---
title: Skills Library
description: >-
  Create reusable skills that provide Bits AI and external AI agents with
  organization-specific domain knowledge and instructions.
breadcrumbs: Docs > Bits AI > Skills Library
---

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.datadoghq.com/llms.txt).

# Skills Library

{% callout %}
# Important note for users on the following Datadog sites: app.ddog-gov.com, us2.ddog-gov.com

{% alert level="danger" %}
This product is not supported for your selected [Datadog site](https://docs.datadoghq.com/getting_started/site.md). ({% placeholder "user-datadog-site-name" /%}).
{% /alert %}

{% /callout %}

## Overview{% #overview %}

Use the Skills Library to define reusable domain knowledge and instructions for AI agents. Skills give agents task-specific context without requiring you to repeat the same information in each prompt.

For example, create a skill that describes an organization's incident response process, service ownership conventions, or requirements for summarizing an investigation.

Skills work with [Bits Chat](https://docs.datadoghq.com/bits_ai/bits_chat.md), [Bits Agent Builder](https://docs.datadoghq.com/actions/agents.md), the Datadog app for Slack, and external agents such as Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor that connect through the [Datadog MCP Server](https://docs.datadoghq.com/mcp_server.md).

## Create a skill{% #create-a-skill %}

Create a skill directly in the Skills Library, or ask Bits Chat to create one for you.

### Create a skill in the Skills Library{% #create-a-skill-in-the-skills-library %}

1. Open the [Skills Library](https://app.datadoghq.com/actions/skills) in Datadog.
1. Create a skill or import an existing `SKILL.md` file.
1. Enter a name and a skill ID. The skill ID is the slash command that invokes the skill. For example, a skill with the ID `my-skill` is invoked with `/my-skill`. You can't change the skill ID after you create the skill.
1. Add the domain knowledge and instructions that the agent should follow.
1. Select the skill's visibility:
   - **Private**: Keep the skill private.
   - **Shared**: Share the skill with everyone in your Datadog organization.
1. Save the skill.

Use focused instructions and give the skill a descriptive name. A clear name makes the skill easier to discover and invoke with a slash command.

### Create a skill with Bits Chat{% #create-a-skill-with-bits-chat %}

Ask Bits Chat to create a skill:

```text
Create a new Skills Library skill
```

To create a skill from the context in an existing Bits Chat conversation, enter:

```text
Turn this conversation into a skill
```

You can also create a skill from an existing Slack thread. In the thread, enter:

```text
@Datadog turn this conversation into a skill
```

## Edit a skill{% #edit-a-skill %}

You can edit shared skills and private skills that you created. Editing requires the MCP Write permission. For details, see the Permissions section.

1. Open the [Skills Library](https://app.datadoghq.com/actions/skills) in Datadog.
1. Select the skill, then open its details page.
1. Update the skill's name, description, tags, or instructions.
1. Click Save Changes.

The creator of a skill can also change its visibility between **Private** and **Shared** on the details page.

A skill's ID can't be changed after the skill is created, so that references to the skill and its slash command keep working. To use a different ID, clone the skill or create a new one.

Bits Chat can update private skills that you created. To edit a shared skill, use the Skills Library.

## Clone a skill{% #clone-a-skill %}

Clone a skill to create a private copy of it. For example, clone a skill to give it a different skill ID, or to customize a shared skill without changing the original.

1. Open the [Skills Library](https://app.datadoghq.com/actions/skills) in Datadog.
1. Select the skill, then open its details page.
1. Click the gear icon, then select Clone.
1. Enter a name and skill ID for the copy. By default, the copy uses the original name with `(copy)` appended and the original skill ID with `-copy` appended.
1. Click Clone.

The copy opens as a private skill that you created. To share it with your organization, change its visibility to **Shared**.

## Permissions{% #permissions %}

To use the Skills Library, your role needs the following permissions:

| Action                                | Required permissions           |
| ------------------------------------- | ------------------------------ |
| View skills                           | **MCP Read**                   |
| Create, edit, clone, or delete skills | **MCP Read** and **MCP Write** |

Users with the Datadog Standard Role have both permissions by default. For custom roles, [update the role](https://docs.datadoghq.com/account_management/rbac.md?tab=datadogapplication#update-a-role) to add the permissions.

A skill's visibility also controls who can access it:

- **Private** skills are visible only to their creator. Only the creator can edit or delete them.
- **Shared** skills are visible to everyone in the organization. Any user with the required permissions can edit or delete them.
- Only a skill's creator can change its visibility.

## Use a skill in Bits Chat{% #use-a-skill-in-bits-chat %}

To make a skill available to Bits Chat:

1. Open **Settings** in Bits Chat.
1. Select **Skills**.
1. Enable the skill.

After you enable a skill, Bits Chat uses it automatically when the skill is relevant to a request.

Invoke a skill explicitly by entering its slash command in the conversation:

```text
/my-skill
```

You can include additional context in the same message or continue the conversation after invoking the skill.

## Use a skill in Bits Agent Builder{% #use-a-skill-in-bits-agent-builder %}

In the agent configuration, select each skill that the agent needs. The agent automatically loads selected skills.

To invoke a skill explicitly during a conversation, enter its slash command:

```text
/my-skill
```

For more information about creating and testing agents, see [Bits Agent Builder](https://docs.datadoghq.com/actions/agents.md).

## Use a skill in Slack{% #use-a-skill-in-slack %}

After you connect the Datadog app for Slack, mention `@Datadog` and add the skill's slash command:

```text
@Datadog /my-skill
```

Add any task-specific details after the command.

## Use skills with an external agent{% #use-skills-with-an-external-agent %}

External AI agents that connect to the Datadog MCP Server can discover and load skills from the Skills Library.

The Datadog MCP Server provides the following tools:

- `list_datadog_skills()`: Lists the skills available to the agent.
- `load_datadog_skill()`: Loads a selected skill into the agent's context.

A typical external-agent workflow is:

1. Connect the agent to the Datadog MCP Server.
1. Discover available skills with `list_datadog_skills()` or MCP Resources.
1. Load the skill needed for the task with `load_datadog_skill()`.
1. Ask the agent to complete the task using the loaded instructions and knowledge.

For connection instructions, see the [Datadog MCP Server](https://docs.datadoghq.com/mcp_server.md) documentation.

## Availability{% #availability %}

The Skills Library is available in Bits Chat, Bits Agent Builder, Slack, and external agents that connect through the Datadog MCP Server.

## Further reading{% #further-reading %}

Additional helpful documentation, links, and articles:

- [Bits Chat](https://docs.datadoghq.com/bits_ai/bits_chat.md)
- [Bits Agent Builder](https://docs.datadoghq.com/actions/agents.md)
- [Datadog MCP Server](https://docs.datadoghq.com/mcp_server.md)