# skills

The CLI for the open agent skills ecosystem.

<!-- agent-list:start -->
Supports **OpenCode**, **Claude Code**, **Codex**, **Cursor**, and [68 more](#supported-agents).
<!-- agent-list:end -->

[![skills.sh](https://skills.sh/b/vercel-labs/skills)](https://skills.sh/vercel-labs/skills)

## Install a Skill

```bash
npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills
```

## Use a Skill Without Installing

Generate a prompt for one skill, or start a supported coding agent interactively:

```bash
npx skills use vercel-labs/agent-skills@web-design-guidelines | claude
npx skills use vercel-labs/agent-skills --skill web-design-guidelines --agent claude-code
```

`skills use` resolves sources the same way as `skills add`, writes the selected skill files to a temporary directory, and prints only the generated prompt to stdout unless `--agent` is provided. With `--agent`, it starts one supported agent interactively with the generated prompt.

### Source Formats

```bash
# GitHub shorthand (owner/repo)
npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills

# Full GitHub URL
npx skills add https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-skills

# Direct path to a skill in a repo
npx skills add https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-skills/tree/main/skills/web-design-guidelines

# GitLab URL
npx skills add https://gitlab.com/org/repo

# Any git URL
npx skills add git@github.com:vercel-labs/agent-skills.git

# Local path
npx skills add ./my-local-skills
```

### Options

| Option                    | Description                                                                                                                                        |
| ------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `-g, --global`            | Install to user directory instead of project                                                                                                       |
| `-a, --agent <agents...>` | <!-- agent-names:start -->Target specific agents (e.g., `claude-code`, `codex`). See [Supported Agents](#supported-agents)<!-- agent-names:end --> |
| `-s, --skill <skills...>` | Install specific skills by name (use `'*'` for all skills)                                                                                         |
| `-l, --list`              | List available skills without installing                                                                                                           |
| `--copy`                  | Copy files instead of symlinking to agent directories                                                                                              |
| `-y, --yes`               | Skip all confirmation prompts                                                                                                                      |
| `--all`                   | Install all skills to all agents without prompts                                                                                                   |

### Examples

```bash
# List skills in a repository
npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --list

# Install specific skills
npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --skill frontend-design --skill skill-creator

# Install a skill with spaces in the name (must be quoted)
npx skills add owner/repo --skill "Convex Best Practices"

# Install to specific agents
npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills -a claude-code -a opencode

# Non-interactive installation (CI/CD friendly)
npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --skill frontend-design -g -a claude-code -y

# Install all skills from a repo to all agents
npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --all

# Install all skills to specific agents
npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --skill '*' -a claude-code

# Install specific skills to all agents
npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --agent '*' --skill frontend-design
```

### Installation Scope

| Scope       | Flag      | Location            | Use Case                                      |
| ----------- | --------- | ------------------- | --------------------------------------------- |
| **Project** | (default) | `./<agent>/skills/` | Committed with your project, shared with team |
| **Global**  | `-g`      | `~/<agent>/skills/` | Available across all projects                 |

### Installation Methods

When installing interactively, you can choose:

| Method                    | Description                                                                                 |
| ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Symlink** (Recommended) | Creates symlinks from each agent to a canonical copy. Single source of truth, easy updates. |
| **Copy**                  | Creates independent copies for each agent. Use when symlinks aren't supported.              |

## Other Commands

| Command                      | Description                                   |
| ---------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- |
| `npx skills use <source>`    | Use one skill without installing              |
| `npx skills list`            | List installed skills (alias: `ls`)           |
| `npx skills find [query]`    | Search for skills interactively or by keyword |
| `npx skills remove [skills]` | Remove installed skills from agents           |
| `npx skills update [skills]` | Update installed skills to latest versions    |
| `npx skills init [name]`     | Create a new SKILL.md template                |

### `skills list`

List all installed skills. Similar to `npm ls`.

```bash
# List all installed skills (project and global)
npx skills list

# List only global skills
npx skills ls -g

# Filter by specific agents
npx skills ls -a claude-code -a cursor
```

### `skills find`

Search for skills interactively or by keyword.

```bash
# Interactive search (fzf-style)
npx skills find

# Search by keyword
npx skills find typescript
```

