create-custom-agent
Creates VS Code custom agent files (.agent.md) for specialized AI personas with tools, instructions, and handoffs. Use when scaffolding new custom agents, configuring agent workflows, or setting up agent-to-agent handoffs.
npx skills add dotnet/skills --skill create-custom-agent --agent claude-code
Same command for any agent — swap --agent for codex, cursor, copilot.
Weekly change comes from our own snapshots, not the repository page — it measures attention, not adoption.
# Create Custom Agent This skill helps you create VS Code custom agent files that define specialized AI personas for development tasks. Custom agents configure which tools are available, provide specialized instructions, and can chain together via handoffs. ## When to Use - Creating a new custom agent from scratch - Scaffolding an `.agent.md` file with proper frontmatter - Setting up agent-to-agent handoffs for multi-step workflows - Configuring tool restrictions for specialized roles (planner, reviewer, etc.) - Creating workspace-shared or user-profile agents ## When Not to Use - Creating instruction files (use `.instructions.md` instead) - Creating reusable prompts (use `.prompt.md` instead) - Modifying existing agents (edit the file directly) ## Inputs | Input | Required | Description | |-------|----------|-------------| | Agent name | Yes | Descriptive name for the agent (e.g., `planner`, `code-reviewer`) | | Description | Yes | Brief description shown as placeholder text in chat | | Purpose/Persona | Yes | What role the agent plays and how it should behave | | Tools | Recommended | List of tools or tool sets the agent can use | | Handoffs | Optional | Next-step agents to trans
- When to Use
- When Not to Use
- Inputs
- Workflow
- Step 1: Create the agent file
- Step 2: Add YAML frontmatter
- Step 3: Configure tools
- Step 4: Add handoffs (optional)
- Step 5: Write agent instructions (body)
- Step 6: Validate the agent
- Template
- Example Agents
- Planning Agent
- Code Review Agent
What does the create-custom-agent skill do?
Creates VS Code custom agent files (.agent.md) for specialized AI personas with tools, instructions, and handoffs. Use when scaffolding new custom agents, configuring agent workflows, or setting up agent-to-agent handoffs.
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add dotnet/skills --skill create-custom-agent --agent claude-code` — it drops the skill into your project so the agent can pick it up. Swap the --agent value for codex, cursor or copilot if you use one of those.
Where does this skill come from?
From dotnet/skills, a repository with 4,927 stars. We read it straight from the repository tree rather than a submitted listing, so what you see here is what is actually published.
Is a popular skill a good skill?
Not necessarily. Stars measure attention, not adoption — a repository can trend for a week and be abandoned. That is why we show the weekly change from our own snapshots next to the total, instead of a single flattering number.