feat: make keywords a JSON array and remove category

- Output keywords as a JSON array instead of a comma-separated string
- Remove category field from templates, CLI, types, and scripts
- Update replaceInFile to handle JSON array placeholder substitution
- Update tests and documentation

Author: bensabic

AGENTS.md

@@ -35,8 +35,15 @@ Write code that is **accessible, performant, type-safe, and maintainable**. Focu
 - `async/await` over promise chains; always `await` promises in async functions
 - Throw `Error` objects with descriptive messages, not strings
 
+## Development
+
+- **Always use conventional commit prefixes** (e.g. `feat:`). Release-please relies on these to generate changelogs and trigger releases, commits without one will be silently ignored.
+- **Never force push, amend, or rewrite history** unless the user explicitly requests it and confirms. Force pushes can break release tracking and cause data loss.
+- **Never push to `main` directly** unless the user explicitly asks. Default to creating a feature branch and opening a PR.
+- **Run `pnpm build && pnpm test && pnpm check` before committing** to catch build, test, and lint failures early.
+
 ## Resources
 
 [ARCHITECTURE.md](./ARCHITECTURE.md): Detailed Project Architecture
-[CONTRIBUTING.md](./CONTRIBUTING.md): Project Contribution Guidelines
+[CONTRIBUTING.md](.github/CONTRIBUTING.md): Project Contribution Guidelines
 [Agent Skills Specification](https://agentskills.io/specification.md): Latest Agent Skills Specification

ARCHITECTURE.md

@@ -88,8 +88,7 @@ Template files use `{Key}` placeholders that map to the `TemplateValues` interfa
 | `{Skill_License}` | `MIT` |
 | `{Skill_Homepage}` | `https://acme.example.com` |
 | `{Skill_Repository}` | `acme-corp/agent-skills` |
-| `{Skill_Category}` | `productivity` |
-| `{Skill_Keywords}` | `data, csv, json` |
+| `{Skill_Keywords}` | `["data", "csv", "json"]` |
 
 ## Generated Repository Automation
 

README.md

@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ npx build-skill --name my-skill --description "Helps with X tasks" --quiet
 | `--license <license>` | `-l` | License for the skill | `MIT` |
 | `--website <url>` | `-w` | Website/docs URL | `https://example.com` |
 | `--repository <repo>` | `-r` | GitHub repository (owner/repo) | `<brand>/agent-skills` |
-| `--category <category>` | `-c` | Skill category | `general` |
 | `--keywords <keywords>` | `-k` | Comma-separated keywords | `ai, agent, skill` |
 | `--output <dir>` | `-o` | Output directory | `.` |
 | `--quiet` | `-q` | Suppress prompts and visual output | `false` |
@@ -76,7 +75,6 @@ npx build-skill \
   --license Apache-2.0 \
   --website https://acme.example.com/docs \
   --repository acme-corp/agent-skills \
-  --category productivity \
   --keywords "data, csv, json, processing" \
   --quiet
 

src/index.ts

@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ async function main() {
     .option("-l, --license <license>", "License for the skill")
     .option("-w, --website <url>", "Website URL (e.g. docs) for the skill")
     .option("-r, --repository <repo>", "GitHub repository (owner/repo)")
-    .option("-c, --category <category>", "Skill category")
     .option("-k, --keywords <keywords>", "Comma-separated keywords")
     .option("-o, --output <dir>", "Output directory", ".")
     .option("-q, --quiet", "Suppress interactive prompts and visual output")
@@ -81,8 +80,9 @@ async function main() {
     Skill_License: options.license || "MIT",
     Skill_Homepage: options.website || "https://example.com",
     Skill_Repository: options.repository || `${brandName}/agent-skills`,
-    Skill_Category: options.category || "general",
-    Skill_Keywords: options.keywords || "ai, agent, skill",
+    Skill_Keywords: JSON.stringify(
+      (options.keywords || "ai, agent, skill").split(",").map((k) => k.trim())
+    ),
   };
 
   await createSkillRepository(

src/scaffold.ts

@@ -48,6 +48,13 @@ export async function replaceInFile(
 
   for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(values)) {
     const placeholder = `{${key}}`;
+
+    // When the value is a JSON array, replace the quoted placeholder
+    // (e.g. "{Skill_Keywords}") with the raw array so the output is valid JSON
+    if (value.startsWith("[")) {
+      content = content.replaceAll(`"${placeholder}"`, value);
+    }
+
     content = content.replaceAll(placeholder, value);
   }
 

src/types.ts

@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ export interface CliOptions {
   license?: string;
   website?: string;
   repository?: string;
-  category?: string;
   keywords?: string;
   output?: string;
   quiet?: boolean;
@@ -21,7 +20,6 @@ export interface TemplateValues {
   Skill_License: string;
   Skill_Homepage: string;
   Skill_Repository: string;
-  Skill_Category: string;
   Skill_Keywords: string;
 }
 

template/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json

@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
       "homepage": "{Skill_Homepage}",
       "repository": "https://github.com/{Skill_Repository}",
       "license": "{Skill_License}",
-      "category": "{Skill_Category}",
       "keywords": "{Skill_Keywords}"
     }
   ]

template/scripts/add-skill.js

@@ -98,8 +98,7 @@ function generatePluginJson(skillName, description, marketplace) {
       license: existingPlugin.license || "MIT",
       homepage: existingPlugin.homepage || "https://example.com",
       repository: existingPlugin.repository || "",
-      keywords: existingPlugin.keywords || "ai, agent, skill",
-      category: existingPlugin.category || "general",
+      keywords: existingPlugin.keywords || [],
     },
     null,
     2

template/scripts/sync-skills.js

@@ -123,8 +123,7 @@ async function discoverSkills() {
         author: pluginJson.author || {},
         homepage: pluginJson.homepage || "",
         repository: pluginJson.repository || "",
-        category: pluginJson.category || "general",
-        keywords: pluginJson.keywords || "",
+        keywords: pluginJson.keywords || [],
       });
     } catch (error) {
       console.warn(
@@ -204,7 +203,6 @@ async function updateMarketplace(skills) {
     homepage: skill.homepage,
     repository: skill.repository,
     license: skill.license,
-    category: skill.category,
     keywords: skill.keywords,
   }));
 

template/skills/{Skill_Name}/.claude-plugin/plugin.json

@@ -9,6 +9,5 @@
   "license": "{Skill_License}",
   "homepage": "{Skill_Homepage}",
   "repository": "https://github.com/{Skill_Repository}",
-  "keywords": "{Skill_Keywords}",
-  "category": "{Skill_Category}"
+  "keywords": "{Skill_Keywords}"
 }