Skip to main content
The skill editor includes a built-in preview pane that lets you test your skill with real inputs before saving or sharing it. This is the fastest way to iterate on a skill’s system prompt and catch issues early.

​
The Preview Pane

When you’re in the skill editor (Settings → Skills → Create New or edit an existing skill), the right side of the screen shows a preview pane — a live test environment for the skill. Enter a sample input in the preview pane and click Run to see exactly what the skill produces. Adjust the system prompt and test again without leaving the editor.

​
Testing Process

1

Write your skill in the editor

Fill in the skill name, system prompt, tools, and model in the editor panel.
2

Enter a test input in the preview pane

Type or paste a representative example of what a user would provide when invoking this skill.For a @summarize skill: paste a paragraph or article you want summarized. For an @explain-code skill: paste a function or code snippet. For a @translate skill: paste a sentence or paragraph in the source language.
3

Click Run or Test

The skill processes your test input using the current system prompt and shows the output in the preview pane.
4

Evaluate the output

Ask yourself:
  • Is the format what I wanted?
  • Is the length appropriate?
  • Did it follow all the instructions?
  • Would this output be useful in a real workflow?
5

Adjust and re-test

If the output isn’t right, edit the system prompt and run the test again. Repeat until the output consistently matches your expectations.
6

Save

When you’re satisfied with the skill’s behavior across your test inputs, click Save.

​
What to Test For

Format consistency — run the same skill 2–3 times on the same input. Does it produce the same format each time? If not, add more explicit format instructions. Edge cases:
  • Empty or very short input — does the skill handle it gracefully?
  • Very long input — does it still stay within your expected output length?
  • Off-topic input — does the skill stay focused or does it wander?
  • Input in an unexpected language or format — what happens?
Tool usage — if you’ve enabled tools like web search, test with a prompt that should trigger the tool. Verify the skill actually uses it. Instruction adherence — if you added constraints (“only return the translation, no explanation”), test that they’re followed.

​
Iteration Expectations

Most skills need 3–5 iterations before they reach consistently good quality. This is normal. Common iteration patterns:

​
Adding Examples to Your Prompt

If the preview pane consistently shows formatting or behavioral issues, try adding an example directly into the system prompt:
This technique (called few-shot prompting) dramatically improves format consistency for skills with specific output requirements.
Test your skill on at least 3 different real-world inputs before saving — one typical input, one edge case, and one input that might be off-topic or ambiguous. If it handles all three well, it’s ready.