PlugWiki

Write Coding Standards From File Skill for Claude: Style Guide From Your Code

Makes Claude read a code file or folder and write a coding standards document from the style it actually uses.

Installs
9.6K
on skills.sh
Stars
40.7K
on GitHub
Updated
Oct 2026
last repo commit

You pass a file name (required), and optionally a folder and extra instructions. Claude analyzes indentation, variable naming, comments and other syntax, then writes a standards document in a verbose or minimal template. With the defaults it also fetches a matching public style guide and edits your file to fix the lines that break the majority style.

The skill sets 10 configuration variables in plain text, and you override them by naming them in your prompt. It is a single SKILL.md and bundles no scripts.

Good for

  • Teams without a written style guide who want one drawn from existing code
  • Maintainers adding a CONTRIBUTING or STYLE file to a project
  • Reviewers who want a record of the majority style in a file

Install write-coding-standards-from-file

Claude Code

  1. 1

    Copy this prompt.

    Install the write-coding-standards-from-file skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

npx skills add https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --skill write-coding-standards-from-file

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.
  2. 2

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

Requires Node.js.

From its listing on skills.sh. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

Write a coding standards document for a project using the coding styles from the file(s) and/or folder(s) passed as arguments in the prompt.

Sections in SKILL.md

  1. Rules and Configuration
  2. Configuration Variables
  3. Configuration Variables as Prompt Parameters
  4. Prompt Parameters
  5. Variable and Parameter Configuration Conditions
  6. ${fileName}.length > 1 || ${folderName} != undefined
  7. ${addToREADME} == true
  8. ${addToREADMEInsertions} == "atBegin"
  9. ${addToREADMEInsertions} == "middle"
  10. ${addToREADMEInsertions} == "beforeEnd"
  11. ${addToREADMEInsertions} == "bestFitUsingContext"
  12. ${addStandardsTest} == true
  13. ${createNewFile} == true
  14. ${fetchStyleURL} == true
  15. ${findInconsistencies} == true
  16. ${fixInconsistencies} == true

Key facts

Source
Listed in github/awesome-copilot, a community-created collection
Folder
1 file including SKILL.md
Installs on skills.sh
9,580 (Nov 2, 2026)
GitHub stars
40,666 (Nov 2, 2026)
License
MIT
Last repo commit
Oct 30, 2026
Defaults that matter
Creates a new file, fetches style guides, finds and fixes inconsistencies

What it includes

  • The file whose indentation, naming, comments and syntax are analyzed.

    Optional folderName aggregates many files into one dataset. Optional instructions add rules for unique cases.

    Try: “Write coding standards from src/server.py. Set createNewFile to false and outputSpecToPrompt to true.”

    Files · fileName (required)

  • Writes the standards to the first free name from a list of 10 file names.

    Starting with CONTRIBUTING.md, then STYLE.md, CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md and so on, it uses the first name that does not exist yet.

    Write · createNewFile (default true)

  • Counts style choices and edits minority lines to match the majority.

    Fixing is switched off when you pass more than one file or a folder. In that case inconsistencies are reported instead.

    Write · findInconsistencies and fixInconsistencies (default true)

  • Fetches a public style guide for the file's language from a list of 32 links.

    SKILL.md runs #fetch on the matching guide, such as PEP 8 for Python or the Kotlin coding conventions.

    Network · fetchStyleURL (default true)

  • Inserts the standards into README.md instead of a new file.

    addToREADMEInsertions sets where: atBegin, middle, beforeEnd (the default) or bestFitUsingContext.

    Write · addToREADME

  • Prints the standards in the chat instead of writing a file.

    Turning it on switches off createNewFile and addToREADME.

    outputSpecToPrompt

  • Writes a test file that checks your files follow the new standards.

    Off by default.

    Write · addStandardsTest

  • Chooses the verbose (default), minimal, best-fit or custom template.

    The verbose template has 8 sections and the minimal template also has 8.

    useTemplate

From the official docs

Permissions

Medium risk

With its defaults it creates a new file, fetches public style guides and edits the analyzed file to fix style inconsistencies. Work in a git repo and set fixInconsistencies to false if you only want the document.

What it can do

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

Watch out for

  • Defaults edit your source file

    findInconsistencies and fixInconsistencies are true, so a single file is rewritten to match its majority style. Set fixInconsistencies to false, or work in git and review the diff.

  • It fetches public style guides by default

    fetchStyleURL is true and SKILL.md lists 32 links on 24 hosts (for example peps.python.org, learn.microsoft.com, kotlinlang.org and github.com). Only the link for the file's language is used. Set fetchStyleURL to false if you do not want Claude to fetch pages.

  • It creates a new file in your project

    createNewFile is true and the first unused name in a list of 10 is chosen. SKILL.md does not say which folder the file goes in.

Technical details
Talks to32 public style-guide links on 24 hosts, such as peps.python.org, learn.microsoft.com, kotlinlang.org and github.com
Scopes

  • Reads the file or folder you name

  • Creates a new file such as CONTRIBUTING.md by default

  • Edits the analyzed file to fix style inconsistencies by default

  • Can insert into README.md or write a test file when you ask

Questions

What does write-coding-standards-from-file do?

It reads the file or folder you name and writes a coding standards document from the style it finds there: indentation, naming, comments, nesting and quote style.

Will it change my source files?

By default, yes for a single file. The defaults find style inconsistencies and fix the minority ones to match the majority. Turn that off by saying fixInconsistencies is false, or pass a folder, which switches fixing off.

Does it use the internet?

By default it does. fetchStyleURL is true, and SKILL.md then fetches a public style guide for the file's language from its list of 32 links. Say fetchStyleURL is false to skip that.

How do I install it?

Use the install box above. The skills CLI command works for Claude Code and Codex, and the Claude tab shows the ZIP upload. It needs a file or folder to read, so Claude Code or Codex in your project is the natural fit.

Does it need an API key?

SKILL.md names none, and the folder bundles no scripts.

Is it safe to use?

Set it up with care. With defaults it creates a file and may edit your source file, so run it in a git repo and review the diff. It also reads pages from public style-guide sites.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository
github/awesome-copilot
Folder
skills/write-coding-standards-from-file

github/awesome-copilotskills.sh

Sources

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

Show all 2
  1. write-coding-standards-from-file SKILL.md · github.com
  2. awesome-copilot README · github.com

Updated Nov 2, 2026.