repository to use its own version of the skill, if it has one.
    
    /sourceant:skill:contract-consistency
    
    task
    
    Review the change to the invoice endpoint
    
    repository
    
    billing
    
3.  **Work from the current version**SourceAnt sends the latest instructions into the conversation with your task attached.
    
    Sent to the assistant
    
    Apply the Contract consistency review skill to the requested task.
    
    Trace each changed contract from the code that produces a value to the code that uses it.
    
    1\. Read both sides. Compare accepted inputs, returned fields, error handling, and access checks.
    
    Repository: billing
    
    Requested task:  
    Review the change to the invoice endpoint
    

Shown in Claude Code. Prompt names depend on the connection and available skills.

Choose **Export** to download a skill's Markdown document. Review-specific controls, including expert pass selection, are described in [Code review](https://sourceant.ai/docs/code-review#controls).