gene-database

Query NCBI Gene via E-utilities/Datasets API. Search by symbol/ID, retrieve gene info (RefSeqs, GO, locations, phenotypes), batch lookups, for gene annotation and functional analysis.

1.39x

Quality

70%

Does it follow best practices?

Impact

92%

1.39x

Average score across 3 eval scenarios

Securityby

Passed

No known issues

Optimize this skill with Tessl

npx tessl skill review --optimize ./scientific-skills/gene-database/SKILL.md

Quality

Discovery

82%

Based on the skill's description, can an agent find and select it at the right time? Clear, specific descriptions lead to better discovery.

This is a strong, domain-specific description with excellent specificity and trigger terms for bioinformatics users. The main weakness is the absence of an explicit 'Use when...' clause, which would help Claude know exactly when to select this skill. The technical terminology is appropriate for the target audience.

Suggestions

Add an explicit 'Use when...' clause, e.g., 'Use when the user asks about gene information, needs to look up gene symbols, or wants to query NCBI databases.'

Dimension	Reasoning	Score
Specificity	Lists multiple specific concrete actions: 'Search by symbol/ID', 'retrieve gene info (RefSeqs, GO, locations, phenotypes)', 'batch lookups'. Also specifies the purpose: 'gene annotation and functional analysis'.	3 / 3
Completeness	Clearly answers 'what' (query NCBI Gene, search, retrieve info, batch lookups) but lacks an explicit 'Use when...' clause. The 'when' is only implied through the listed capabilities.	2 / 3
Trigger Term Quality	Includes strong natural keywords users would say: 'NCBI Gene', 'gene', 'symbol', 'ID', 'RefSeqs', 'GO', 'phenotypes', 'gene annotation', 'functional analysis'. These are terms bioinformaticians naturally use.	3 / 3
Distinctiveness Conflict Risk	Highly distinctive with specific domain (NCBI Gene, E-utilities/Datasets API) and specialized terminology (RefSeqs, GO, phenotypes). Unlikely to conflict with other skills due to its narrow bioinformatics focus.	3 / 3
	Total	11 / 12 Passed

Implementation

57%

Reviews the quality of instructions and guidance provided to agents. Good implementation is clear, handles edge cases, and produces reliable results.

This skill provides a reasonable overview of NCBI Gene database access with good structure and clear references to supporting files. However, it over-explains concepts Claude already knows, lacks executable code examples for direct API usage, and missing validation checkpoints in workflows that involve batch operations and external API calls.

Suggestions

Remove the Overview and 'When to Use This Skill' sections - Claude already knows what NCBI Gene is and can infer when to use this skill from the content

Add executable Python code examples showing direct API calls (requests library) alongside the CLI script examples for users who need to understand or modify the underlying logic

Add explicit validation steps to batch workflows, e.g., 'Verify response contains expected gene count before processing' and 'Log failed lookups for retry'

Dimension	Reasoning	Score
Conciseness	Contains some unnecessary explanation (e.g., 'NCBI Gene is a comprehensive database integrating gene information from diverse species' is context Claude already knows). The 'When to Use This Skill' section is redundant. However, the script usage examples and workflow sections are reasonably efficient.	2 / 3
Actionability	Provides CLI examples for scripts which are concrete, but lacks executable Python code showing actual API calls. The query patterns are helpful but remain at the description level rather than showing complete, copy-paste ready code for direct API interaction.	2 / 3
Workflow Clarity	Workflows are listed with numbered steps but lack explicit validation checkpoints. For batch operations, there's no feedback loop for handling partial failures or validating results. The error handling section mentions retry but doesn't integrate it into the workflow steps.	2 / 3
Progressive Disclosure	Well-structured with clear sections, appropriate references to external files (api_reference.md, common_workflows.md), and one-level-deep navigation. The Resources section clearly signals what's available in scripts/ and references/ directories.	3 / 3
	Total	9 / 12 Passed

Validation

90%

Warnings & errors only

Checks the skill against the spec for correct structure and formatting. All validation checks must pass before discovery and implementation can be scored.

Validation — 10 / 11 Passed

Validation for skill structure

Criteria	Description	Result
metadata_version	'metadata.version' is missing	Warning

	Total	10 / 11 Passed

Repository: K-Dense-AI/claude-scientific-skills
Commit: 71add64

Reviewed: 7 days ago

Table of Contents

Discovery Implementation Validation

Is this your skill?

If you maintain this skill, you can claim it as your own. Once claimed, you can manage eval scenarios, bundle related skills, attach documentation or rules, and ensure cross-agent compatibility.