azure-image-builder
Build Azure managed images and Azure Compute Gallery images with Packer. Use when creating custom images for Azure VMs.
80
70%
Does it follow best practices?
Impact
100%
1.25xAverage score across 3 eval scenarios
Passed
No known issues
Optimize this skill with Tessl
npx tessl skill review --optimize ./packer/builders/skills/azure-image-builder/SKILL.mdQuality
Discovery
75%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 competent description that clearly identifies its niche (Packer-based Azure image building) and includes an explicit 'Use when' clause. Its main weakness is that it could list more specific actions and include additional trigger terms that users might naturally use when requesting this type of work.
Suggestions
Add more specific actions such as 'configure provisioners, define HCL build templates, publish to shared image galleries'
Expand trigger terms to include common variations like 'VM image', 'golden image', '.pkr.hcl', 'packer build', 'image builder'
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Specificity | Names the domain (Azure images with Packer) and two specific types of outputs (managed images, Compute Gallery images), but doesn't list more granular actions like configuring provisioners, defining build templates, or publishing to galleries. | 2 / 3 |
Completeness | Clearly answers both 'what' (build Azure managed images and Compute Gallery images with Packer) and 'when' (Use when creating custom images for Azure VMs), with an explicit 'Use when' clause. | 3 / 3 |
Trigger Term Quality | Includes good keywords like 'Azure', 'Packer', 'managed images', 'Compute Gallery', and 'custom images', but misses common variations users might say such as 'VM image', 'image builder', 'HCL template', 'packer build', '.pkr.hcl', or 'golden image'. | 2 / 3 |
Distinctiveness Conflict Risk | The combination of Packer + Azure image building is a very specific niche that is unlikely to conflict with other skills. The mention of both 'managed images' and 'Compute Gallery images' further narrows the scope. | 3 / 3 |
Total | 10 / 12 Passed |
Implementation
64%Reviews the quality of instructions and guidance provided to agents. Good implementation is clear, handles edge cases, and produces reliable results.
A solid, actionable skill with complete executable HCL templates and clear bash commands for Azure image building with Packer. Its main weaknesses are the lack of validation/verification feedback loops for a costly, time-consuming build process, and some verbosity in the inline templates that could be trimmed or split into referenced files. The Common Issues section is a nice practical touch.
Suggestions
Add explicit validation checkpoints and feedback loops to the build workflow (e.g., what to check after `packer validate`, how to verify the built image exists, what to do if the build fails mid-way).
Trim the basic managed image example by removing boilerplate variable declarations (Claude knows how to declare Packer variables) and keep only the source and build blocks with a note about required variables.
Add a post-build verification step such as `az image show` or `az sig image-version show` to confirm the image was created successfully.
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Conciseness | Generally efficient with good code examples, but includes some redundancy (authentication env vars shown twice, the note about costs is unnecessary context Claude doesn't need). The variable declarations for client_id/client_secret/subscription_id/tenant_id add bulk that could be trimmed since Claude knows how to declare Packer variables. | 2 / 3 |
Actionability | Provides fully executable HCL templates, concrete bash commands for service principal creation, and copy-paste ready build commands. The code examples are complete and specific with real Azure image references and configuration values. | 3 / 3 |
Workflow Clarity | The Build Commands section shows a clear sequence (init → validate → build), but lacks explicit validation checkpoints or feedback loops. There's no guidance on what to do if validation fails, no verification step after the build completes, and no mention of checking the resulting image. For a process that takes 15-45 minutes and incurs costs, this is a notable gap. | 2 / 3 |
Progressive Disclosure | Content is reasonably structured with clear sections, but the full managed image template is quite long inline. The references section at the bottom is good, but the skill could benefit from separating the complete template into a referenced file while keeping a minimal example inline. No deeply nested references though. | 2 / 3 |
Total | 9 / 12 Passed |
Validation
100%Checks the skill against the spec for correct structure and formatting. All validation checks must pass before discovery and implementation can be scored.
Validation — 11 / 11 Passed
Validation for skill structure
No warnings or errors.
- Repository
- hashicorp/agent-skills
- Commit
de4323a
- Reviewed
Table of Contents
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.