Social
coreyhaines31/marketingskills
When the user wants help creating, scheduling, or optimizing social media content for LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook, or wants to do social listening and engagement triage.
This skill should be used when writing technical content in the style of Hunt/Thomas (The Pragmatic Programmer) and Joel Spolsky (Joel on Software).
Install Pragmatic Writing
$ npx skills add robertguss/claude-code-toolkit --skill pragmatic-writing -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install robertguss/claude-code-toolkit pragmatic-writing --agent claude-codeProject scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/robertguss/claude-code-toolkit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/plugins/compound-writing/skills/pragmatic-writing .claude/skills/pragmatic-writing && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.
Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/
Install the "pragmatic-writing" agent skill from https://github.com/robertguss/claude-code-toolkit/tree/main/plugins/compound-writing/skills/pragmatic-writing into .claude/skills/pragmatic-writing/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pragmatic-writing", then confirm the skill loads.Claude Code copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$skill-installer install https://github.com/robertguss/claude-code-toolkit/tree/main/plugins/compound-writing/skills/pragmatic-writingType this inside Codex. $skill-installer <name> installs a curated skill from openai/skills. The installer writes to $CODEX_HOME/skills (default ~/.codex/skills). Restart Codex if the skill does not show up.
$ npx skills add robertguss/claude-code-toolkit --skill pragmatic-writing -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install robertguss/claude-code-toolkit pragmatic-writing --agent codexProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/robertguss/claude-code-toolkit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/plugins/compound-writing/skills/pragmatic-writing .agents/skills/pragmatic-writing && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "pragmatic-writing" agent skill from https://github.com/robertguss/claude-code-toolkit/tree/main/plugins/compound-writing/skills/pragmatic-writing into .agents/skills/pragmatic-writing/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pragmatic-writing", then confirm the skill loads.Codex copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add robertguss/claude-code-toolkit --skill pragmatic-writing -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install robertguss/claude-code-toolkit pragmatic-writing --agent cursorProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/robertguss/claude-code-toolkit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/plugins/compound-writing/skills/pragmatic-writing .cursor/skills/pragmatic-writing && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.
Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/
Install the "pragmatic-writing" agent skill from https://github.com/robertguss/claude-code-toolkit/tree/main/plugins/compound-writing/skills/pragmatic-writing into .cursor/skills/pragmatic-writing/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pragmatic-writing", then confirm the skill loads.Cursor copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gemini skills install https://github.com/robertguss/claude-code-toolkit.git --path plugins/compound-writing/skills/pragmatic-writing--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.
$ npx skills add robertguss/claude-code-toolkit --skill pragmatic-writing -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install robertguss/claude-code-toolkit pragmatic-writing --agent gemini-cliProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/robertguss/claude-code-toolkit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/plugins/compound-writing/skills/pragmatic-writing .gemini/skills/pragmatic-writing && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.gemini/skills/ instead of .gemini/skills for a personal install, then run /skills reload.
Gemini CLI skills documentation · loads skills from .gemini/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "pragmatic-writing" agent skill from https://github.com/robertguss/claude-code-toolkit/tree/main/plugins/compound-writing/skills/pragmatic-writing into .gemini/skills/pragmatic-writing/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pragmatic-writing", then confirm the skill loads.Gemini CLI copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gh skill install robertguss/claude-code-toolkit pragmatic-writingInstalls for Copilot at project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Preview a skill first with gh skill preview. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ npx skills add robertguss/claude-code-toolkit --skill pragmatic-writing -a github-copilotProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/robertguss/claude-code-toolkit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/plugins/compound-writing/skills/pragmatic-writing .github/skills/pragmatic-writing && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.copilot/skills/ instead of .github/skills for a personal install. Commit .github/skills so cloud agent and code review can use it.
