GIMP 3.2

Task-organized, faithful guidance for GIMP 3.2 (GNU Image Manipulation Program), with emphasis on driving GIMP programmatically through Script-Fu, Python-Fu, and the Procedural Database (PDB) — for example from a GIMP MCP server. Content is original; identifiers (menu paths, option labels, keyboard shortcuts, mode names, procedure names, numbers) are preserved exactly as the manual prints them.

When to use this skill

Reach for this skill whenever a task touches GIMP: editing or generating images; layers, blend modes, masks, channels, selections, or paths; tools or filters; color adjustments and color management; opening, saving (.xcf), or exporting (PNG/JPEG); or automating GIMP via Script-Fu / Python-Fu / the PDB — including when the user opens a .xcf file, pastes gimp-* calls, writes script-fu-register or from gi.repository import Gimp, or wires up a GIMP MCP server, without naming "GIMP".

How to use it (runtime workflow)

1. Read this file, then consult the task router below (or references/topics.json).
2. Open only the one or two reference files relevant to the task — do not read everything

(progressive disclosure).

1. Answer strictly from the reference; preserve menu paths, option labels, shortcuts, mode names, and

procedure names exactly as written.

1. If something is not covered, say so and mark it TODO — never invent a menu path, option, or PDB

procedure name. For scripting, the in-app Help > Procedure Browser is the authoritative source for exact procedure names, parameters, and return types.

1. Remember the GIMP 3.x API is not 2.10: Python-Fu is Python 3 + GObject Introspection, and many PDB

procedures were renamed — verify names before relying on them.

Task router

Gotchas

Recurring failure modes and what to do instead live in the sibling GOTCHA.md.

Verification notes

Validate the package structure (the validator ships with the skill-drafting skill; paths use the DEVROOT env var — adjust to your layout):

python "$env:DEVROOT\SKILLS\skills\skill-drafting\scripts\validate_skill_package.py" "$env:DEVROOT\SKILLS\skills\gimp"

This package is built and checked with the three-layer method (Spec → Verifier → Environment). Ground-truth checks live in AI/work/verify_gimp.py (stdlib only; run python AI/work/verify_gimp.py --both). It verifies: every reference is listed in references/INDEX.md, has exactly one references/topics.json entry, and resolves its cross-links; each reference contains a summary, a "When this applies" line, at least one example, and a Do/Don't or anti-patterns section, with no empty placeholders; an originality gate rejects source branding/attribution/license leakage in the references and in the SKILL.md body (outside "Inspired by"); a preserve-glossary of load-bearing identifiers (menu paths, shortcuts, mode names, PDB procedure names, command-line flags) is grepped against the references so accidental renames are caught; and --both confirms the .claude mirror is byte-identical. Keep those invariants when editing.

Reference map

Start at references/INDEX.md. Metadata: references/topics.json (topic → file + keywords).

Official documentation

Includes original content written for this skill. The official documentation is at https://docs.gimp.org/ — consult it to verify anything uncertain, conflicting, or version-specific.