npx-skills

name	npx-skills
description	Install, find, update, and manage agent skills using the npx skills CLI tool. You MUST load this skill when asked to use the npx skills command.
license	MIT

npx-skills

When to Use

• Skill Discovery & Search: Searching the skills ecosystem via npx skills find.
• Skill Installation: Installing open agent skills from repositories (e.g., vercel-labs/agent-skills) for various autonomous agents.
• Skill Updates: Updating previously installed skills via npx skills update.
• Skill Scaffolding: Initializing a new agent skill boilerplate via npx skills init.

When Not to Use

• Content Creation: Do not use this skill to write the internal markdown content of SKILL.md files (use agent-skill-md-writer or agentskills instead).

Core Process

Install Skills

1. Diverse Source Formats: Add skills from GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, or local paths.

   # GitHub shorthand
   npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills
   # Full GitHub URL
   npx skills add https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-skills
   # Direct path to a skill in a repo
   npx skills add https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-skills/tree/main/skills/web-design-guidelines
   # GitLab URL
   npx skills add https://gitlab.com/org/repo
   # Local path
   npx skills add ./my-local-skills
   

2. Target Specific Agents: Use -a or --agent to install to specific agents (e.g., claude-code, opencode, cursor, github-copilot).

   npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills -a claude-code -a opencode
   

3. Target Specific Skills: Use -s or --skill to limit which skills to install from a repository.

   npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --skill frontend-design
   

4. Global Installation: Use -g or --global to install the skill globally across all projects for the user.

   npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills -g
   

5. Force Copying: Use --copy to copy files instead of symlinking (default).

   npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --copy
   

Manage Skills

1. List Installed Skills:

   # List all installed skills (project and global)
   npx skills list
   # List only global skills
   npx skills ls -g
   # Filter by specific agents
   npx skills ls -a claude-code -a cursor
   

2. Update Skills: Update all installed skills or specific ones.

   # Update all skills (interactive scope prompt)
   npx skills update
   # Update specific skill(s)
   npx skills update frontend-design web-design-guidelines
   # Update only global or project skills
   npx skills update -g
   npx skills update -p
   # Non-interactive update
   npx skills update -y
   

3. Remove Skills:

   # Remove interactively
   npx skills remove
   # Remove specific skill(s)
   npx skills remove web-design-guidelines
   # Remove from global scope
   npx skills remove --global web-design-guidelines
   # Remove from specific agents only
   npx skills remove --agent claude-code my-skill
   # Remove all installed skills without confirmation
   npx skills remove --all
   

4. Search Skills:

   # Interactive fzf-style search
   npx skills find
   # Search by keyword
   npx skills find typescript
   

Scaffold Skills

1. Initialize New Skill: Create a boilerplate SKILL.md in the current directory or a new subdirectory.

   npx skills init
   npx skills init <skill-name>
   

Examples

# List skills in a repository without installing
npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --list

# Install specific skills from a repository
npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --skill frontend-design --skill skill-creator

# Install a skill with spaces in the name (must be quoted)
npx skills add owner/repo --skill "Convex Best Practices"

# Install to specific agents
npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills -a claude-code -a opencode

# Non-interactive installation (CI/CD friendly)
npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --skill frontend-design -g -a claude-code -y

# Install all skills from a repo to all agents
npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --all

# Update only global skills non-interactively
npx skills update -g -y

# Remove all installed skills from a specific agent
npx skills remove --skill '*' -a cursor

# Remove a specific skill from all agents (global and project)
npx skills remove my-skill --agent '*' --yes

# Remove multiple skills at once
npx skills remove frontend-design web-design-guidelines

# Use 'rm' alias to remove a skill
npx skills rm my-skill

Environment Variables

Variable	Description
INSTALL_INTERNAL_SKILLS	Set to 1 or true to show and install skills marked as internal: true.
DISABLE_TELEMETRY	Set to 1 to disable anonymous usage telemetry.

Example:

INSTALL_INTERNAL_SKILLS=1 npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --list

Core Principles

• Automatic Discovery: The CLI detects installed agents automatically; manually specifying -a is only needed to override this.
• Symlinking Strategy: Interactive installations use symlinks by default (creating a canonical copy linked from agent directories). Use --copy to force copying.
• Scope Awareness: Project scope is default. It commits skills within .agents/skills/ (or agent-specific paths). Global scope (-g) applies across all projects.
• Non-Interactive Execution: When executing via an autonomous agent, use the -y or --yes flag to bypass all confirmation prompts.

Limitations

• Connecting to remote repositories or the skills.sh registry requires an active internet connection.
• Global installation might require correct filesystem permissions for the user's home directory.

Common Pitfalls

• Hangs on Interactive Prompts: Forgetting to use the -y flag in automated agent workflows. Prevention: Always append -y or --yes for CI/CD or agent-driven non-interactive execution.
• Unquoted Spaces or Wildcards: The shell prematurely expanding * or mishandling spaces in skill names. Prevention: Always quote names with spaces (e.g., "Convex Best Practices") and asterisks (e.g., --skill '*').

Related Skills

• agent-skill-md-writer: You MUST load this skill when creating or updating SKILL.md files.
• agentskills: You MUST load this skill to understand the technical structure of an agent skill.

References

• The Open Agent Skills Ecosystem
• Official skills from the companies and organizations
• CLI Reference
• https://github.com/vercel-labs/skills