GitHub Copilot skills documentation · loads skills from .github/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "pragmatic-writing" agent skill from https://github.com/robertguss/claude-code-toolkit/tree/main/plugins/compound-writing/skills/pragmatic-writing into .github/skills/pragmatic-writing/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pragmatic-writing", then confirm the skill loads.GitHub Copilot copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add robertguss/claude-code-toolkit --skill pragmatic-writing -a opencodeOpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.
$ gh skill install robertguss/claude-code-toolkit pragmatic-writing --agent opencodeProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/robertguss/claude-code-toolkit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/plugins/compound-writing/skills/pragmatic-writing .opencode/skills/pragmatic-writing && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.
OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "pragmatic-writing" agent skill from https://github.com/robertguss/claude-code-toolkit/tree/main/plugins/compound-writing/skills/pragmatic-writing into .opencode/skills/pragmatic-writing/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pragmatic-writing", then confirm the skill loads.OpenCode copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
Facts
- Skill name
pragmatic-writing- GitHub stars
- 124
- Token cost
- ~1.5k tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 646 words
- Files
- 5 (incl. references)
- Skills in repo
- 16
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- MIT
At a glance
This skill should be used when writing technical content in the style of Hunt/Thomas (The Pragmatic Programmer) and Joel Spolsky (Joel on Software).
- Works in 10 steps: Concrete Before Abstract → Physical Analogies → Conversational Register → …
- Writing & Content work in your project
- SKILL.md covers When to Use This Skill, Core Philosophy, The 10 Core Techniques and Voice Characteristics, plus 3 more sections
- Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md
What it does
Pragmatic Writing is an agent skill from robertguss/claude-code-toolkit. This skill should be used when writing technical content in the style of Hunt/Thomas (The Pragmatic Programmer) and Joel Spolsky (Joel on Software). It applies when creating technical essays, documentation, tutorials, or explanatory content that needs to be clear, engaging, and actionable.
Its SKILL.md is about 1.5k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 5 other files, including reference files (for example `references/anti-patterns.md`, `references/examples.md` and `references/sources.md`).
It sits in Writing & Content. The repository describes itself as: A collection of custom skills that extend Claude's capabilities with specialized workflows, methods, and domain knowledge. The licence is MIT.
When your agent uses it
- Writing & Content work in your project
Example prompts
- “/pragmatic-writing”
Workflow steps
10 steps, taken from the step headings in SKILL.md.
What it can do on your machine
Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit f7fd35e. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.
Tool permissions
Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.
From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.
Runs code
No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md.
From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.
Network
No URLs in SKILL.md.
From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.
Credentials
Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.
From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.
Context cost
Pragmatic Writing loads about 1.5k tokens when it runs, and up to ~6.7k if it reads all its reference files. Until then it costs about 77 tokens; SKILL.md has 646 words of instructions outside code blocks.
Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.
Safety
Auto-check passed
The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.
Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.
SKILL.md
The full file from robertguss/claude-code-toolkit at commit f7fd35e, republished under its MIT licence (© robertguss). 646 words, ~1,473 tokens.
Download SKILL.mdSave it as
.claude/skills/pragmatic-writing/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 4 other files; get the full folder from GitHub.- name
- pragmatic-writing
- description
- This skill should be used when writing technical content in the style of Hunt/Thomas (The Pragmatic Programmer) and Joel Spolsky (Joel on Software). It applies when creating technical essays, documentation, tutorials, or explanatory content that needs to be clear, engaging, and actionable.
Pragmatic Writing Skill
Writing style modeled on the masters of technical communication: Andy Hunt, Dave Thomas (The Pragmatic Programmer), and Joel Spolsky (Joel on Software). This skill transforms technical content into engaging, memorable prose.
When to Use This Skill
This skill applies when:
- Creating technical blog posts, essays, or articles
- Writing documentation that needs personality
- Explaining complex concepts to developers
- Crafting tutorials or how-to guides
- Writing "lessons learned" or postmortem content
- Any technical writing that should be read, not just referenced
Core Philosophy
"The difference between 'almost right' and 'right' is the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning." — Mark Twain (quoted by Pragmatic Programmers)
Technical writing doesn't have to be dry. The best technical writers make complex ideas feel obvious, use concrete examples before abstract theory, and treat the reader as a smart colleague.
