Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Animated GIF to Video Audit agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The animated-content skill is an agent skill that tells an AI agent to review a web page or project for large animated GIFs that slow down loading and scrolling. It also tells the agent to confirm the real bottleneck before suggesting any change. This guide explains what the skill does, how to install it, how to trigger it with natural requests, and where it should not be used. You will finish with a clear idea of when a GIF-to-video change is worth making.
Animated GIF to Video Auditthedaviddias/Front-End-Checklist · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it. You should see SKILL.md and a references folder.
- 2Place the skill folder. Move the folder into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. Alternatively, upload it in the Claude apps under Settings, Capabilities, Skills.
- 3Name the page or project. Tell the agent which page, folder, or project to review, and describe what feels slow.
- 4Ask for a bottleneck check. Ask the agent to confirm the real cause with DevTools, Lighthouse, or field data before suggesting changes.
- 5Review the findings. Read the files, requests, or rendering steps the agent flags and the measurement method it used.
- 6Convert only confirmed GIFs. If a GIF is the problem, approve conversion to MP4 or WebM and the video tag with autoplay, loop, muted, and playsinline.
What the skill makes the agent do
An agent skill is a folder of instructions that an AI agent loads when a task matches the skill's description. This one covers performance problems caused by animated GIFs. Large GIFs add page weight and can use a lot of CPU and memory, which leads to slower page loads and poor scrolling.
The skill asks the agent to check for large animated GIFs that could be replaced with MP4 or WebM. When a GIF is a real problem, the fix it describes is to convert the GIF to MP4 or WebM and embed it with a video tag using the autoplay, loop, muted, and playsinline attributes. The source notes that GIFs are significantly larger than MP4 or WebM and that video gives better control over performance.
- Finds large animated GIFs in a page or project
- Asks the agent to verify the bottleneck with DevTools, Lighthouse, or field data first
- Recommends converting to MP4 or WebM and embedding with a video tag when the GIF is the problem
- Flags the exact files, requests, or rendering steps that add cost, and names the measurement method used
Install the animated-content skill
Download the ZIP for this skill from this page and unzip it. The skill folder contains SKILL.md and a references folder with rule.md. Put the folder in one of these locations, depending on how you want to use it.
You can also upload the skill in the Claude apps. Go to Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills, and upload it there.
- Personal use: unzip into ~/.claude/skills/
- Single project: unzip into the project's .claude/skills/ folder
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload
~/.claude/skills/How to trigger the skill with natural requests
You do not need a special command. The agent loads the skill when your request matches its description, which is about auditing slow page loads, heavy assets, or rendering delays related to animated GIFs. Plain language works well. Name the page or project and say what feels slow.
If you want the agent to use the skill reliably, mention GIFs, page weight, or scrolling performance in your request.
- "Audit this landing page for large animated GIFs that might be slowing it down."
- "Our product page scrolls badly on mobile. Check whether heavy GIFs are the cause."
- "Review this project for animated images that could be replaced with video."
What the agent checks and how it recommends fixes
The skill tells the agent to verify the real bottleneck before recommending changes. The description names DevTools, Lighthouse, and field data as examples of tools to use. A large GIF is not always the cause of a slow page, so this step matters.
If the GIF is confirmed as a problem, the agent should explain why video is more efficient and recommend the MP4 or WebM conversion. The source includes an example of a GIF image tag and an optimized video tag with a poster image and both WebM and MP4 sources.
- Confirm the bottleneck with DevTools, Lighthouse, or field data
- Identify exact files and requests that add network, CPU, or layout cost
- Describe the measurement method used to confirm the issue
- Recommend MP4 or WebM with a video tag using autoplay, loop, muted, and playsinline
<video
autoplay
loop
muted
playsinline
poster="animation-frame.jpg"
>
<source src="animation.webm" type="video/webm">
<source src="animation.mp4" type="video/mp4">
Your browser does not support the video tag.
</video>Requirements and safety notes
The skill lists no requirements. It does not run scripts and does not use the network, according to its metadata. It is a set of instructions for the agent to follow, so it does not change your files on its own unless you ask the agent to make changes.
Be careful with switching formats. Email clients and some platforms do not support video, so converting a GIF there can break the page. Check your target environment before accepting a change.
- Requires: nothing listed
- Runs scripts: no
- Uses network: no
- Check email and other platforms that may not support video before converting
Tips for getting useful results
Give the agent a measurement to start from. A DevTools network panel view, a Lighthouse report, or field data gives the agent something concrete to check the GIF against. Without it, the agent has to verify the bottleneck first, which is the intended behaviour.
Expect the skill to say nothing useful on projects with no animated GIFs. It is narrow by design, so use other performance skills or checks for other causes of slowness.
- Provide a Lighthouse report or DevTools trace when you have one
- Point the agent at a specific page or folder rather than the whole repository
- Accept the change only after the agent shows the GIF is the real cost
What people use it for
- Auditing a marketing landing page where a large hero GIF delays the first render
- Reviewing a product page that scrolls poorly on mobile because of several animated images
- Checking a project against a performance checklist for heavy animated assets
- Deciding whether a site's animated illustrations should become looping muted video
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the animated-content agent skill?
Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it. Place the folder in ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or in a project's .claude/skills/ folder. You can also upload it in the Claude apps under Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills.
Does the animated-content skill require anything else?
The skill lists no requirements. Its metadata says it runs no scripts and uses no network. It works as instructions the agent follows.
Is the animated-content skill free to use?
The skill is published under the MIT licence, as listed on this page. Check the licence file in the source repository for the full terms.
Will this skill convert my GIFs automatically?
The skill describes checking for large GIFs and recommending conversion to MP4 or WebM. Any change is a recommendation the agent makes, so you decide whether to apply it.
When should I not use this skill?
Do not use it on projects with no animated GIFs, since there is nothing to check. Avoid converting GIFs where email clients or platforms need GIF support, and verify the bottleneck first if the slowdown may have another cause.
What alternatives exist for checking page performance?
This skill is narrow and focused on animated GIFs. For broader performance review, the source points to DevTools, Lighthouse, and field data, which you can use directly to find the real bottleneck.
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Our verdict
This skill suits front-end developers and site owners whose pages feel slow because of heavy animated images, and teams reviewing a site against a performance checklist. It is narrow, so pick something else if your slowdown has a different cause or if your pages need GIFs for email or other platforms that lack video support.
Download the skill