Comment by cortesoft
18 hours ago
Isn't the difference that a skill means you just have to add the script name and explanation to the context instead of the entire script plus the explanation?
18 hours ago
Isn't the difference that a skill means you just have to add the script name and explanation to the context instead of the entire script plus the explanation?
Their non-skill based "compressed index" is just similarly "Each line maps a directory path to the doc files it contains" but without "skillification." They didn't load all those things into context directly, just pointers.
They also didn't bother with any more "explanation" beyond "here are paths for docs."
But this straightforward "here are paths for docs" produced better results, and IMO it makes sense since the more extra abstractions you add, the more chance of a given prompt + situational context not connecting with your desired skill.
You could put the name and explanation in CLAUDE.md/AGENTS.md, plus the path to the rest of the skill that Claude can read if needed.
That seems roughly equivalent to my unenlightened mind!
I like to think about it this way, you want to put some high level, table of contents, sparknotes like stuff in the system prompt. This helps warm up the right pathways. In this, you also need to inform that there are more things it may need, depending on "context", through filesystem traversal or search tools, the difference is unimportant, other than most things outside of coding typically don't do filesystem things the same way
The amount of discussion and "novel" text formats that accomplish the same thing since 2022 is insane. Nobody knows how to extract the most value out of this tech, yet everyone talks like they do. If these aren't signs of a bubble, I don't know what is.
1. There is nothing novel in my text formats, I'm just deciding what content and what files
2. I've actually done these things, seen the difference, and share it with others
Yes there are a lot of unknowns and a lot of people speaking from ignorance, but it is a mistake, perhaps even bigotry by definition, to make such blanket statements and judgemental about people
It's a new technology under active development so people are simply sharing what works for them in the given moment.
> If these aren't signs of a bubble, I don't know what is.
This conclusion is incoherent and doesn't follow from any of your premises.
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