How do I install the Fork It skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add gdwhisper/fork-it 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.

What does the Fork It skill do?

Before the user starts coding a new project idea, search GitHub for an existing repo to fork as a starting point. Skip for debugging, learning, or a specific algorithm/function. It is listed under Coding & Dev Tools on SkillMD.

Is Fork It safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Fork It?

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 Fork It free to use?

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

Who published Fork It?

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

Fork It by gdwhisper — Agent Skill

Name: Fork It
Author: GDWhisper

File contents

fork-it

Method: search GitHub before building from scratch, fork the closest match, then make it yours.

Language

Reply in the user's language. Script output is language-neutral (English repo data); translate names, descriptions, and your commentary when presenting.

When to use

User wants to build / create / make something new (any language), or invokes /fork-it.
Skip when: debugging or fixing existing code, learning/teaching, asking about a specific function/algorithm/regex, or they've already chosen a base project.

Workflow

Search with their keywords:

node scripts/github-search.mjs "keywords" --language js --min-stars 50 --limit 5

Analyze each result by fit:
- Great match → fork & customize
- Partial match → fork & extend (add the missing piece)
- Reference only → study the approach, then build your own
- Nothing fits → build fresh
Recommend the best 1–3 candidates (stars / language / what it gives them) with the suggested path. If nothing fits, say so and encourage a from-scratch build.
Details on demand — when the user leans toward one repo, fetch more with:
```
node scripts/repo-detail.mjs "owner/repo"
```

Notes

Format stars as 12.3k, pushed_days_ago as "3 days ago". Full JSON shape and all flags: references/schema.md.
Rate limit: 60/hr unauthenticated, 5000/hr with GITHUB_TOKEN. Set it if searches start failing.

Frequently asked questions

Fork It