| name | install-marp |
| description | Check if npm is available and install Marp CLI globally for presentation generation. Triggered when users say "install marp", "set up presentations", "enable slide generation", or invoke `/install-marp`.
|
Skill: Install Marp
Purpose
Check if npm is available and install the Marp CLI (@marp-team/marp-cli) globally
so that presentations can be generated from markdown files.
When to Use
- User says "install marp" or "set up presentations"
- When the user wants to generate slides from markdown using Marp
- First time generating presentation output (check for Marp availability)
Invocation
/install-marp — install Marp CLI globally
/install-marp --check — verify Marp is already installed
/install-marp --version — check installed version and update if needed
Instructions
Step 1: Check npm Availability
which npm
npm --version
If npm is not found:
npm is not available on this system. To use Marp, you need Node.js and npm installed.
Visit https://nodejs.org/ to download and install Node.js (which includes npm).
After installation, run `/install-marp` again.
Step 2: Check for Existing Marp Installation
npm list -g @marp-team/marp-cli 2>/dev/null || echo "not installed"
If already installed:
Marp CLI is already installed globally.
Version: {version}
Ready to generate presentations!
Step 3: Install Marp
npm install -g @marp-team/marp-cli
Track progress and report:
Installing Marp CLI...
[===> ] 45%
Installation complete!
Version: {version}
Location: {global npm path}
You can now generate presentations from markdown files.
Usage: marp {input.md} -o {output.pdf}
Step 4: Verify Installation
marp --version
Confirm output shows version number.
Step 5: Report Status
Marp installation verified!
You can now:
- Generate HTML slides: marp input.md -o output.html
- Generate PDF: marp input.md -o output.pdf
- Generate PPTX: marp input.md -o output.pptx
- Use Marp in the analysis pipeline to create presentation decks
Next: Use the Deck Creator agent to generate presentation markdown,
then convert with Marp.
Edge Cases
- Permission denied: "npm requires elevated permissions. Try
sudo npm install -g @marp-team/marp-cli or contact your system administrator."
- npm out of date: Suggest updating:
npm install -g npm
- Version conflicts: Remove old version first:
npm uninstall -g @marp-team/marp-cli then reinstall
- Offline mode: "Marp installation requires internet connection to download. Please check your connection and try again."
Anti-Patterns
- Never run as root unless necessary — use
npm config set prefix to set user-scoped npm directory
- Never install multiple times — check first with
--check flag
- Never assume Marp is always needed — only install on user request
- Never skip the verification step — confirm version is as expected after install
Usage After Installation
Once installed, Marp can be called by presentation generation agents:
marp presentation.md -o presentation.html
marp presentation.md -o presentation.pdf --pdf
marp presentation.md -o presentation.pptx
Marp markdown syntax:
--- separates slides
# Title for slide heading
 for background image
<!-- _class: lead --> for special slide styles