The 10 Core Techniques
Reference the complete technique guide at techniques.md.
1. Concrete Before Abstract
Always start with a concrete example, then extract the principle.
❌ "Dependency injection is a design pattern where dependencies are passed
to objects rather than created by them."
✅ "Imagine your class needs a database connection. You could create it
yourself:
def initialize
@db = Database.new("localhost:5432")
end
But now your class is stuck with that exact database. What if you
want to test with a fake one? What if production uses a different host?
Instead, accept it as a parameter:
def initialize(db)
@db = db
end
That's dependency injection. Simple."2. Physical Analogies
Map abstract concepts to physical experiences readers already understand.
See examples.md for analogy patterns:
- Software abstractions → Physical tools
- Code patterns → Architectural patterns
- System design → Everyday systems (postal service, restaurants)
3. Conversational Register
Write like you're explaining to a smart colleague at a whiteboard.
Markers of conversational register:
- Contractions (don't, won't, can't)
- Direct address (you, your)
- Questions (But what if...? Why does this matter?)
- Asides (By the way, Incidentally)
- Admissions (To be honest, I'm not sure, It depends)
4. Humor as Architecture
Use humor strategically, not decoratively:
- Memorable hooks ("Good code is its own best documentation")
- Tension release after complex explanations
- Self-deprecation to build rapport
- Absurdist examples to highlight bad patterns
5. The "Aha!" Structure
Build to moments of realization:
- Present a familiar problem
- Show the common (flawed) approach
- Reveal why it fails
- Present the insight
- Show the better way
- Connect back to the principle
6. Short Paragraphs, Varied Length
- No paragraph over 4 sentences
- Alternate between longer explanations and punchy one-liners
- Use single-sentence paragraphs for emphasis
Like this.
7. Code as Evidence
Code examples should:
- Be runnable (no pseudo-code unless necessary)
- Be minimal (show only what matters)
- Progress from broken to fixed
- Include comments only for non-obvious things
8. The Principle Box
After a concrete exploration, box the principle:
Tip 23: Always Design for Concurrency Allow for concurrency, and you will design cleaner interfaces with fewer assumptions.
Show full SKILL.md (249 more words)Show less
9. Friendly Warnings
When discussing pitfalls:
- Acknowledge you've made the mistake too
- Explain why it's tempting
- Show the consequences
- Provide the escape hatch
See anti-patterns.md for common technical writing mistakes.
10. The Callback
End by connecting back to the opening example or question. Close the loop.
Voice Characteristics
Sentence Patterns
- Average length: 15-20 words
- Mix of simple, compound, complex
- Questions every 3-4 paragraphs
- Direct statements for key points
Vocabulary
Use: specific, concrete, everyday words Avoid: jargon without explanation, buzzwords, corporate-speak
Tone
- Confident but not arrogant
- Curious and exploratory
- Practical and results-focused
- Occasionally irreverent
Applying the Skill
For Blog Posts
- Open with a problem or scenario
- Explore the messy middle
- Reveal the insight
- Show the solution
- Extract the principle
- Callback to opening
For Documentation
- Start with what the reader wants to do
- Show the simplest working example
- Expand with options and edge cases
- Explain the "why" after the "how"
For Tutorials
- State the goal clearly
- Show the end result first
- Build up in small, testable steps
- Explain mistakes, not just successes
Quality Checklist
Before publishing, verify:
- Opens with concrete example or scenario
- Physical analogy for key concepts
- Conversational tone throughout
- At least one moment of humor or levity
- Principles boxed or highlighted
- Code examples are minimal and runnable
- Paragraphs under 4 sentences
- Callbacks to opening
References
- techniques.md - Full technique guide with examples
- examples.md - Before/after transformations
- anti-patterns.md - Seven deadly sins of technical writing
- sources.md - Original source material
© robertguss, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file
Files
SKILL.md and 4 other files (references) in plugins/compound-writing/skills/pragmatic-writing of robertguss/claude-code-toolkit.
