# Seedance 2.5 — Agent Installation Guide

Install the Seedance 2.5 video-generation skill, establish a safe API-key handoff, and begin with a zero-credit dry run across the documented five-variant family

## Step 1: Install

Preferred Agent command:

```bash
npx skills add https://github.com/cheercheung/seedance-2-5-video-generate-api-skill/tree/main/skills/seedance-2-5-video-gen
```

If the skills registry CLI is unavailable, use the npm fallback:

```bash
npx evolink-seedance-2-5@latest -y --path {SKILLS_DIR}
```

Replace `{SKILLS_DIR}` with:

| Agent | Skills directory |
|---|---|
| Claude Code | `~/.claude/skills` |
| Codex | `~/.codex/skills` |
| OpenCode | `~/.opencode/skills` |
| OpenClaw | `~/.openclaw/skills` or omit `--path` for auto-detection |
| Cursor | `.cursor/skills` or `~/.cursor/skills` |

The installed directory must contain `SKILL.md`, `scripts/`, `references/`, `docs/`, and `examples/` before key setup

## Step 2: Open the Key Page and Collect the Key

The npm installer prints:

```text
EVOLINK_KEY_URL=https://evolink.ai/dashboard/keys?utm_source=skill&utm_medium=install&utm_campaign=seedance-2-5-video-gen
AGENT_NEXT_ACTION=open_key_url_then_collect_key
```

Open or show that exact URL. Ask the user to sign in or sign up, return to the key page, create or select a key, then paste it back. Do not expose the key in logs or repeat it

Set it for the current session:

```bash
export EVOLINK_API_KEY="pasted_key"
```

Offer persistence only with the user's approval:

```bash
printf '\nexport EVOLINK_API_KEY="pasted_key"\n' >> ~/.zshrc
```

## Step 3: Validate Without Generating

```bash
{SKILLS_DIR}/seedance-2-5-video-gen/scripts/seedance-2-5-video-gen.sh --validate-key
```

Expected output:

```text
KEY_VALID=true
```

Then check official availability:

```bash
{SKILLS_DIR}/seedance-2-5-video-gen/scripts/seedance-2-5-video-gen.sh --check-availability
```

If it prints `launch_status=closed`, do not make a generation request

## Step 4: Load the Skill Definition

```bash
npx evolink-seedance-2-5@latest --skill
```

Or read:

```text
{SKILLS_DIR}/seedance-2-5-video-gen/SKILL.md
```

## Quick Verify

Text-to-video dry run, estimated cost 0 credits:

```bash
{SKILLS_DIR}/seedance-2-5-video-gen/scripts/seedance-2-5-video-gen.sh \
  "A paper airplane crosses a sunlit studio and lands on a desk; smooth tracking pan" \
  --mode text --duration 5 --dry-run
```

Image-to-video dry run, estimated cost 0 credits:

```bash
{SKILLS_DIR}/seedance-2-5-video-gen/scripts/seedance-2-5-video-gen.sh \
  "Preserve the product while the camera makes a subtle premium push-in" \
  --mode image --image-url https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1523275335684-37898b6baf30?w=1200 --duration 5 --dry-run
```

The default first action stays below 10 credits because it is a dry run and creates no task. Do not estimate or spend live credits until availability and current pricing are verified and the user approves the cost boundary

After validation, tell the user:

```text
The Seedance 2.5 skill is ready for payload dry runs. Ask me to create a text, image, reference, edit, or extend video payload
```

## One-Liner

```bash
npx skills add https://github.com/cheercheung/seedance-2-5-video-generate-api-skill/tree/main/skills/seedance-2-5-video-gen
```

## Available Commands

| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
| `npx skills add https://github.com/cheercheung/seedance-2-5-video-generate-api-skill/tree/main/skills/seedance-2-5-video-gen` | Preferred Agent installation |
| `npx evolink-seedance-2-5@latest -y --path {SKILLS_DIR}` | npm fallback installation |
| `npx evolink-seedance-2-5@latest --llms` | Print this guide |
| `npx evolink-seedance-2-5@latest --skill` | Print `SKILL.md` |
| `npx evolink-seedance-2-5@latest --help` | Show installer and direct-run help |
| `npx evolink-seedance-2-5@latest --version` | Show package version |
| `npx evolink-seedance-2-5@latest "prompt" --mode text --dry-run` | Direct text payload dry run |