Backend Skills Documentation

This section covers Nexent's Skills system in the backend infrastructure, including skill definitions, skill package structures, and system architecture.

Available Documentation

Overview and Architecture

• Skills System Overview: Skill types, lifecycle, and version management

Skills vs. Tools

In Nexent, Tools and Skills are two distinct layers:

• Tool: A single atomic operation the agent can call, such as read_file or tavily_search. When enabled, the LLM searches through the tool list on every turn — meaning even if a tool is completely unnecessary for this conversation, the LLM still consumes context tokens to "see" it.
• Skill: A workflow of multiple tools bundled with parameter configuration and usage documentation via SKILL.md. The LLM does not need to "see" all tools in advance; it decides whether to activate a skill based on the user's actual needs. The corresponding toolset is only loaded when activated — effectively saving Token consumption.

Quick Start

1. Explore capabilities: Read Skills System Overview to understand the supported skill types
2. Try creation: Experience NL-to-Skill creation on the Skill Management page
3. Create manually: Upload SKILL.md or a ZIP package to create a custom skill
4. Configure for agents: Enable skills in the agent's tool configuration

Related References

• Skill Management (User Guide)
• Agent Development Guide
• Local Tools Overview
• SDK Tool Development Guide
• MCP Tool Development
• FAQ

Getting Help

• Check the FAQ for common skill usage questions
• Ask questions in GitHub Discussions
• Review GitHub Issues for known issues