# Install Skills > Automatically install and manage Agent Skills from GitHub repositories. Use when asked to "install a skill", "add a skill", "find skills", "browse skills", "get skills from GitHub", or when the user needs a specific capability that might exist as a community skill. Supports anthropics/skills, github/awesome-copilot, and custom GitHub repositories. - Skill: `deadronos/install-skills` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 3 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add deadronos/install-skills` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/deadronos/install-skills/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: AI & ML - Author: deadronos (https://skillmd.com/u/deadronos) - Updated: 2026-09-10 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/deadronos/install-skills --- # Install Skills A meta-skill for discovering, browsing, and installing Agent Skills from online repositories. This skill helps you find and install community-created skills to enhance your capabilities. ## skills.sh CLI Integration If the user has the [skills.sh](https://skills.sh/) CLI installed (via `npx add-skill`), these scripts will automatically detect it and use the skills.sh CLI instead of the manual installation process. This provides: - **Better cross-agent compatibility**: Automatic detection and installation for Claude Code, OpenCode, Cursor, and other agents - **Auto-detection of agents**: The CLI knows where to install skills for each installed agent - **Access to skills registry**: Browse and install from the community skills marketplace To use the skills.sh CLI directly: ```bash # List skills from a repository npx add-skill anthropics/skills --list # Install a specific skill npx add-skill anthropics/skills --skill release-notes # Install to global/personal directory npx add-skill anthropics/skills -g ``` ## When to Use This Skill - User asks to "install a skill", "add a skill", or "get a skill" - User mentions needing capabilities that might exist as community skills - User wants to browse available skills from known repositories - User wants to install a skill from a specific GitHub repository - User asks "what skills are available?" ## Supported Skill Sources ### Primary Repositories | Repository | Description | |------------|-------------| | `anthropics/skills` | Official Anthropic skills collection | | `github/awesome-copilot` | GitHub's community-curated skills in `skills/` directory | | `microsoft/agent-skills` | Skills for Microsoft AI SDKs and Azure services in `.github/skills/` directory | ### Custom Repositories Any GitHub repository with skills in one of these structures: - `skills//SKILL.md` - `.github/skills//SKILL.md` - `.claude/skills//SKILL.md` ## Installation Locations Skills can be installed to: | Location | Scope | Path | |----------|-------|------| | Project | Current repo only | `.github/skills//` | | Personal | All projects | `~/.copilot/skills//` | **Default**: Project skills (`.github/skills/`) - only install to personal profile if user explicitly requests it ## Workflow: Browse Available Skills ### Step 1: List Skills from Known Repositories Use the `scripts/list-skills.sh` script: ```bash # List skills from default repository (anthropics/skills) ./scripts/list-skills.sh # List skills from a specific repository ./scripts/list-skills.sh anthropics/skills ./scripts/list-skills.sh github/awesome-copilot ``` ### Step 2: Display Skills to User Present skills in a table format: | Skill Name | Repository | Description | |------------|------------|-------------| | skill-name | source/repo | Brief description from SKILL.md | ### Step 3: Get Skill Details Fetch and display the SKILL.md content for any skill the user is interested in. ## Workflow: Install a Skill **IMPORTANT**: Always use the scripts in `scripts/` folder to install skills. Do NOT manually fetch and write skill files. ### Step 1: Identify the Skill Source Parse the user's request to determine: - Skill name - Source repository (default to searching known repos) - Installation scope (project by default, personal only if user explicitly requests) ### Step 2: Run the Install Script Use the `scripts/install-skill.sh` script to install the skill: ```bash # For project installation (DEFAULT) ./scripts/install-skill.sh .github/skills # For personal installation (only if user explicitly requests) ./scripts/install-skill.sh ~/.copilot/skills ``` The script handles: - Creating the destination directory - Fetching the skill via sparse checkout - Trying multiple skill locations (skills/, .github/skills/, .claude/skills/) - Copying all skill files (SKILL.md, scripts/, references/, assets/, templates/, etc.) - Displaying the skill description ### Step 3: Confirm Installation The script will output: - Skill name installed - Installation location - Brief description of what the skill does ## Workflow: Search for Skills When the user describes a capability they need: 1. Search known repositories for skills with matching keywords 2. Read SKILL.md descriptions to find relevant matches 3. Present options to the user 4. Install the selected skill ## Workflow: Install from Custom Repository When given a GitHub URL or owner/repo reference: 1. Parse the repository reference 2. Check for skills in standard locations: - `skills/` - `.github/skills/` - `.claude/skills/` 3. List available skills 4. Install selected skill(s) ## Example Commands | User Says | Action | |-----------|--------| | "Install the webapp-testing skill" | Run `./scripts/install-skill.sh webapp-testing .github/skills` | | "What skills are available?" | Run `./scripts/list-skills.sh` for known repos | | "Install pdf skill from anthropics/skills" | Run `./scripts/install-skill.sh pdf anthropics/skills .github/skills` | | "I need help with image manipulation" | Search for relevant skills with list script, suggest matches | | "Add the github-issues skill to this project" | Run `./scripts/install-skill.sh github-issues .github/skills` | | "Install skill to my personal profile" | Run `./scripts/install-skill.sh ~/.copilot/skills` | | "Install all skills from anthropics/skills" | Batch install using the install script for each | ## Installation Scripts This skill includes helper scripts in `scripts/` that MUST be used for all installation operations: ### scripts/install-skill.sh ```bash # Usage: ./scripts/install-skill.sh [source-repo] [install-path] # Install to project (default) ./scripts/install-skill.sh webapp-testing anthropics/skills .github/skills # Install to personal profile (only when user explicitly requests) ./scripts/install-skill.sh webapp-testing anthropics/skills ~/.copilot/skills ``` ### scripts/list-skills.sh ```bash # Usage: ./scripts/list-skills.sh [source-repo] ./scripts/list-skills.sh # Lists from anthropics/skills ./scripts/list-skills.sh github/awesome-copilot # Lists from specific repo ``` ## Troubleshooting | Issue | Solution | |-------|----------| | Skill not found | Check spelling, try searching with keywords | | Permission denied | Ensure write access to installation path | | Skill conflicts | Check for existing skill with same name | | Missing dependencies | Read skill's prerequisites section | ## Post-Installation After installing a skill: 1. **Restart the CLI** to load the new skill (exit and reopen your terminal session) 2. Once restarted, Copilot will automatically load it when relevant based on the description ## Uninstalling Skills To remove an installed skill: ```bash # Personal skill rm -rf ~/.copilot/skills/ # Project skill rm -rf .github/skills/ ```