Agent skills are a new feature now available in Visual Studio Code (VS Code) that significantly enhance the capabilities of AI agents. While agents are already intelligent, skills make them even more powerful by providing domain-specific instructions, scripts, and resources that can be loaded on demand. These skills are organized as folders and follow an open standard, making them easily shareable and adaptable across different environments. By using skills, developers can reduce repetitive tasks and compose complex workflows tailored to their specific needs.

To get started with agent skills in VS Code, users need to enable the “use agent skills” option in their settings. Once enabled, skills and their associated resources can be loaded from various locations within a project. For example, a developer who frequently writes Product Requirement Documents (PRDs) can create a dedicated skill for PRD writing. This involves creating a folder within the project’s skills directory, containing at least a skill.md file that outlines the workflow and any additional resources like scripts or images.

The skill.md file includes metadata such as the skill’s name and the conditions under which the agent should use it. It also defines the workflow stages, such as context gathering, section drafting, and validation. When the agent is prompted to perform a task—like drafting a PRD—it checks for relevant skills, loads the appropriate one, and follows the defined workflow. This allows the agent to execute tasks in a way that aligns with the developer’s preferred processes, making the interaction more efficient and tailored.

Agent skills are not limited to documentation tasks; they can be applied to a wide range of development activities. For instance, in a project like visualstudiowallpapers.com, multiple skills are used for image manipulation, PRD writing, and web testing. Skills can include scripts for tools like ImageMagick for batch image processing or Playwright for automated web testing. These skills are progressively loaded, meaning their resources are only accessed when needed, which distinguishes them from static custom instructions.

Unlike custom instructions, which typically define coding standards or guidelines, agent skills are portable, task-specific workflows that bring together scripts, examples, and automation. This makes agents truly action-oriented, capable of performing complex tasks with minimal user intervention. By building and using agent skills, developers can streamline their workflows, automate repetitive processes, and ensure consistency across projects—all within the familiar environment of VS Code.