- SKILL.md
- references/anti-patterns.md
- references/examples.md
- references/sources.md
- references/techniques.md
Open the folder on GitHubat commit f7fd35e
Compare with similar skills
Pragmatic Writing next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.
| Skill | Stars | Used in | Tokens | Auto-check | Licence | Repo updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pragmatic Writing this skillrobertguss/claude-code-toolkit | 124 | — | ~1.5k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Socialcoreyhaines31/marketingskills | 54k | 4 repos | ~4.5k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| HumanizerAzure-Samples/interview-coach-agent-framework | 173 | 38 repos | ~5.8k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Avoid AI Writingconorbronsdon/avoid-ai-writing | 4.9k | 3 repos | ~8.1k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| JavaScript Concept Fact Checkerleonardomso/33-js-concepts | 67k | 1 repos | ~5k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| User-Facing Text Cleanupguillaumemeyer/watermarks-remover | 24k | — | ~3.5k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT |
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Avoid AI Writing
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JavaScript Concept Fact Checker
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Verifies the technical accuracy of JavaScript concept pages by checking code examples, MDN and ECMAScript claims and external links through a five-phase method.
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Audits prose for invisible Unicode characters and rewrites it while keeping facts, citations, code and required disclosures unchanged and the writer's voice intact.
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Questions about Pragmatic Writing
What does Pragmatic Writing do?
This skill should be used when writing technical content in the style of Hunt/Thomas (The Pragmatic Programmer) and Joel Spolsky (Joel on Software). Pragmatic Writing is an agent skill from robertguss/claude-code-toolkit. This skill should be used when writing technical content in the style of Hunt/Thomas (The Pragmatic Programmer) and Joel Spolsky (Joel on Software).
When should I use Pragmatic Writing?
Pragmatic Writing fits situations like: writing & Content work in your project.
How do I install Pragmatic Writing in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add robertguss/claude-code-toolkit --skill pragmatic-writing -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (plugins/compound-writing/skills/pragmatic-writing in robertguss/claude-code-toolkit) into .claude/skills/pragmatic-writing in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install Pragmatic Writing in Codex?
Run `npx skills add robertguss/claude-code-toolkit --skill pragmatic-writing -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (plugins/compound-writing/skills/pragmatic-writing in robertguss/claude-code-toolkit) into .agents/skills/pragmatic-writing in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use Pragmatic Writing in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?
Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add robertguss/claude-code-toolkit --skill pragmatic-writing -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/pragmatic-writing, .gemini/skills/pragmatic-writing, .github/skills/pragmatic-writing and .opencode/skills/pragmatic-writing in your project.
What does Pragmatic Writing need to run?
SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Pragmatic Writing is instructions for the agent only.
Does Pragmatic Writing access the network?
SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.
Is Pragmatic Writing safe to install?
Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.
What licence does Pragmatic Writing use?
Pragmatic Writing is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.
How many tokens does Pragmatic Writing use?
About 1.5k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 5.9k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full. Its references folder adds about 5.2k tokens, read only when the agent opens those files.
What are the alternatives to Pragmatic Writing?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with Pragmatic Writing: Social (coreyhaines31/marketingskills, 54k stars), Humanizer (Azure-Samples/interview-coach-agent-framework, 173 stars), Avoid AI Writing (conorbronsdon/avoid-ai-writing, 4.9k stars) and JavaScript Concept Fact Checker (leonardomso/33-js-concepts, 67k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
Who maintains Pragmatic Writing?
robertguss (a GitHub user) maintains it in robertguss/claude-code-toolkit, which has 124 GitHub stars. The repository holds 16 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on September 16, 2026.
Source: robertguss/claude-code-toolkit on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.