### `skills update`

```bash
# Update all skills (interactive scope prompt)
npx skills update

# Update a single skill by name
npx skills update my-skill

# Update multiple specific skills
npx skills update frontend-design web-design-guidelines

# Update only global or project skills
npx skills update -g
npx skills update -p

# Non-interactive (auto-detects scope: project if in a project, else global)
npx skills update -y
```

| Option          | Description                                                               |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `-g, --global`  | Only update global skills                                                 |
| `-p, --project` | Only update project skills                                                |
| `-y, --yes`     | Skip scope prompt (auto-detect: project if in a project dir, else global) |
| `[skills...]`   | Update specific skills by name instead of all                             |

### `skills init`

```bash
# Create SKILL.md in current directory
npx skills init

# Create a new skill in a subdirectory
npx skills init my-skill
```

### `skills remove`

Remove installed skills from agents.

```bash
# Remove interactively (select from installed skills)
npx skills remove

# Remove specific skill by name
npx skills remove web-design-guidelines

# Remove multiple skills
npx skills remove frontend-design web-design-guidelines

# Remove from global scope
npx skills remove --global web-design-guidelines

# Remove from specific agents only
npx skills remove --agent claude-code cursor my-skill

# Remove all installed skills without confirmation
npx skills remove --all

# Remove all skills from a specific agent
npx skills remove --skill '*' -a cursor

# Remove a specific skill from all agents
npx skills remove my-skill --agent '*'

# Use 'rm' alias
npx skills rm my-skill
```

| Option         | Description                                      |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------ |
| `-g, --global` | Remove from global scope (~/) instead of project |
| `-a, --agent`  | Remove from specific agents (use `'*'` for all)  |
| `-s, --skill`  | Specify skills to remove (use `'*'` for all)     |
| `-y, --yes`    | Skip confirmation prompts                        |
| `--all`        | Shorthand for `--skill '*' --agent '*' -y`       |

## What are Agent Skills?

Agent skills are reusable instruction sets that extend your coding agent's capabilities. They're defined in `SKILL.md`
files with YAML frontmatter containing a `name` and `description`.

Skills let agents perform specialized tasks like:

- Generating release notes from git history
- Creating PRs following your team's conventions
- Integrating with external tools (Linear, Notion, etc.)

Discover skills at **[skills.sh](https://skills.sh)**

## Supported Agents

Skills can be installed to any of these agents:

