Extending Zylos
Create custom skills and components to add new capabilities.
Zylos is designed to be extended. Whether you need a new workflow, an integration with an external service, or a new communication channel, you can build it as a skill or a component.
Skills vs Components
| Skills | Components | |
|---|---|---|
| What | Knowledge + workflow packages | Standalone services |
| Runs as | Instructions loaded into the agent's context | PM2 services with their own process |
| Use for | Procedures, domain knowledge, tool guidance | Channels, background services, complex integrations |
| Examples | PR review workflow, deployment checklist | Telegram bot, Lark webhook handler |
Rule of thumb: If it's knowledge or a workflow the agent follows, make it a skill. If it needs a long-running process, make it a component.
Creating a Skill
Tell Zylos:
Create a skill called "deploy" that handles deployment to productionZylos has a built-in skill scaffolding tool. It will create the skill structure, write the initial SKILL.md, and set up scripts — all through conversation. You describe what the skill should do, and Zylos builds it.
A skill consists of:
SKILL.md-- Metadata (name, description, trigger conditions) and instructions the agent followsscripts/-- Executable code for deterministic operationsreferences/-- Documentation the agent reads on demand
The description field in SKILL.md is what determines when the skill activates — write it carefully.
Iterating
After creation, test the skill on real tasks and refine through conversation:
The deploy skill should also check that tests pass before deployingZylos will update the skill files accordingly.
Creating a Component
Components are standalone Node.js packages that run as PM2 services. We provide an official template to get started:
zylos-ai/zylos-component-template
Point your AI coding assistant (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.) at this template repo and describe what you want to build. The template contains the complete structure, conventions, and integration patterns — your AI can read it and implement your component from there.
What the Template Provides
- C4 integration -- Message receiving and sending scripts
- PM2 service definition --
ecosystem.config.cjs - Lifecycle hooks --
post-install.js,pre-upgrade.js,post-upgrade.js - Admin CLI -- Access control and configuration management
- SKILL.md -- Agent instructions for using the component
Publishing
Components are distributed as GitHub repositories. Users install with:
zylos add org/my-componentSharing Your Component
Built something useful? Submit it to the Zylos Registry so other users can install it with zylos add. Community components are listed alongside official ones in zylos search.
Best Practices
Skills
- Keep
SKILL.mdunder 500 lines -- split long content into reference files - Write the
descriptioncarefully -- it determines when the skill triggers - Put fragile operations in scripts rather than inline instructions
Components
- Use ESM (
import/export), not CommonJS - Implement lifecycle hooks for clean upgrades
- Keep configurations minimal -- sensible defaults over extensive options