How do I use openskills?
How do I use openskills
To use OpenSkills, you can follow these steps to install the CLI, manage skills, and integrate them into your AI-assisted workflow.
###1. Installation
Install the OpenSkills CLI globally via npm:
npm i -g openskills
###2. Installing Skills
You can install skills from the Anthropic marketplace, any GitHub repository, or even local directories.
- From Anthropic Marketplace:
openskills install anthropics/skills - From GitHub:
openskills install username/repo-name - From a Local Directory:
openskills install ./path/to/your-skill
Options:
--global(or-g): Install to~/.claude/skills/(shared across projects).--universal(or-u): Install to.agent/skills/(for cross-agent compatibility).--yes(or-y): Skip interactive selection and install all found skills.
###3. Syncing with Your Agent
OpenSkills works by updating an AGENTS.md file (or a file of your choice) with a list of available skills in a format that AI agents (like Claude Code, Cursor, or Aider) understand.
openskills sync
Note: This command requires an existing AGENTS.md file in your project root.
###4. How the AI Agent Uses Skills
Once synced, your agent's system prompt will include a list of <available_skills>.
Instead of loading all instructions at once (which saves context/tokens), the agent is instructed to use the openskills read command when it needs the full details of a skill.
Example Command (used by the AI):
openskills read my-first-skill
###5. Managing Skills
- List installed skills:
openskills list - Interactively remove skills:
openskills manage - Remove a specific skill:
openskills remove <skill-name>
###6. Creating Your Own Skill
A skill is simply a directory containing a SKILL.md file with YAML frontmatter.
Example SKILL.md:
---
name: my-custom-skill
description: Use this skill when you need to perform specific X tasks.
---
# My Custom Skill
Instructions for the AI go here...
You can then install it locally using openskills install ./my-custom-skill.
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