Skills vs. Slash Commands vs. Rules – Decision Framework#

When to Use Rules (.claude/rules/*.md)#

Use rules when the instruction is:

• Declarative – “when working on X files, follow Y conventions”
• Automatic – should apply without the developer invoking anything
• About patterns and constraints, not step-by-step procedures
• Path-scopable – different rules for different parts of the codebase

Examples:

• API endpoint conventions that apply whenever editing API files
• Testing requirements that activate when editing test files
• Security constraints that apply globally
• Framework-specific patterns (React, Go, etc.)

When to Use Skills (.claude/skills/)#

Use skills when the instruction is:

• Procedural – a multi-step workflow with a clear sequence
• Rich – includes supporting files (templates, examples, scripts)
• Auto-detectable – Claude should recognize when it’s relevant based on the description
• Cross-platform – needs to work across Claude Code, claude.ai, and Claude Desktop

Examples:

• Security review checklist (multi-step audit)
• PR description generation (read git state → generate document)
• Endpoint scaffolding with templates
• Incident documentation with structured format

When to Use Slash Commands (.claude/commands/)#

Use commands when the instruction is:

• Explicitly invoked – developer types the command intentionally
• Single-file – a prompt without supporting materials
• Argument-driven – accepts $ARGUMENTS (e.g., /fix-issue 1234)
• Discovery-friendly – benefits from terminal autocomplete

Examples:

• /deploy-staging – explicit deployment trigger
• /fix-issue 1234 – issue-specific workflow with argument
• /run-tests – simple repeatable command
• /commit – standardized commit message generation

Decision Flowchart#

Is the instruction about conventions/patterns that should apply automatically?
  YES → Use a Rule (.claude/rules/)
    └── Does it apply only to specific file types?
          YES → Add paths: frontmatter
          NO  → Leave without frontmatter (global rule)

  NO → Is it a multi-step procedure or workflow?
    YES → Does it include templates, examples, or scripts?
      YES → Use a Skill (.claude/skills/skill-name/)
      NO  → Could Claude auto-detect when to use it?
        YES → Use a Skill (for auto-matching)
        NO  → Use a Slash Command (.claude/commands/)

    NO → Is it a simple repeatable action with arguments?
      YES → Use a Slash Command
      NO  → It probably belongs in CLAUDE.md or agent_docs/

Enterprise Default Guidance#

For the 500-developer rollout: default to skills for anything reusable, fall back to slash commands for simple invocations, use rules for always-on conventions.