> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.dema.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Skills
> Create reusable instructions and reference files for tasks your agents perform regularly.
A **skill** contains instructions for a particular task, such as a weekly channel review, stock health check, or executive summary. It can also include reference files or scripts. The agent loads the skill when your request matches its description.
Write a skill once, then enable it wherever you want agents to use that workflow. If you catch yourself explaining the same process twice, it probably belongs in a skill.
***
## Skills vs. instructions
Both shape how agents behave. The difference is when they apply:
| | Instructions | Skills |
| ------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| **When they apply** | Always, in every conversation | When the task calls for it |
| **Best for** | Tone, language, formatting, company-wide rules | Workflows, analysis templates, task-specific knowledge |
| **Made of** | A short text | Instructions plus optional files |
Rule of thumb: if it should apply to **every** message, it's an instruction. If it applies to a **type of task**, it's a skill.
***
## What's in a skill
| Part | Purpose |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Name and description | Tells the agent what the skill does and when to use it. The description determines when the skill is loaded. |
| Instructions | Defines the steps, data, and output for the task. |
| Files (optional) | Provides reference documents, data, scripts, or images used by the instructions. |
Every skill also gets a **slug**, like `/weekly-channel-review`. Type it in the message box to run the skill directly.
***
## Where skills live
Go to **Agents → Settings → Skills**. Skills are grouped by owner:
| Group | What it contains |
| ------------------ | --------------------------------------------- |
| **My skills** | Skills you created |
| **Shared with me** | Skills created and shared by teammates |
| **Dema skills** | Built-in skills that you can use but not edit |
Use the toggle to enable a skill for the built-in assistant. An enabled skill loads automatically when its description matches your request. Agents you create have their own skill settings; see [Skills and your agents](#skills-and-your-agents).
***
## Creating a skill
Select **New skill**, then choose how to create it:
The agent asks about the task, then drafts the skill for you to review. Describe the result you want:
Create a skill for weekly channel performance reviews: analyze the last 8 weeks by channel, compare week over week, and recommend which channels to scale or investigate.
Enter the name, description, and instructions yourself.
Import an exported `.skill` file. See [Moving skills around](#moving-skills-around). If the slug already exists, Dema asks how to handle it.
New skills are **private**. Use the visibility control to share a skill with a team or your organization. See [Sharing a skill](#sharing-a-skill).
### Adding files to a skill
Open a skill you own and select **+** in the files sidebar. Dema stores documents in `references/`, scripts in `scripts/`, and images or media in `assets/`. Select a file to preview it.
A skill with files looks like this:
`SKILL.md` contains the skill's name, description, and instructions. Other files provide material the agent needs for the task, such as a current price list or an analysis script.
***
## Using a skill
A skill can load automatically or on request:
| Method | How it works |
| --------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Automatic | The agent loads an enabled skill when its description matches your request. |
| Manual | Type `/` in the message box and select the skill, or select **Try in chat** from the skill page. |
***
## Skills and your agents
The built-in assistant uses the skills you enable in Settings. This choice applies only to you.
[Agents you create](/guides/agent/your-agents) have a **Skills** section in their configuration. Add a skill from your library or write one for that agent. Everyone who uses the agent can use its skills through the agent.
When you add a private skill to a shared agent, everyone who can use the agent may also be able to use that skill through it. Dema shows who gains access before you confirm. See [Sharing agents and sessions](/guides/agent/access-and-sharing).
***
## Sharing a skill
A skill can be visible to just you (**private**), to specific **teams**, or to **everyone** in your organization. Only the owner can change this from the skill's visibility control.
Narrowing a shared skill back down warns you if people would lose access through agents that use it. See [Access and sharing](/guides/organization/access-and-sharing) for the general model.
***
## Moving skills around
Export a skill to move it to another organization or keep a backup. The `.skill` file includes its instructions and attached files.
To import one, select **New skill → Upload a skill**. If the slug already exists, Dema asks how to handle it.
***
## Writing a good skill
Write only the task-specific guidance the agent needs:
* **Describe when to use it.** "Analyze campaign profitability across channels. Use when asked to evaluate campaigns or reallocate marketing spend" is clearer than "A skill about campaigns."
* **Define the task.** Include the steps, required definitions, and expected output.
* **Keep one job per skill.** Split unrelated tasks into separate skills.
* **Remove general advice.** Keep information that is specific to your organization or workflow.
If you need help drafting the skill, use **Create with agent** and edit the result before saving it.