api-error-handling
Implements standardized API error responses with proper status codes, logging, and user-friendly messages. Use when building production APIs, implementing error recovery patterns, or integrating error monitoring services.
Install with Tessl CLI
npx tessl i github:secondsky/claude-skills --skill api-error-handlingOverall
score
85%
Does it follow best practices?
If you maintain this skill, you can automatically optimize it using the tessl CLI to improve its score:
npx tessl skill review --optimize ./path/to/skillValidation for skill structure
Discovery
77%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 well-structured description that clearly communicates both capabilities and usage triggers. The explicit 'Use when...' clause with multiple scenarios is a strength. However, it could benefit from more natural trigger terms that users commonly say when encountering API error issues, and could be more distinctive to avoid overlap with general API development skills.
Suggestions
Add more natural trigger terms users might say, such as 'exception handling', 'HTTP errors', '500 errors', '4xx responses', or 'error middleware'
Increase distinctiveness by specifying the type of APIs (REST, GraphQL) or frameworks this applies to, distinguishing it from general API development skills
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Specificity | Lists multiple specific concrete actions: 'standardized API error responses', 'proper status codes', 'logging', and 'user-friendly messages'. These are concrete, actionable capabilities. | 3 / 3 |
Completeness | Clearly answers both what ('implements standardized API error responses with proper status codes, logging, and user-friendly messages') and when ('Use when building production APIs, implementing error recovery patterns, or integrating error monitoring services'). | 3 / 3 |
Trigger Term Quality | Includes relevant terms like 'API', 'error responses', 'status codes', 'error monitoring', but misses common variations users might say like 'exception handling', 'HTTP errors', '500 errors', '4xx', or 'error middleware'. | 2 / 3 |
Distinctiveness Conflict Risk | While focused on API errors specifically, could overlap with general API development skills or logging/monitoring skills. The 'production APIs' trigger is somewhat broad and might conflict with other API-related skills. | 2 / 3 |
Total | 10 / 12 Passed |
Implementation
87%Reviews the quality of instructions and guidance provided to agents. Good implementation is clear, handles edge cases, and produces reliable results.
This is a strong skill with excellent actionability and conciseness. The code examples are complete and production-ready, covering error classes, global handlers, and circuit breaker patterns. The main weakness is the lack of explicit workflow guidance for integrating these components into an existing API project.
Suggestions
Add a brief 'Integration Steps' section showing the order of implementation: 1) Define error class, 2) Add global handler, 3) Throw errors in routes, 4) Test error responses
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Conciseness | Content is lean and efficient with no unnecessary explanations. Every section provides concrete value without explaining concepts Claude already knows (like what APIs or error handling are). | 3 / 3 |
Actionability | Provides fully executable JavaScript code for error classes, global error handlers, and circuit breaker pattern. Code is copy-paste ready with complete implementations, not pseudocode. | 3 / 3 |
Workflow Clarity | Presents components clearly but lacks explicit workflow sequencing for implementing error handling in a project. No validation checkpoints or step-by-step integration guide showing how to wire these pieces together. | 2 / 3 |
Progressive Disclosure | Well-structured with clear sections progressing from response format to implementation to patterns. References Python/Flask implementation in a separate file with clear signaling of what it contains. | 3 / 3 |
Total | 11 / 12 Passed |
Validation
81%Checks the skill against the spec for correct structure and formatting. All validation checks must pass before discovery and implementation can be scored.
Validation — 13 / 16 Passed
Validation for skill structure
| Criteria | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|
metadata_version | 'metadata' field is not a dictionary | Warning |
license_field | 'license' field is missing | Warning |
body_steps | No step-by-step structure detected (no ordered list); consider adding a simple workflow | Warning |
Total | 13 / 16 Passed | |
- Reviewed
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