Prompts & plugins
Skills For Real Engineers
Skills For Real Engineers is an open-source collection of AI agent skills curated by Matt Pocock, extracted directly from his personal .agents directory.
What is Skills For Real Engineers?
Skills For Real Engineers is an open-source collection of AI agent skills curated by Matt Pocock, extracted directly from his personal .agents directory.It is designed to help engineers move beyond 'vibe coding' and engage in rigorous, controlled software engineering practices when using AI coding agents like Claude Code, Codex, and GitHub Copilot.
The toolkit addresses two common failure modes in AI-assisted development: misalignment, where the agent fails to grasp the user's intent, and excessive verbosity, where outputs lack domain-specific concision.By providing small, composable, and model-agnostic skill modules, it empowers developers to regain control over the development process, leveraging decades of engineering experience to build more robust applications.
All skills are designed to be easily adaptable and editable.Users can install them into various mainstream AI agent environments via simple command-line tools and quickly configure project-specific workflows, such as issue trackers and documentation paths, by running a single initialization command.
Key features
- Deep RequirementIncludes skills like /grill-me and /grill-with-docs that force the AI to ask detailed questions before coding, eliminating communication gaps and ensuring the agent fully understands the build goals.
- Domain LanguageHelps agents decode project jargon by establishing shared glossaries and context documents, replacing verbose descriptions with precise terminology to significantly improve session efficiency and code readability.
- Model-Agnostic DSkill modules are not tied to any specific AI model, working seamlessly with Claude Code, Codex, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, and other agents like Cursor and Windsurf.
- High ComposabiliEach skill is small and independent, allowing developers to freely combine, modify, or extend them based on project needs, avoiding lock-in to large frameworks and maintaining full control over the workflow.
- Rapid InitializaFeatures a built-in /setup-matt-pocock-skills command that configures issue tracker types, labeling systems, and documentation paths in one go, enabling second-level project onboarding.
- Auto-Update MechSupports automatic retrieval of the latest skill versions via plugin markets or CLI tools, while also allowing developers to manually edit local files to adapt to specific team standards.
How to use it
- 1.Choose your AI agent (e.g., Claude Code, Codex, or GitHub Copilot) and run the corresponding installation command, such as claude plugin install mattpocock-skills@claude-plugins-official.
- 2.For GitHub Copilot VS Code users, add the extra marketplace source configuration in settings.json to enable auto-updates, or install from source via the Chat interface.
- 3.Use npx skills@latest add mattpocock/skills to install skills for other agents (like Cursor or Windsurf), ensuring you include setup-matt-pocock-skills when prompted.
- 4.Run the /setup-matt-pocock-skills command in your agent's chat interface, following prompts to select an issue tracker (e.g., GitHub Issues), define label systems, and set documentation paths.
- 5.Start using skills like /grill-me for requirement alignment, or create a CONTEXT.md file in your project to define domain terms and optimize future interactions.
Where it fits
- Complex FeatureUse /grill-with-docs before starting new features to have the AI deeply question business logic and edge cases, preventing rework caused by misunderstanding.
- Legacy Code RefaDefine project-specific glossaries to help AI accurately interpret abbreviations and jargon in old code, generating refactoring suggestions that better align with team standards.
- Multi-Agent CollProvide unified skill standards and workflow norms when team members use different AI tools (e.g., some use Copilot, others use Claude), ensuring consistency across the team.
Pricing and free quota
Pricing and any free quota follow the official site.
Who it is for
- Full-stack developers seeking engineering rigor
- Team leads looking to optimize AI coding workflows
- Software engineers frustrated by AI verbosity or misalignment
FAQ
Are these skills tied to a specific AI model?
No.Skills For Real Engineers is designed to be model-agnostic and works with various agents including Claude Code, Codex, GitHub Copilot, and Gemini.
How do I update installed skills?
Updates depend on the installation method: Claude Code and Codex plugins typically auto-update; GitHub Copilot updates daily; others installed via npx can be updated by running npx skills@latest update.
What is the difference between /grill-me and /grill-with-docs?
/grill-me is for general requirement clarification questions; /grill-with-docs performs similar questioning but also incorporates existing project documentation context for deeper, more targeted inquiries.