<!-- supported-agents:start -->
| Agent | `--agent` | Project Path | Global Path |
|-------|-----------|--------------|-------------|
| AiderDesk | `aider-desk` | `.aider-desk/skills/` | `~/.aider-desk/skills/` |
| Amp, Replit, Universal | `amp`, `replit`, `universal` | `.agents/skills/` | `~/.config/agents/skills/` |
| Antigravity | `antigravity` | `.agents/skills/` | `~/.gemini/antigravity/skills/` |
| Antigravity CLI | `antigravity-cli` | `.agents/skills/` | `~/.gemini/antigravity-cli/skills/` |
| AstrBot | `astrbot` | `data/skills/` | `~/.astrbot/data/skills/` |
| Autohand Code CLI | `autohand-code` | `.autohand/skills/` | `~/.autohand/skills/` |
| Augment | `augment` | `.augment/skills/` | `~/.augment/skills/` |
| IBM Bob | `bob` | `.bob/skills/` | `~/.bob/skills/` |
| Claude Code | `claude-code` | `.claude/skills/` | `~/.claude/skills/` |
| OpenClaw | `openclaw` | `skills/` | `~/.openclaw/skills/` |
| Cline, Dexto, Kimi Code CLI, Loaf, Warp, Zed | `cline`, `dexto`, `kimi-code-cli`, `loaf`, `warp`, `zed` | `.agents/skills/` | `~/.agents/skills/` |
| CodeArts Agent | `codearts-agent` | `.codeartsdoer/skills/` | `~/.codeartsdoer/skills/` |
| CodeBuddy | `codebuddy` | `.codebuddy/skills/` | `~/.codebuddy/skills/` |
| Codemaker | `codemaker` | `.codemaker/skills/` | `~/.codemaker/skills/` |
| Code Studio | `codestudio` | `.codestudio/skills/` | `~/.codestudio/skills/` |
| Codex | `codex` | `.agents/skills/` | `~/.codex/skills/` |
| Command Code | `command-code` | `.commandcode/skills/` | `~/.commandcode/skills/` |
| Continue | `continue` | `.continue/skills/` | `~/.continue/skills/` |
| Cortex Code | `cortex` | `.cortex/skills/` | `~/.snowflake/cortex/skills/` |
| Crush | `crush` | `.crush/skills/` | `~/.config/crush/skills/` |
| Cursor | `cursor` | `.agents/skills/` | `~/.cursor/skills/` |
| Deep Agents | `deepagents` | `.agents/skills/` | `~/.deepagents/agent/skills/` |
| Devin for Terminal | `devin` | `.devin/skills/` | `~/.config/devin/skills/` |
| Droid | `droid` | `.factory/skills/` | `~/.factory/skills/` |
| Eve | `eve` | `agent/skills/` | N/A (project-only) |
| Firebender | `firebender` | `.agents/skills/` | `~/.firebender/skills/` |
| ForgeCode | `forgecode` | `.forge/skills/` | `~/.forge/skills/` |
| Gemini CLI | `gemini-cli` | `.agents/skills/` | `~/.gemini/skills/` |
| GitHub Copilot | `github-copilot` | `.agents/skills/` | `~/.copilot/skills/` |
| Goose | `goose` | `.goose/skills/` | `~/.config/goose/skills/` |
| Hermes Agent | `hermes-agent` | `.hermes/skills/` | `~/.hermes/skills/` |
| inference.sh | `inference-sh` | `.inferencesh/skills/` | `~/.inferencesh/skills/` |
| Jazz | `jazz` | `.jazz/skills/` | `~/.jazz/skills/` |
| Junie | `junie` | `.junie/skills/` | `~/.junie/skills/` |
| iFlow CLI | `iflow-cli` | `.iflow/skills/` | `~/.iflow/skills/` |
| Kilo Code | `kilo` | `.kilocode/skills/` | `~/.kilocode/skills/` |
| Kiro CLI | `kiro-cli` | `.kiro/skills/` | `~/.kiro/skills/` |
| Kode | `kode` | `.kode/skills/` | `~/.kode/skills/` |
| Lingma | `lingma` | `.lingma/skills/` | `~/.lingma/skills/` |
| MCPJam | `mcpjam` | `.mcpjam/skills/` | `~/.mcpjam/skills/` |
| Mistral Vibe | `mistral-vibe` | `.vibe/skills/` | `~/.vibe/skills/` |
| Moxby | `moxby` | `.moxby/skills/` | `~/.moxby/skills/` |
| Mux | `mux` | `.mux/skills/` | `~/.mux/skills/` |
| OpenCode | `opencode` | `.agents/skills/` | `~/.config/opencode/skills/` |
| OpenHands | `openhands` | `.openhands/skills/` | `~/.openhands/skills/` |
| Ona | `ona` | `.ona/skills/` | `~/.ona/skills/` |
| Pi | `pi` | `.pi/skills/` | `~/.pi/agent/skills/` |
| Qoder | `qoder` | `.qoder/skills/` | `~/.qoder/skills/` |
| Qoder CN | `qoder-cn` | `.qoder/skills/` | `~/.qoder-cn/skills/` |
| Qwen Code | `qwen-code` | `.qwen/skills/` | `~/.qwen/skills/` |
| Reasonix | `reasonix` | `.reasonix/skills/` | `~/.reasonix/skills/` |
| Rovo Dev | `rovodev` | `.rovodev/skills/` | `~/.rovodev/skills/` |
| Roo Code | `roo` | `.roo/skills/` | `~/.roo/skills/` |
| Tabnine CLI | `tabnine-cli` | `.tabnine/agent/skills/` | `~/.tabnine/agent/skills/` |
| Terramind | `terramind` | `.terramind/skills/` | `~/.terramind/skills/` |
| Tinycloud | `tinycloud` | `.tinycloud/skills/` | `~/.tinycloud/skills/` |
| Trae | `trae` | `.trae/skills/` | `~/.trae/skills/` |
| Trae CN | `trae-cn` | `.trae/skills/` | `~/.trae-cn/skills/` |
| Windsurf | `windsurf` | `.windsurf/skills/` | `~/.codeium/windsurf/skills/` |
| Zencoder, Zenflow | `zencoder`, `zenflow` | `.zencoder/skills/` | `~/.zencoder/skills/` |
| Neovate | `neovate` | `.neovate/skills/` | `~/.neovate/skills/` |
| Pochi | `pochi` | `.pochi/skills/` | `~/.pochi/skills/` |
| PromptScript | `promptscript` | `.agents/skills/` | N/A (project-only) |
| AdaL | `adal` | `.adal/skills/` | `~/.adal/skills/` |
<!-- supported-agents:end -->

> [!NOTE]
> **Kiro CLI users:** The default agent automatically loads skills from `.kiro/skills/` and `~/.kiro/skills/` — no
> configuration needed. If you use a **custom agent**, add skills to its `resources` in `.kiro/agents/<agent>.json`:
>
> ```json
> {
>   "resources": ["skill://.kiro/skills/**/SKILL.md"]
> }
> ```

The CLI automatically detects which coding agents you have installed. If none are detected, you'll be prompted to select
which agents to install to.

