A skill for writing technical documentation in Simplified Technical English (ADS-STE100). Works with OpenCode, Claude, ChatGPT, and any AI agent that supports custom instructions or skills.
STE100 is a controlled language specification from the Aerospace and Deflang Association. It restricts English to a simplified vocabulary and grammar rules so technical documentation is clear and unambiguous.
This skill teaches an AI agent to write STE-compliant documentation: maintenance manuals, SOPs, technical guides, and any procedure where ambiguity can cause failure.
- Sentence length (max 20 words)
- Active voice only
- One verb per sentence
- Approved vocabulary
- Procedure formatting
- Warning placement
- Article usage
- Abbreviation definitions
Copy the ste100 folder to one of these locations:
~/.agents/skills/ste100/
~/.config/opencode/skills/ste100/
.opencode/skills/ste100/
Or clone directly:
git clone https://github.com/sdsheeks/ste100-skill.git ~/.agents/skills/ste100Restart OpenCode after installing. The skill loads automatically when you ask for technical documentation.
- Start a new conversation
- Click the + icon in the message bar
- Select Add from files or drag the files in
- Upload these files from the skill:
SKILL.mdreferences/approved-words.mdreferences/procedure-format.mdreferences/examples.md
- Start your prompt with: "Follow the STE100 skill instructions to write..."
Claude uses uploaded files as project knowledge. The files stay in the conversation until you remove them.
Copy the skill to the Claude skills directory:
git clone https://github.com/sdsheeks/ste100-skill.git ~/.claude/skills/ste100Restart Claude Code. The skill loads automatically when relevant.
Option 1: Custom Instructions
- Go to Settings > Personalization > Custom Instructions
- Paste this into the "What would you like ChatGPT to know?" box:
When I ask you to write technical documentation, follow these STE rules:
- Maximum 20 words per sentence
- Active voice only, no passive constructions
- One verb per sentence
- Use approved STE vocabulary (use instead of utilize, start instead of commence, etc.)
- One instruction per step in procedures
- Every noun needs an article (the, a, an)
- Define abbreviations on first use
- Spell out numbers 1-10, use digits for 11+
- Place warnings before the step they apply to
- Use vertical lists, not inline lists
Approved word substitutions:
- utilize → use
- commence → start
- terminate → stop
- facilitate → help
- ascertain → find
- prior to → before
- subsequent to → after
- component → part
- demonstrate → show
- eliminate → remove
- adjacent → next to
- approximately → about
- modification → change
- Click Save
Option 2: Upload Files
- Start a new conversation
- Click the + icon and select Upload from computer
- Upload
SKILL.md,references/approved-words.md,references/procedure-format.md, andreferences/examples.md - Ask ChatGPT to write technical documentation
Option 3: Project Knowledge (Plus/Team/Enterprise)
- Go to Projects in the sidebar
- Create a new project or open an existing one
- Click Add files under Project Knowledge
- Upload the skill files
- Start a conversation in that project. ChatGPT references the uploaded files automatically.
Copy the skill files into your project:
git clone https://github.com/sdsheeks/ste100-skill.git .cursor/skills/ste100Or add the rules to your project's .cursorrules file by copying the contents of SKILL.md.
OpenCode:
@ste100 write a procedure for replacing the fuel filter
Claude:
Follow the STE100 skill instructions to write a procedure for replacing the fuel filter.
ChatGPT:
Write a maintenance procedure for replacing the fuel filter. Use the STE rules from my custom instructions.
references/approved-words.md— STE approved vocabulary with meaningsreferences/procedure-format.md— procedure template and formatting rulesreferences/examples.md— before/after transformations
MIT