Evolver skills
Turn repeatedly verified experience into instructions an Agent can follow.
Skills describe workflows with inputs, steps, outputs, and acceptance checks. They are not conversation summaries or Gene files renamed to SKILL.md. Evolver can help extract strategies; an application-ready skill still needs explicit tools, permissions, and prerequisites.
When to create a skill
Skills help when similar tasks recur and a reliable method has emerged. A weekly project update can define source material, output structure, handling of missing information, and review requirements.
If an approach has succeeded only once, retain the result and limitations first. Test it with different inputs before claiming broad applicability.
What a skill should contain
| Part | Weekly-update example |
|---|---|
| Trigger | A project update is needed from existing notes |
| Inputs | Notes, reporting period, and audience |
| Steps | Read sources, verify provenance, organize findings, flag open questions |
| Output | Progress, blockers, and next steps without invented data |
| Validation | Claims are supported and dates match the reporting period |
| Boundaries | Draft first; sending or publishing needs separate confirmation |
This illustrates content structure, not a preinstalled skill.
Import skills into EvoX
The existing EvoX skill-import illustration below supports local, GitHub, and skill-package paths. Interactions change demo state only; they do not scan your directories or perform an installation.
Import
Review and install skills from a ZIP file or public ZIP URL.
Drop a skill ZIP here
You can also paste a ZIP file or public URL.
One archive may contain multiple skills, up to 64 MB.
- Choose the import method matching your source.
- Review instructions and included scripts for purpose, dependencies, and external actions.
- Preview the content and resolve naming or existing-version conflicts.
- Validate the imported skill on a bounded task against its output and acceptance criteria.
A skill package here is not a .gepx archive. Use the evolution archive workflow to migrate evolution history.
From experience to a workflow
Genes describe strategies; Capsules provide execution evidence; skills organize methods into application-readable instructions. Recipes express ordered combinations of Genes and Capsules when several assets must work together.
Do not use the legacy skill-distill entry point to conflate these objects. See Distilling Genes, Skills, and Recipes for current workflows, checking installed-version help for parameters.
Updates and rollback
Preserve the current skill and provenance before updating. Compare instructions and scripts rather than treating same-name replacement as an automatic upgrade. Expanded permissions, network access, or deletion steps require renewed review.
If an update fails, stop using it, restore the last verified version, and repeat the original checks. Do not assume a general recycle-bin recovery mechanism exists. See Skill versions.
Troubleshooting
- Imported but unusable: Check dependencies, tools, and inputs, not just file presence.
- Additional permissions requested: Instructions do not grant authorization.
- Same name, different content: Compare provenance, versions, and actual contents before resolving conflicts.
- Sharing with a team: Remove personal paths, secrets, and internal material; include requirements and validation steps.