Guide · Agent skill
How to use the ljg-book 拆书 agent skill: install and prompts
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
ljg-book is an agent skill for the 拆书 (book breakdown) task. Give the agent a book title, a PDF, an EPUB or an excerpt, and it writes a long-form explanation of what the book actually argues or shows, how its main threads connect, and how its evidence or events change the reader's understanding. This guide explains what a skill is, how to install ljg-book, how to phrase requests so it triggers, and what it needs to run.
ljg-book 拆书lijigang/ljg-skills · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Download the ljg-book ZIP from this page.
- 2Unzip the skill. Unzip the archive so the ljg-book folder is complete, including SKILL.md and scripts.
- 3Place the folder. Put it in ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or in a project's .claude/skills/ folder. Alternatively, upload it in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- 4Install Bun. Install the Bun runtime, which the validator script requires.
- 5Make a request. Ask with a trigger phrase such as 拆书 or 分析这本书, and attach the book title, PDF, EPUB or excerpt.
- 6Check the saved note. Run scripts/validate_note.ts on the saved note with the coverage record, then read the warnings.
What an agent skill is and what ljg-book makes the agent do
An agent skill is a folder of instructions and optional scripts that an AI agent loads when a request matches the skill's description. ljg-book is one such skill. Its purpose is to let a reader who has never opened the book follow its specific content, rather than receiving a generic lesson.
The skill asks for a structured, book-specific account: what the book follows, how its main threads connect, where it ends, and how its evidence or events change understanding. It is not meant for chapter summaries, papers, formal reviews or single-concept deep dives.
- Output defaults to a saved Org note in ~/Context/
- The note file is named with a timestamp, the 拆书 label and the book title
- Scripts in the skill check the note's structure; the check does not prove factual accuracy
Install ljg-book: download, unzip and place the skill folder
Download the ljg-book ZIP from this page and unzip it. Place the resulting skill folder in ~/.claude/skills/ to make it available to you, or in a project's .claude/skills/ folder to make it available only inside that project.
In the Claude apps, you can instead upload the skill under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- Personal install: ~/.claude/skills/
- Project install: the project's .claude/skills/ folder
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills
Trigger ljg-book with natural requests
The skill loads when your request matches its trigger wording. You do not need a special command. Name the book and say what you want, using words the skill recognises.
Trigger phrases listed in the skill include 拆书, 分析这本书, 这本书在讲什么, 压缩一本书 and the word book. Supply the source as well: a book title, a PDF, an EPUB or an excerpt.
- 拆书 《书名》 (break down this book)
- 分析这本书：这是我提供的 PDF 正文 (analyse this book from the PDF I provide)
- 这本书在讲什么？ followed by a title or pasted excerpt (what is this book about?)
- 压缩一本书 with the EPUB file attached (compress this book)
What the skill needs and how the optional check runs
The skill runs one script, scripts/validate_note.ts, which requires the Bun runtime. You run it on the saved note and point it at the coverage record. The skill does not use the network.
For the final read-back check in SKILL.md, Emacs with Denote and consult-notes is optional. Without them, you can still get the note, but the skill's own read-back step cannot be completed and should be reported as skipped rather than passed.
- Bun runtime, needed for scripts/validate_note.ts
- Optional: Emacs with Denote and consult-notes
- Runs scripts: yes. Uses network: no
- Source accuracy is checked separately; the validator does not prove it
bun {skill_dir}/scripts/validate_note.ts /absolute/path/to/note.org --coverage /absolute/path/to/coverage-map.mdGet the best results from a full book
Results depend on the text you supply. The skill works from the provided text and reference material, so a full file or equivalent material gives a fuller explanation than a title alone. The skill's own materials distinguish between a full breakdown, a partial one, and a provisional version based on little material.
Give the agent the actual version you have, and say which parts are missing. Check that the note cites what it used rather than trusting it blindly.
- Full text or an equivalent source gives the fullest breakdown
- A table of contents, sample chapters or notes support only a partial account
- Excerpts with missing pages or unclear origins should be filled in first
- Facts from the book are the author's claims, not verified current facts
Tips for reading the saved note
Read the note's coverage record alongside the main text. It lists the material used and its limits. The main text is written to be read on its own.
The SKILL.md refers to a references/template.org for Org output, but that file is not in the listed files of this download. If the output is missing its template, check your ZIP before relying on the format.
- Compare the note against the book when accuracy matters
- Use a separate fact check, since the validator checks structure only
- Keep the note files in ~/Context/ if you want to find them by date
What people use it for
- Get a structured overview of a long book before deciding whether to read it
- See how the parts of a book depend on each other, for study
- Create consistent Markdown or Org reading notes for a personal library
- Explain a novel or nonfiction argument to someone who has not read it
Frequently asked questions
Is ljg-book free to use?
The skill is published under the MIT licence, as stated on this page. Check the licence file in the download for the full terms.
How do I install ljg-book?
Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it. Place the folder in ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/, or upload it in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
What does ljg-book require?
It requires the Bun runtime to run scripts/validate_note.ts. Emacs with Denote and consult-notes is optional, for the final read-back check. It does not use the network.
Can ljg-book summarise chapters?
No. The skill excludes chapter summaries, papers, formal reviews and single-concept deep dives. It is for explaining the whole book.
Is the summary accurate?
The skill says source accuracy is checked separately, and the validator does not prove accuracy. Check important claims against the book yourself.
How does it compare with a generic book summary?
The skill aims to keep the book's specific content, so a reader can follow what the book actually does. A general lesson alone is not enough by its own rules.
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Our verdict
Use ljg-book if you want a long, book-specific Markdown explanation that you can keep as a note, and you can supply the full text or a solid equivalent. Pick something else if you want chapter-by-chapter summaries, formal reviews, academic paper analysis, or a verified factual summary without checking the source yourself.
Download the skill