---
title: Skills | 0ct
description: Create reusable instruction sets for your AI tasks
---

# Skills

Skills are reusable instruction sets that capture your institutional knowledge. Attach them to any task to ensure consistent quality, tone, and approach across all your AI operations.

## Why Skills?

Without skills, you’d need to repeat common instructions in every task prompt:

```
❌ Task 1: "Write in our brand voice: professional but friendly..."
❌ Task 2: "Write in our brand voice: professional but friendly..."
❌ Task 3: "Write in our brand voice: professional but friendly..."
```

With skills, define once and reuse everywhere:

```
✅ Skill: "Brand Voice" → Attached to all tasks
```

## Skill Types

### Writing Skills

Define tone, style, and formatting preferences:

- Brand voice guidelines
- Technical writing standards
- Email etiquette rules

### Domain Skills

Capture industry-specific knowledge:

- Product terminology
- Industry regulations
- Competitive landscape

### Process Skills

Document step-by-step procedures:

- Analysis frameworks
- Quality checklists
- Review processes

## Creating Skills

### Via Dashboard

1. Navigate to **Skills** in the sidebar
2. Click **New Skill**
3. Enter a name and description
4. Write your skill content in Markdown
5. Click **Save**

### Via Chat-Based Builder

1. Navigate to **Skills** → **New Skill**
2. Select **Chat Builder**
3. Describe what you want the skill to do
4. AI helps you refine the content
5. Review and save

### Via SDK

```
import Oct from '0ct';


const client = new Oct({
  apiKey: process.env.OCT_API_KEY
});


const skill = await client.promptly.skills.create({
  name: 'Brand Voice',
  description: 'Our company writing style guidelines',
  content: `
## Brand Voice Guidelines


### Tone
- Professional but approachable
- Confident, not arrogant
- Clear and concise


### Style
- Use active voice
- Avoid jargon unless necessary
- Keep sentences under 25 words


### Formatting
- Use headers to organize content
- Include bullet points for lists
- Bold key terms on first use
  `,
  category: 'writing'
});
```

### Via Dashboard AI Generation

The dashboard includes AI-powered skill generation:

1. Navigate to **Skills** → **New Skill**
2. Select **Chat Builder**
3. Describe what you want the skill to accomplish
4. AI helps you refine the content interactively
5. Review and save when satisfied

### Via Dashboard Import

Import skills from external sources:

1. Navigate to **Skills** → **New Skill**
2. Select **Import**
3. Paste a URL or GitHub link
4. Content is fetched and formatted as a skill

## Skill Content Format

Skills use Markdown for rich formatting:

```
# Skill Name


## Purpose
What this skill helps the AI do.


## Guidelines


### Section 1
- Point A
- Point B
- Point C


### Section 2
Detailed instructions here...


## Examples


### Good Example
> This is what we want to see...


### Bad Example
> This is what to avoid...


## Checklist
- [ ] Did you do X?
- [ ] Did you check Y?
- [ ] Did you verify Z?
```

## Attaching Skills to Tasks

### During Task Creation

```
const task = await client.promptly.tasks.create({
  name: 'Weekly Newsletter',
  prompt: 'Write this week\'s newsletter covering...',
  modelId: 'openai/gpt-4o',
  frequency: 'weekly',
  scheduledDay: 'friday',
  scheduledTime: '10:00',
  skills: ['skill_brand_voice', 'skill_newsletter_format']
});
```

### Update Existing Task

```
await client.promptly.tasks.update('task_abc123', {
  skills: ['skill_new_guidelines']
});
```

### Skill Application Order

When multiple skills are attached, they’re applied in order:

1. First skill’s content
2. Second skill’s content
3. …
4. Task prompt

This allows you to layer context:

- Base guidelines (skill 1)
- Domain knowledge (skill 2)
- Specific instructions (task prompt)

## Managing Skills

### List Skills

```
const skills = await client.promptly.skills.list();


for (const skill of skills.data) {
  console.log(`${skill.name}: ${skill.category}`);
}
```

### Get Skill Details

```
const skill = await client.promptly.skills.get('skill_abc123');
console.log(skill.content);
```

### Update Skill

```
await client.promptly.skills.update('skill_abc123', {
  content: '# Updated Guidelines\n\nNew content here...'
});
```

### Delete Skill

```
await client.promptly.skills.delete('skill_abc123');
```

## Skill Categories

Organize skills by category for easy discovery:

| Category   | Use Case                  |
| ---------- | ------------------------- |
| `writing`  | Tone, style, formatting   |
| `analysis` | Frameworks, methodologies |
| `domain`   | Industry knowledge        |
| `process`  | Procedures, checklists    |
| `template` | Output formats            |

```
// Filter by category
const writingSkills = await client.promptly.skills.list({
  category: 'writing'
});
```

## Best Practices

### Keep Skills Focused

Each skill should do one thing well:

```
✅ "Email Tone Guidelines" - focused on email communication
❌ "All Writing Rules" - too broad, hard to maintain
```

### Version Your Skills

Include version info for tracking changes:

```
# Brand Voice v2.1


Last updated: February 2026
Changes: Added section on inclusive language
```

### Test Skills Thoroughly

Before widespread use, test skills on sample tasks:

```
// Create a test task
const testTask = await client.promptly.tasks.create({
  name: 'Skill Test',
  prompt: 'Write a sample email using these guidelines',
  modelId: 'openai/gpt-4o',
  frequency: 'once',
  skills: ['skill_new_guidelines']
});


// Trigger and review
const run = await client.promptly.tasks.run(testTask.id);
```

### Document Examples

Always include good and bad examples:

```
## Examples


### ✅ Good
"Thanks for reaching out! I'd be happy to help..."


### ❌ Avoid
"Your request has been received. Someone will contact you."
```

## Common Skill Templates

### Brand Voice

```
# Brand Voice


## Personality
We are: Helpful, Professional, Friendly
We avoid: Robotic, Salesy, Condescending


## Language
- Use "we" and "you" over "the company" and "the user"
- Contractions are encouraged (we're, you'll, it's)
- Avoid jargon; explain technical terms


## Formatting
- Short paragraphs (2-3 sentences)
- Bullet points for lists
- Bold for emphasis, not ALL CAPS
```

### Analysis Framework

```
# SWOT Analysis Framework


When analyzing any topic, structure your response as:


## Strengths
What advantages exist? What works well?


## Weaknesses
What could be improved? What's lacking?


## Opportunities
What possibilities exist? What trends are favorable?


## Threats
What obstacles exist? What risks are present?


Always conclude with actionable recommendations.
```

## Next Steps

- [Configure Destinations](/guides/destinations/index.md) - Deliver task results
- [Explore Tasks](/guides/tasks/index.md) - Advanced task configuration
- [Connect Sources](/guides/sources/index.md) - Add data connections