> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://langchain-5e9cc07a-preview-ramonn-1789138246-3410f5f.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Add skills to Managed Deep Agents

> Add reusable task-specific instructions to a managed deep agent.

Skills package task-specific procedures and supporting files into reusable directories. MDA discovers them automatically. The agent loads a skill's full contents only when the task matches the description in the frontmatter.

<Note>
  Managed Deep Agents is in **public [beta](/langsmith/release-stages)** and available on [LangSmith Cloud](/langsmith/cloud) in the US region only.
</Note>

Put each skill under `skills/` at the project root:

```text theme={null}
my-agent/
  agent.py
  skills/
    research/
      SKILL.md
```

For the full project layout, see [Project structure](/langsmith/python/managed-deep-agents-project-structure).

## Add a skill

Use skills for procedures the agent should follow only when a task matches the description in the frontmatter:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a skill directory" id="create-a-skill-directory">
    Each skill directory needs a `SKILL.md` file with `name` and `description` frontmatter:

    ```markdown skills/research/SKILL.md theme={null}
    ---
    name: research
    description: Gather and synthesize context before answering complex questions.
    ---

    # Research

    Use this skill when a task needs more than a direct answer.

    1. Identify what information is missing.
    2. Use `query_db` to look up relevant records.
    3. Summarize findings before responding to the user.
    ```

    For skill authoring patterns and the complete format, see [Skills](/oss/python/deepagents/skills).

    To understand progressive disclosure, see [How the agent uses skills](#how-the-agent-uses-skills).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add supporting files (Optional)" id="add-supporting-files">
    A skill directory can also contain supporting scripts, reference files, and templates. Reference these files from `SKILL.md` so the agent knows when to use them:

    ```text theme={null}
    skills/
      research/
        SKILL.md
        templates/
          report.md
        scripts/
          fetch_sources.py
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

## How the agent uses skills

At startup, the agent sees each skill's `name` and `description`. When a task matches a skill's description, the agent reads the full `SKILL.md` and follows its instructions. Supporting files are loaded only when needed.

The agent cannot modify skills at runtime.

## Deployment

When you run `mda deploy`, MDA syncs every UTF-8 file under `skills/` to the agent's [Context Hub](/langsmith/use-the-context-hub).

You can then edit skills in the LangSmith UI and apply those changes to the agent.

It is best to keep the skill files in the repo as the source of truth for lasting changes, as later deployments sync the project copies again and remove deployed skill files that do not exist locally.

## When to use skills

| Concept                                                                | Role                           | Loaded when                    |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------ | ------------------------------ |
| **[Instructions](/langsmith/python/managed-deep-agents-instructions)** | Always-on system prompt        | Every run                      |
| **Skills**                                                             | Task-specific procedures       | When the agent selects them    |
| **[Memory](/langsmith/python/managed-deep-agents-memory)**             | Knowledge the agent can update | When durable memory is enabled |

For more information, see [Project structure](/langsmith/python/managed-deep-agents-project-structure).

***

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