## Creating Skills

Skills are directories containing a `SKILL.md` file with YAML frontmatter:

```markdown
---
name: my-skill
description: What this skill does and when to use it
---

# My Skill

Instructions for the agent to follow when this skill is activated.

## When to Use

Describe the scenarios where this skill should be used.

## Steps

1. First, do this
2. Then, do that
```

### Required Fields

- `name`: Unique identifier (lowercase, hyphens allowed)
- `description`: Brief explanation of what the skill does

### Optional Fields

- `metadata.internal`: Set to `true` to hide the skill from normal discovery. Internal skills are only visible and
  installable when `INSTALL_INTERNAL_SKILLS=1` is set. Useful for work-in-progress skills or skills meant only for
  internal tooling.

```markdown
---
name: my-internal-skill
description: An internal skill not shown by default
metadata:
  internal: true
---
```

### Skill Discovery

The CLI searches for skills in these locations within a repository. Each
skill container directory is walked one level deep for the common flat
layout (`skills/<name>/SKILL.md`) and one extra level deep for catalog
layouts (`skills/<category>/<name>/SKILL.md`). A `SKILL.md` discovered at
the shallower level shadows anything nested below it. Use `--full-depth`
to also discover `SKILL.md` files outside these container directories
(e.g. under `examples/` or `tests/`).

<!-- skill-discovery:start -->
- Root directory (if it contains `SKILL.md`)
- `skills/`
- `skills/.curated/`
- `skills/.experimental/`
- `skills/.system/`
- `.aider-desk/skills/`
- `.agents/skills/`
- `data/skills/`
- `.autohand/skills/`
- `.augment/skills/`
- `.bob/skills/`
- `.claude/skills/`
- `.codeartsdoer/skills/`
- `.codebuddy/skills/`
- `.codemaker/skills/`
- `.codestudio/skills/`
- `.commandcode/skills/`
- `.continue/skills/`
- `.cortex/skills/`
- `.crush/skills/`
- `.devin/skills/`
- `.factory/skills/`
- `agent/skills/`
- `.forge/skills/`
- `.goose/skills/`
- `.hermes/skills/`
- `.inferencesh/skills/`
- `.jazz/skills/`
- `.junie/skills/`
- `.iflow/skills/`
- `.kilocode/skills/`
- `.kiro/skills/`
- `.kode/skills/`
- `.lingma/skills/`
- `.mcpjam/skills/`
- `.vibe/skills/`
- `.moxby/skills/`
- `.mux/skills/`
- `.openhands/skills/`
- `.ona/skills/`
- `.pi/skills/`
- `.qoder/skills/`
- `.qwen/skills/`
- `.reasonix/skills/`
- `.rovodev/skills/`
- `.roo/skills/`
- `.tabnine/agent/skills/`
- `.terramind/skills/`
- `.tinycloud/skills/`
- `.trae/skills/`
- `.windsurf/skills/`
- `.zencoder/skills/`
- `.neovate/skills/`
- `.pochi/skills/`
- `.adal/skills/`
<!-- skill-discovery:end -->

### Plugin Manifest Discovery

If `.claude-plugin/marketplace.json` or `.claude-plugin/plugin.json` exists, skills declared in those files are also discovered:

```json
// .claude-plugin/marketplace.json
{
  "metadata": { "pluginRoot": "./plugins" },
  "plugins": [
    {
      "name": "my-plugin",
      "source": "my-plugin",
      "skills": ["./skills/review", "./skills/test"]
    }
  ]
}
```

This enables compatibility with the [Claude Code plugin marketplace](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/plugin-marketplaces) ecosystem. Skill paths declared in a manifest are searched at their declared depth and are not subject to the depth-2 catalog walk described above.

If no skills are found in standard locations, a recursive search is performed.

