> Skills are reusable capabilities for AI coding agents — think of them as plugins that provide procedural knowledge so agents can accomplish specific tasks more effectively. The [skills.sh](https://skills.sh/) directory is an open ecosystem for discovering, installing, and sharing these skills across 38+ supported agents. 🔗 **Website**: [skills.sh](https://skills.sh/) · **CLI Source**: [github.com/vercel-labs/skills](https://github.com/vercel-labs/skills) · **Spec**: [agentskills.io](https://agentskills.io) ## What Are Agent Skills? Agent skills are **reusable instruction sets** defined in `SKILL.md` files that extend a coding agent's capabilities. Each skill is a markdown document with YAML frontmatter containing a `name` and `description`, followed by instructions the agent follows when the skill is activated. Skills let agents perform specialized tasks like: - Generating release notes from git history - Creating PRs following your team's conventions - Enforcing framework best practices (React, Next.js, etc.) - Integrating with external tools (Linear, Notion, Slack) - Running security audits, SEO checks, or code quality scans ## Supported Agents Skills work across **38+ AI coding agents** including: | Agent | CLI Flag | |---|---| | [[GitHub Copilot]] | `github-copilot` | | Claude Code | `claude-code` | | Cursor | `cursor` | | Codex (OpenAI) | `codex` | | Windsurf | `windsurf` | | Gemini CLI | `gemini-cli` | | Cline | `cline` | | Roo Code | `roo` | | OpenCode | `opencode` | | AMP | `amp` | | Kiro CLI | `kiro-cli` | | Goose | `goose` | > [!tip] 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. ## Getting Started ### Install a Skill ```bash npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills ``` ### Supported 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 specific skill in a repo npx skills add https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-skills/tree/main/skills/web-design-guidelines # Local path npx skills add ./my-local-skills ``` ### Installation Options | Option | Description | |---|---| | `-g, --global` | Install to user directory instead of project | | `-a, --agent <agents...>` | Target specific agents | | `-s, --skill <skills...>` | Install specific skills by name | | `-l, --list` | List available skills without installing | | `--copy` | Copy files instead of symlinking | | `-y, --yes` | Skip all confirmation prompts | | `--all` | Install all skills to all agents | ### Common 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 to specific agents npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills -a claude-code -a github-copilot # Non-interactive (CI/CD friendly) npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --skill frontend-design -g -a claude-code -y # Install all skills to all agents npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --all ``` ### 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 | 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 | ## CLI Commands | Command | Description | |---|---| | `npx skills add <source>` | Install skills from a repo or path | | `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 (alias: `rm`) | | `npx skills check` | Check for available skill updates | | `npx skills update` | Update all installed skills to latest | | `npx skills init [name]` | Create a new `SKILL.md` template | ```bash # Interactive fuzzy search npx skills find # Search by keyword npx skills find typescript # Check & update npx skills check npx skills update # Remove a skill npx skills remove web-design-guidelines # Remove all skills npx skills remove --all ``` ## Creating Your Own Skills ### Skill Structure A skill is a directory 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 Frontmatter Fields - **`name`** — unique identifier (lowercase, hyphens allowed) - **`description`** — brief explanation of what the skill does ### Optional Fields - **`metadata.internal`** — set to `true` to hide from public discovery (useful for WIP or internal-only skills) ```yaml --- name: my-internal-skill description: An internal skill not shown by default metadata: internal: true --- ``` ### Scaffold a New Skill ```bash # Create SKILL.md in current directory npx skills init # Create in a subdirectory npx skills init my-skill ``` ### Skill Discovery Paths The CLI searches for skills in these locations within a repository: - Root directory (if it contains `SKILL.md`) - `skills/`, `skills/.curated/`, `skills/.experimental/`, `skills/.system/` - Agent-specific directories like `.claude/skills/`, `.agents/skills/`, etc. If no skills are found in standard locations, a recursive search is performed. ## Skills Leaderboard The [skills.sh](https://skills.sh/) homepage shows a **leaderboard** ranking skills by install count (88,000+ total installs). Some of the most popular skills include: | Rank | Skill | Publisher | Installs | |---|---|---|---| | 1 | `find-skills` | vercel-labs/skills | 546K | | 2 | `vercel-react-best-practices` | vercel-labs/agent-skills | 208K | | 3 | `web-design-guidelines` | vercel-labs/agent-skills | 164K | | 4 | `frontend-design` | anthropics/skills | 155K | | 6 | `azure-ai` | microsoft/github-copilot-for-azure | 135K | | 27 | `skill-creator` | anthropics/skills | 81K | Notable publishers include **Vercel Labs**, **Microsoft** (Azure skills), **Anthropic**, **Supabase**, and **Remotion**. ## Security & Audits Skills are assessed through routine security audits using three tools: - **Gen Agent Trust Hub** — content safety analysis - **Socket** — dependency and supply chain alerts - **Snyk** — vulnerability risk assessment The [Audits page](https://skills.sh/audits) shows security ratings for every skill. Always **review skills before installing** — the ecosystem is open and community-driven. ## Environment Variables | Variable | Description | |---|---| | `INSTALL_INTERNAL_SKILLS` | Set to `1` to show/install skills marked as `internal: true` | | `DISABLE_TELEMETRY` | Disable anonymous usage telemetry | | `DO_NOT_TRACK` | Alternative way to disable telemetry | ## Agent Compatibility Skills follow the shared [Agent Skills specification](https://agentskills.io), but some features are agent-specific: | Feature | Widely Supported | Limited Support | |---|---|---| | Basic skills | ✅ All agents | — | | `allowed-tools` | Most agents | Kiro CLI, Zencoder | | `context: fork` | — | Claude Code only | | Hooks | — | Claude Code, Cline only |