claude-engineering-plugin/plugins/compounding-engineering/skills/create-agent-skills/references/using-templates.md

Using Templates in Skills

Templates are reusable output structures that Claude copies and fills in. They ensure consistent, high-quality outputs without regenerating structure each time.

<when_to_use> Use templates when:

• Output should have consistent structure across invocations
• The structure matters more than creative generation
• Filling placeholders is more reliable than blank-page generation
• Users expect predictable, professional-looking outputs

Common template types:

• Plans - Project plans, implementation plans, migration plans
• Specifications - Technical specs, feature specs, API specs
• Documents - Reports, proposals, summaries
• Configurations - Config files, settings, environment setups
• Scaffolds - File structures, boilerplate code </when_to_use>

<template_structure> Templates live in templates/ within the skill directory:

skill-name/
├── SKILL.md
├── workflows/
├── references/
└── templates/
    ├── plan-template.md
    ├── spec-template.md
    └── report-template.md

A template file contains:

1. Clear section markers
2. Placeholder indicators (use {{placeholder}} or [PLACEHOLDER])
3. Inline guidance for what goes where
4. Example content where helpful </template_structure>

<template_example>

# {{PROJECT_NAME}} Implementation Plan

## Overview
{{1-2 sentence summary of what this plan covers}}

## Goals
- {{Primary goal}}
- {{Secondary goals...}}

## Scope
**In scope:**
- {{What's included}}

**Out of scope:**
- {{What's explicitly excluded}}

## Phases

### Phase 1: {{Phase name}}
**Duration:** {{Estimated duration}}
**Deliverables:**
- {{Deliverable 1}}
- {{Deliverable 2}}

### Phase 2: {{Phase name}}
...

## Success Criteria
- [ ] {{Measurable criterion 1}}
- [ ] {{Measurable criterion 2}}

## Risks
| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation |
|------|------------|--------|------------|
| {{Risk}} | {{H/M/L}} | {{H/M/L}} | {{Strategy}} |

</template_example>

<workflow_integration> Workflows reference templates like this:

<process>
## Step 3: Generate Plan

1. Read `templates/plan-template.md`
2. Copy the template structure
3. Fill each placeholder based on gathered requirements
4. Review for completeness
</process>

The workflow tells Claude WHEN to use the template. The template provides WHAT structure to produce. </workflow_integration>

<best_practices> Do:

• Keep templates focused on structure, not content
• Use clear placeholder syntax consistently
• Include brief inline guidance where sections might be ambiguous
• Make templates complete but minimal

Don't:

• Put excessive example content that might be copied verbatim
• Create templates for outputs that genuinely need creative generation
• Over-constrain with too many required sections
• Forget to update templates when requirements change </best_practices>