What are Claude Code skills?
Claude Code skills are modular instruction packages that extend your AI assistant's capabilities for specific tasks. A skill is a SKILL.md file (plus optional scripts and references) that gets loaded into Claude's context when you invoke it with a slash command like /frontend-design or /tdd.
Skills live in the open skills.sh ecosystem and are distributed via GitHub. Anyone can publish a skill; the community installs and rates them. skillsforai.pro curates the best ones weekly.
Skills work across the full Claude Code ecosystem: the CLI, the Mac and Windows desktop apps, VS Code and JetBrains extensions, and third-party editors that embed Claude.
Prerequisites
Before installing skills, you need:
- Node.js 18+ — The Skills CLI runs on Node. Check with node -v.
- Claude Code installed — Either the CLI, desktop app, or an IDE extension.
- A terminal — macOS Terminal, iTerm2, Windows Terminal, or the integrated terminal in your editor.
You do not need to create an account on skills.sh to install skills.
Install with the Skills CLI (recommended)
The Skills CLI is the official package manager for the skills ecosystem. It handles discovery, installation, updates, and removal.
Find a skill to install
Browse the curated directory at skillsforai.pro/directory, or search directly from your terminal:
# Search for skills by keyword
npx skills find "frontend design"
npx skills find "testing"
npx skills find "deploy"
Install a skill
Once you know the skill you want, install it with:
npx skills add owner/repo@skill-name
# Examples from the skillsforai directory:
npx skills add anthropics/skills@frontend-design
npx skills add anthropics/skills@test-driven-development
npx skills add coreyhaines31/marketingskills@cro
Add flags to skip prompts or install globally:
# -g install globally (available in all projects)
# -y skip confirmation prompts
npx skills add anthropics/skills@frontend-design -g -y
Global vs. project-level install
Skills can be installed at two scopes:
Available everywhere
Stored in ~/.claude/skills/. Available in every project and every Claude session on your machine. Use the -g flag.
npx skills add anthropics/skills@tdd -g -y
Scoped to one repo
Stored in .claude/skills/ inside your project. Only available when Claude is running in that directory. Good for team-shared skills committed to the repo.
# Run inside your project directory, without -g
npx skills add anthropics/skills@tdd -y
Install in popular AI tools
The npx skills add command installs skills for all Claude-compatible agents at once. Here's how skills surface in each tool:
Terminal / Command line
Install the CLI with npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code, then add skills. Invoke any installed skill during a session with its slash command:
# In any Claude Code session
/frontend-design build a dark landing page
/tdd add tests for the auth module
Claude Code Extension
Install the Claude Code extension from the VS Code Marketplace. Global skills installed via the CLI are automatically available in the extension's chat panel — no extra configuration needed.
Slash commands work in the extension's chat exactly as in the terminal.
Claude-powered editor
Cursor uses Claude as its AI backend. Global skills installed via npx skills add -g are picked up automatically. Open the Cursor chat panel and use slash commands directly.
Codeium editor
Same as Cursor — global skills are available in Windsurf's Cascade chat. Install via the CLI and invoke with slash commands in the chat panel.
Google's AI terminal
The Skills CLI also installs skills for Gemini CLI. Run the same npx skills add command — it automatically detects installed agents and configures them all in one pass.
Other Claude-compatible agents
The skills ecosystem supports 55+ agents. The CLI symlinks or copies skill files to the right config location for each one. Check the install summary printed after npx skills add to see which agents were configured.
Verify your installation
After installing, confirm the skill is available:
# List all installed skills
npx skills list
# Check for available updates
npx skills check
In Claude Code, type / in a session to see the slash command autocomplete. Installed skills appear in the list with their name and description.
Update and remove skills
# Update all installed skills
npx skills update
# Remove a specific skill
npx skills remove skill-name
# Or delete manually
# Global: ~/.claude/skills/skill-name/
# Project: .claude/skills/skill-name/
FAQ
How do I install a Claude Code skill?
Run npx skills add owner/repo@skill-name in your terminal. Add -g to install globally and -y to skip confirmation prompts. Example: npx skills add anthropics/skills@frontend-design -g -y.
Where are Claude Code skills stored?
Global skills are in ~/.claude/skills/. Project-level skills are in .claude/skills/ inside your project folder.
Do Claude Code skills work in VS Code and Cursor?
Yes. Skills installed globally via the CLI are automatically available in the Claude Code VS Code extension, JetBrains plugin, Cursor, Windsurf, and other Claude-powered editors. No extra configuration needed.
Can I install skills without Node.js?
The Skills CLI requires Node.js 18+. Alternatively, you can manually download a skill's SKILL.md from GitHub and place it in ~/.claude/skills/skill-name/SKILL.md.
How do I find the best skills to install?
Browse skillsforai.pro/directory — skills are curated, trust-rated, and grouped by workflow (generate, audit, deploy, etc.). Or subscribe to the weekly newsletter for the top 10 each week.