> Markdown twin of https://adna.network/glossary/glossary-skill/
> Index: https://adna.network/llms.txt · Full corpus: https://adna.network/llms-full.txt
> State is a build-time snapshot generated 2026-08-30 (UTC); nothing here is live.

# Skill — aDNA Glossary

## Plain-Language Definition

A skill is a reusable recipe that an agent can follow step-by-step to accomplish a specific task. Unlike a [template](/glossary/glossary-template) (which is a file blueprint), a skill is a *procedure* — "do step 1, then check X, then do step 2." Skills make agents more capable by codifying expertise into repeatable instructions.

## Technical Definition

A reusable agent procedure stored at `how/skills/skill_{name}.md`. Sections: purpose, prerequisites, steps, verification, rollback, notes. Skills are agent-executable (precise steps, verification checks); processes are human-readable (guidelines, decision trees). Skills are distinct from templates: templates define file *structure*, skills define task *procedures*. Skills can be promoted to lattice registry as `lattice_type: skill`. (aDNA Standard §19.3)

## Usage Examples

- This vault has 50 skills (21 base + 29 project-specific). `skill_dual_audience_review` is a quality gate skill: it walks the agent through checking whether a content file is legible to both developers and non-developers.
- `skill_onboarding` fires automatically on first-run detection — when the vault has no session history and MANIFEST.md still shows `last_edited_by: agent_init`.

## See Also

- [Template](/glossary/glossary-template)
- [how/](/glossary/glossary-how)
- [Ontology Extension](/glossary/glossary-ontology-extension)