How do I install the Runpod skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add dvcrn/runpod in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Runpod safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Independent scanners report: SkillSpector: PASS, Skill Scanner: PASS. Capability flags: executes scripts, makes network calls, reads secrets. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Runpod?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Runpod free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Runpod?

dvcrn (@dvcrn) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Runpod by dvcrn — Agent Skill

Name: Runpod
Rating: 4.5 (4 reviews)
Author: dvcrn

Runpod

Manage RunPod GPU cloud instances - create, start, stop, connect to pods via SSH and API. Use when working with RunPod infrastructure, GPU instances, or need SSH access to remote GPU machines. Handles pod lifecycle, SSH proxy connections, filesystem mounting, and API queries. Requires runpodctl (brew install runpod/runpodctl/runpodctl).

dvcrn Updated Sep 8, 2026 32 repo stars

File contents

RunPod Skill

Manage RunPod GPU cloud instances, SSH connections, and filesystem access.

Prerequisites

brew install runpod/runpodctl/runpodctl
runpodctl config --apiKey "your-api-key"

SSH Key: runpodctl manages SSH keys in ~/.runpod/ssh/:

runpodctl ssh add-key

View and manage keys at: https://console.runpod.io/user/settings

Mount script configuration: The mount script checks ~/.ssh/runpod_key first, then falls back to runpodctl's default key. Override with:

export RUNPOD_SSH_KEY="$HOME/.runpod/ssh/RunPod-Key"

Host keys are stored separately in ~/.runpod/ssh/known_hosts (isolated from your main SSH config). Uses StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new to verify hosts on reconnect while allowing new RunPod instances.

Quick Reference

runpodctl get pod                    # List pods
runpodctl get pod <id>               # Get pod details
runpodctl start pod <id>             # Start pod
runpodctl stop pod <id>              # Stop pod
runpodctl ssh connect <id>           # Get SSH command
runpodctl send <file>                # Send file to pod
runpodctl receive <code>             # Receive file from pod

Common Operations

Create Pod

# Without volume
runpodctl create pod --name "my-pod" --gpuType "NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090" --imageName "runpod/pytorch:1.0.2-cu1281-torch280-ubuntu2404"

# With volume (100GB at /workspace)
runpodctl create pod --name "my-pod" --gpuType "NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090" --imageName "runpod/pytorch:1.0.2-cu1281-torch280-ubuntu2404" --volumeSize 100 --volumePath "/workspace"

Important: When using a volume (--volumeSize), always specify --volumePath too. Without it:

error creating container: ... invalid mount config for type "volume": field Target must not be empty

SSH to Pod

# Get SSH command
runpodctl ssh connect <pod_id>

# Connect directly (copy command from above)
ssh -p <port> root@<ip> -i ~/.ssh/runpod_key

Mount Pod Filesystem (SSHFS)

./scripts/mount_pod.sh <pod_id> [base_dir]

Mounts pod to ~/pods/<pod_id> by default.

Access files:

ls ~/pods/<pod_id>/
cat ~/pods/<pod_id>/workspace/my-project/train.py

Unmount:

fusermount -u ~/pods/<pod_id>

Helper Script

Script	Purpose
`mount_pod.sh`	Mount pod filesystem via SSHFS (no runpodctl equivalent)

Web Service Access

Proxy URLs:

https://<pod_id>-<port>.proxy.runpod.net

Common ports:

8188: ComfyUI
7860: Gradio
8888: Jupyter
8080: Dev tools

---name: runpoddescription: Manage RunPod GPU cloud instances - create, start, stop, connect to pods via SSH and API. Use when working with RunPod infrastructure, GPU instances, or need SSH access to remote GPU machines. Handles pod lifecycle, SSH proxy connections, filesystem mounting, and API queries. Requires runpodctl (brew install runpod/runpodctl/runpodctl).---# RunPod SkillManage RunPod GPU cloud instances, SSH connections, and filesystem access.## Prerequisites```bashbrew install runpod/runpodctl/runpodctlrunpodctl config --apiKey "your-api-key"```**SSH Key:** runpodctl manages SSH keys in `~/.runpod/ssh/`:```bashrunpodctl ssh add-key```View and manage keys at: https://console.runpod.io/user/settings**Mount script configuration:**The mount script checks `~/.ssh/runpod_key` first, then falls back to runpodctl's default key. Override with:```bashexport RUNPOD_SSH_KEY="$HOME/.runpod/ssh/RunPod-Key"```Host keys are stored separately in `~/.runpod/ssh/known_hosts` (isolated from your main SSH config). Uses `StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new` to verify hosts on reconnect while allowing new RunPod instances.## Quick Reference```bashrunpodctl get pod # List podsrunpodctl get pod <id> # Get pod detailsrunpodctl start pod <id> # Start podrunpodctl stop pod <id> # Stop podrunpodctl ssh connect <id> # Get SSH commandrunpodctl send <file> # Send file to podrunpodctl receive <code> # Receive file from pod```## Common Operations### Create Pod```bash# Without volumerunpodctl create pod --name "my-pod" --gpuType "NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090" --imageName "runpod/pytorch:1.0.2-cu1281-torch280-ubuntu2404"# With volume (100GB at /workspace)runpodctl create pod --name "my-pod" --gpuType "NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090" --imageName "runpod/pytorch:1.0.2-cu1281-torch280-ubuntu2404" --volumeSize 100 --volumePath "/workspace"```**Important:** When using a volume (`--volumeSize`), always specify `--volumePath` too. Without it:```error creating container: ... invalid mount config for type "volume": field Target must not be empty```### SSH to Pod```bash# Get SSH commandrunpodctl ssh connect <pod_id># Connect directly (copy command from above)ssh -p <port> root@<ip> -i ~/.ssh/runpod_key```### Mount Pod Filesystem (SSHFS)```bash./scripts/mount_pod.sh <pod_id> [base_dir]```Mounts pod to `~/pods/<pod_id>` by default.**Access files:**```bashls ~/pods/<pod_id>/cat ~/pods/<pod_id>/workspace/my-project/train.py```**Unmount:**```bashfusermount -u ~/pods/<pod_id>```## Helper Script| Script | Purpose ||--------|---------|| `mount_pod.sh` | Mount pod filesystem via SSHFS (no runpodctl equivalent) |## Web Service AccessProxy URLs:```https://<pod_id>-<port>.proxy.runpod.net```Common ports:- **8188**: ComfyUI- **7860**: Gradio- **8888**: Jupyter- **8080**: Dev tools

Frequently asked questions