Doc Co-Authoring Skill for Claude: A Three-Stage Writing Workflow

Walks you through writing a spec, proposal or decision doc in three stages, ending with a test by a fresh Claude.

Installs: 96.8K; on skills.sh
Stars: 186.4K; on GitHub
Updated: Oct 2026; last repo commit

doc-coauthoring makes Claude act as a writing guide. It offers a three-stage workflow when you start a substantial document: gather context, build the doc section by section, then test it on a fresh Claude that has not seen your conversation. You can decline and work freeform.

It triggers on requests like writing a doc, drafting a proposal, a PRD, a design doc or an RFC. It uses connected tools such as Slack or Google Drive to pull context if you have them, and creates a placeholder file or artifact to fill in. It is one SKILL.md with no other files.

Good for

Engineers writing specs, RFCs and design docs
Product managers drafting PRDs and decision docs
Anyone writing a document other people will read, possibly through Claude

Install doc-coauthoring

Claude Code

Copy this prompt.

Install the doc-coauthoring skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

/plugin marketplace add anthropics/skills
/plugin install example-skills@anthropic-agent-skills

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.

2
Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

From the project README. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

Guide users through a structured workflow for co-authoring documentation. Use when user wants to write documentation, proposals, technical specs, decision docs, or similar structured content. This workflow helps users efficiently transfer context, refine content through iteration, and verify the doc works for readers. Trigger when user mentions writing docs, creating proposals, drafting specs, or similar documentation tasks.

Sections in SKILL.md

When to Offer This Workflow
Stage 1: Context Gathering
Initial Questions
Info Dumping
Stage 2: Refinement & Structure
Step 1: Clarifying Questions
Step 2: Brainstorming
Step 3: Curation
Step 4: Gap Check
Step 5: Drafting
Step 6: Iterative Refinement
Quality Checking
Near Completion
Stage 3: Reader Testing
Testing Approach
Step 1: Predict Reader Questions

Key facts

Author: Anthropic (anthropics/skills)
Repository: anthropics/skills
Installs on skills.sh: 96,782 (crawled 2026-11-02)
GitHub stars: 186,362 (whole repo)
License: Not stated in the skill file
Last repo commit: 2026-10-28
Files in the skill folder: 1 file: SKILL.md. No scripts.
skills.sh audits: Gen Agent Trust Hub: pass, Socket: pass, Snyk: warn
Works in: Claude Code (example-skills plugin, which lists doc-coauthoring); Claude.ai (README: the example skills are already available to paid plans; the help center lists Free, Pro, Max, Ultra, Team and Enterprise); Claude API via the Skills API (README links the quickstart)

What it includes

Asks 5 meta questions, takes your info dump, then asks 5 to 10 clarifying questions
Stage 1: Context Gathering
Builds each section: ask, brainstorm 5 to 20 options, curate, draft, edit surgically
Stage 2: Refinement & Structure
Creates a placeholder artifact, or a markdown file in the working directory
Write · Scaffold the document
Predicts reader questions and tests the doc on a fresh Claude, using sub-agents if present
Stage 3: Reader Testing
Reads Slack, Teams, Drive or other connected sources when you point to them
Network · Pull context from tools
Asks you to do a last read-through and check facts, links and impact
Final Review

From the official docs

Permissions

Low risk

It can read from your connected tools to gather context and writes a draft document to your working directory. Connect only the sources you are happy for Claude to read.

What it can do

Read your data
Create and change things
Delete things
Read-only mode

Watch out for

It can read your connected tools
When you point to channels or documents, Claude reads them through whatever integrations are available. Leave the integrations off, or paste the text instead, if the material is sensitive.
It may create a file in your folder
Without artifact support, SKILL.md has Claude create a markdown file such as decision-doc.md in the working directory. Run it in a scratch folder if you do not want that.
The Claude Code plugin installs 12 skills
The README route adds anthropics/skills as a plugin marketplace and installs the whole example-skills plugin, which lists 12 skills. Use the skills CLI command in the install box for doc-coauthoring alone.

Technical details

Scopes	Connected tools you already have (Slack, Teams, Drive, other MCP servers)

Questions

What does doc-coauthoring do?

It guides you through writing a document in three stages: context gathering, refinement and structure, and reader testing. Claude asks questions, brainstorms options for each section, drafts, and edits with you.

How do I install it?

Use the install box at the top of this page. Anthropic's README also documents installing the repo's skills as Claude Code plugins and using skills in Claude.ai.

What is reader testing?

Claude predicts the questions a reader would ask, then tries to answer them from the document alone using a fresh Claude with no context. In Claude Code it uses sub-agents. In the Claude.ai web interface, SKILL.md has you run the test by hand in a new conversation.

Does it need Slack or Google Drive?

No. If connected tools such as Slack, Teams or Google Drive are available, Claude can pull context from them. If not, SKILL.md has Claude suggest enabling connectors or ask you to paste the content.

Is it safe?

It bundles no scripts. It reads connected tools only when you mention a channel, thread or document, and it waits for your confirmation before searching for unknown projects. It creates a markdown file in the working directory if artifacts are not available.

Is this a production-ready skill?

The Anthropic README says: "These skills are provided for demonstration and educational purposes only." Test it in your own environment first.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository: anthropics/skills
Folder: skills/doc-coauthoring

anthropics/skills skills.sh

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 5

anthropics/skills README · github.com
marketplace.json · github.com
skills.sh listing · skills.sh
doc-coauthoring SKILL.md · github.com
Use skills in Claude (help center) · support.claude.com