About install-skills
A repository skill for installing project-local agent skills from lockfile entries and maintaining their committed directories. It guides contributors through source selection, installation, and verification without installing skills globally.
Key features
- 01Inspect repository instructions and installed skills
- 02Resolve skill sources and names
- 03Install named skills from the repository root
- 04Restore lockfile entries to skill directories
- 05Verify installed skills and repository changes
Use cases
- 01Restoring committed skills in a fresh checkout
- 02Adding or refreshing a locked skill
- 03Checking skill installation changes before reporting
Install
Copy the command and run it in a terminal.
npx skills add https:/ / github.com/ patinaproject/ skills --skill install-skillsAfter installing, type/install-skillsin Claude Code to confirm it loaded.
Bundled filescatalog-change.md
Details
From the project READMEInstall project skills
Project-local skills belong to the repository. The lockfile records their
sources, and the committed .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/ entries make
them available in a fresh checkout.
If skills-lock.json has not changed and the user only wants to restore the
committed skill directories, run:
pnpm skills:install
When adding, removing, renaming, or refreshing a lockfile entry, read the skill list change instructions. They define the order of work, the check for skills renamed or removed upstream, the pull request summary, and required verification.
Before installing
-
Read
AGENTS.md,CLAUDE.md, and any repository instructions for agent skills or shared tools. -
Inspect the current installed list. Prefer a repository script such as
pnpm skills:list. Otherwise run:test -f skills-lock.json && npm_config_ignore_scripts=true npx --yes skills@latest list --json -
Resolve the requested source and skill names. If either is unclear, list the source before installing:
npm_config_ignore_scripts=true npx --yes skills@latest add <source> --list
Install
Run installs from the repository root. Never use --global.
Install one or more named skills from one source:
npm_config_ignore_scripts=true npx --yes skills@latest add <source> --skill <skill-a> <skill-b> --agent '*' --yes
Install every skill from a source only when the user asks for all of them:
npm_config_ignore_scripts=true npx --yes skills@latest add <source> --skill '*' --agent '*' --yes
GitHub lock entries contain source and skillPath. The restore command clones
the source's default branch, so another run may install newer upstream content.
The source must be publicly readable. Use a source with a git ref when the user
requires a fixed version.
After changing the lockfile, restore every locked skill:
pnpm skills:install
This command reads skills-lock.json, writes real skill directories under
.agents/skills/, and maintains matching relative links under
.claude/skills/.
For Patina Project skills, use patinaproject/skills and install only the
requested names. Common repository defaults are:
scaffold-repositoryusing-githubinstall-skillsdesign-by-contractgrill-system-designreview-system-designwriting-for-pstack
Verify
Run:
npm_config_ignore_scripts=true npx --yes skills@latest list --json
git status --short
Follow every additional check in catalog-change.md. Report the installed
skills, their source, and the changed lockfile or skill directories. Stop before
committing unless the user asked to finish the branch.