## Compatibility

Skills are generally compatible across agents since they follow a
shared [Agent Skills specification](https://agentskills.io). However, some features may be agent-specific:

| Feature         | OpenCode | OpenHands | Claude Code | Cline | CodeBuddy | Codex | Command Code | Kiro CLI | Cursor | Antigravity | Roo Code | Github Copilot | Amp | OpenClaw | Neovate | Pi  | Qoder | Zencoder |
| --------------- | -------- | --------- | ----------- | ----- | --------- | ----- | ------------ | -------- | ------ | ----------- | -------- | -------------- | --- | -------- | ------- | --- | ----- | -------- |
| Basic skills    | Yes      | Yes       | Yes         | Yes   | Yes       | Yes   | Yes          | Yes      | Yes    | Yes         | Yes      | Yes            | Yes | Yes      | Yes     | Yes | Yes   | Yes      |
| `allowed-tools` | Yes      | Yes       | Yes         | Yes   | Yes       | Yes   | Yes          | No       | Yes    | Yes         | Yes      | Yes            | Yes | Yes      | Yes     | Yes | Yes   | No       |
| `context: fork` | No       | No        | Yes         | No    | No        | No    | No           | No       | No     | No          | No       | No             | No  | No       | No      | No  | No    | No       |
| Hooks           | No       | No        | Yes         | Yes   | No        | No    | No           | Yes      | No     | No          | No       | No             | No  | No       | No      | No  | No    | No       |

## Troubleshooting

### "No skills found"

Ensure the repository contains valid `SKILL.md` files with both `name` and `description` in the frontmatter.

### Skill not loading in agent

- Verify the skill was installed to the correct path
- Check the agent's documentation for skill loading requirements
- Ensure the `SKILL.md` frontmatter is valid YAML

### Permission errors

Ensure you have write access to the target directory.

## Environment Variables

| Variable                  | Description                                                                |
| ------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `INSTALL_INTERNAL_SKILLS` | Set to `1` or `true` to show and install skills marked as `internal: true` |
| `DISABLE_TELEMETRY`       | Set to disable anonymous usage telemetry                                   |
| `DO_NOT_TRACK`            | Alternative way to disable telemetry                                       |

```bash
# Install internal skills
INSTALL_INTERNAL_SKILLS=1 npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --list
```

## Telemetry

This CLI collects anonymous usage data to help improve the tool. No personal information is collected.

Telemetry is automatically disabled in CI environments.

## Related Links

- [Agent Skills Specification](https://agentskills.io)
- [Skills Directory](https://skills.sh)
- [Amp Skills Documentation](https://ampcode.com/manual#agent-skills)
- [Antigravity Skills Documentation](https://antigravity.google/docs/skills)
- [Factory AI / Droid Skills Documentation](https://docs.factory.ai/cli/configuration/skills)
- [Claude Code Skills Documentation](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/skills)
- [OpenClaw Skills Documentation](https://docs.openclaw.ai/tools/skills)
- [Cline Skills Documentation](https://docs.cline.bot/features/skills)
- [CodeBuddy Skills Documentation](https://www.codebuddy.ai/docs/ide/Features/Skills)
- [Codex Skills Documentation](https://developers.openai.com/codex/skills)
- [Command Code Skills Documentation](https://commandcode.ai/docs/skills)
- [Crush Skills Documentation](https://github.com/charmbracelet/crush?tab=readme-ov-file#agent-skills)
- [Cursor Skills Documentation](https://cursor.com/docs/context/skills)
- [Firebender Skills Documentation](https://docs.firebender.com/multi-agent/skills)
- [Gemini CLI Skills Documentation](https://geminicli.com/docs/cli/skills/)
- [GitHub Copilot Agent Skills](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/agents/about-agent-skills)
- [iFlow CLI Skills Documentation](https://platform.iflow.cn/en/cli/examples/skill)
- [Kimi Code CLI Skills Documentation](https://moonshotai.github.io/kimi-code/en/customization/skills)
- [Kiro CLI Skills Documentation](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/custom-agents/configuration-reference/#skill-resources)
- [Kode Skills Documentation](https://github.com/shareAI-lab/kode/blob/main/docs/skills.md)
- [OpenCode Skills Documentation](https://opencode.ai/docs/skills)
- [Qwen Code Skills Documentation](https://qwenlm.github.io/qwen-code-docs/en/users/features/skills/)
- [OpenHands Skills Documentation](https://docs.openhands.ai/modules/usage/how-to/using-skills)
- [Pi Skills Documentation](https://github.com/badlogic/pi-mono/blob/main/packages/coding-agent/docs/skills.md)
- [Qoder Skills Documentation](https://docs.qoder.com/cli/Skills)
- [Replit Skills Documentation](https://docs.replit.com/replitai/skills)
- [Roo Code Skills Documentation](https://docs.roocode.com/features/skills)
- [Trae Skills Documentation](https://docs.trae.ai/ide/skills)
- [Vercel Agent Skills Repository](https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-skills)

## License

MIT