How do I install the Ghostty skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add oakoss/ghostty 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 Ghostty safe to use?

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

Which AI agents work with Ghostty?

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 Ghostty free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free. This skill is licensed under MIT.

Who published Ghostty?

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

Ghostty by oakoss — Agent Skill

Name: Ghostty
Rating: 4.2 (5 reviews)
Author: oakoss

Ghostty

Controls the Ghostty terminal emulator via CLI actions and configuration. Use when managing Ghostty windows, fonts, themes, keybinds, config validation, or debugging terminal configuration. Use for ghostty CLI, terminal config, theme selection, font management.

oakoss Updated Sep 9, 2026

File contents

Ghostty Skill

Overview

Ghostty is a fast, feature-rich, cross-platform terminal emulator that uses platform-native UI and GPU acceleration. It provides a CLI with +action commands for querying configuration, listing themes/fonts, validating config, and opening new windows via IPC. Window, tab, and split management are handled through keybind actions configured in the config file, not through CLI commands.

When to use: Configuring Ghostty themes, fonts, and keybinds; validating config files; querying available actions and themes; opening new windows from scripts; debugging terminal rendering issues.

When NOT to use: Managing other terminal emulators; tasks unrelated to terminal configuration.

Quick Reference

Task	Command / Config	Key Points
List CLI actions	`ghostty +list-actions`	Shows keybind actions, not CLI actions
List themes	`ghostty +list-themes`	Interactive TUI preview; `--color=dark` to filter
List fonts	`ghostty +list-fonts`	Uses Ghostty's font discovery
List keybinds	`ghostty +list-keybinds`	Add `--default` for defaults only
List colors	`ghostty +list-colors`	Named RGB colors available in config
Show config	`ghostty +show-config`	Add `--default --docs` for all options
Validate config	`ghostty +validate-config`	Check config file for errors
Edit config	`ghostty +edit-config`	Opens config in `$VISUAL` or `$EDITOR`
New window (IPC)	`ghostty +new-window`	Linux/GTK only via D-Bus; use `-e` for command
Run command	`ghostty -e htop`	Arguments after `-e` are the command
Set working dir	`ghostty --working-directory=/path`	Changes directory before running command
Custom config	`ghostty --config-file=/path`	Load additional config file
Check version	`ghostty --version`	Display version info
SSH terminfo	`ghostty +ssh-cache`	Manage SSH terminfo cache for remote hosts
Show font face	`ghostty +show-face <codepoint>`	Which font renders a specific Unicode codepoint
Crash reports	`ghostty +crash-report`	Inspect and manage crash reports

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Correct Pattern
Running `ghostty +new-tab` or `+new-split` as CLI commands	These are keybind actions, not CLI actions; configure them in the config file with `keybind = ...`
Running `ghostty` without full path when not symlinked on macOS	Use `/Applications/Ghostty.app/Contents/MacOS/ghostty` or create a symlink
Using `+new-window` on macOS expecting it to work	`+new-window` uses D-Bus IPC and only works on Linux/GTK
Editing config without reloading	Use the `reload_config` keybind action (default: `ctrl+shift+comma` on Linux)
Using `--config-file` with a relative path	Use absolute paths for `--config-file` to avoid resolution issues
Passing unknown actions without checking available list	Run `ghostty +help` to see CLI actions or `+list-actions` for keybind actions
Confusing CLI actions with keybind actions	CLI actions use `+action` syntax; keybind actions are configured via `keybind = key=action` in config

Delegation

Discover available actions and themes: Use Explore agent to run ghostty +list-actions and ghostty +list-themes
Automate terminal layouts: Use Task agent to script window creation and config changes
Plan configuration changes: Use Plan agent to design keybind and theme configurations before applying

References

CLI actions, flags, and IPC commands
Configuration file, themes, fonts, keybinds, and debugging

--- name: ghostty description: 'Controls the Ghostty terminal emulator via CLI actions and configuration. Use when managing Ghostty windows, fonts, themes, keybinds, config validation, or debugging terminal configuration. Use for ghostty CLI, terminal config, theme selection, font management.' license: MIT metadata: author: oakoss version: '1.1' source: 'https://ghostty.org/docs' user-invocable: false --- # Ghostty Skill ## Overview Ghostty is a fast, feature-rich, cross-platform terminal emulator that uses platform-native UI and GPU acceleration. It provides a CLI with `+action` commands for querying configuration, listing themes/fonts, validating config, and opening new windows via IPC. Window, tab, and split management are handled through keybind actions configured in the config file, not through CLI commands. **When to use:** Configuring Ghostty themes, fonts, and keybinds; validating config files; querying available actions and themes; opening new windows from scripts; debugging terminal rendering issues. **When NOT to use:** Managing other terminal emulators; tasks unrelated to terminal configuration. ## Quick Reference | Task | Command / Config | Key Points | | ---------------- | ----------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | | List CLI actions | `ghostty +list-actions` | Shows keybind actions, not CLI actions | | List themes | `ghostty +list-themes` | Interactive TUI preview; `--color=dark` to filter | | List fonts | `ghostty +list-fonts` | Uses Ghostty's font discovery | | List keybinds | `ghostty +list-keybinds` | Add `--default` for defaults only | | List colors | `ghostty +list-colors` | Named RGB colors available in config | | Show config | `ghostty +show-config` | Add `--default --docs` for all options | | Validate config | `ghostty +validate-config` | Check config file for errors | | Edit config | `ghostty +edit-config` | Opens config in `$VISUAL` or `$EDITOR` | | New window (IPC) | `ghostty +new-window` | Linux/GTK only via D-Bus; use `-e` for command | | Run command | `ghostty -e htop` | Arguments after `-e` are the command | | Set working dir | `ghostty --working-directory=/path` | Changes directory before running command | | Custom config | `ghostty --config-file=/path` | Load additional config file | | Check version | `ghostty --version` | Display version info | | SSH terminfo | `ghostty +ssh-cache` | Manage SSH terminfo cache for remote hosts | | Show font face | `ghostty +show-face <codepoint>` | Which font renders a specific Unicode codepoint | | Crash reports | `ghostty +crash-report` | Inspect and manage crash reports | ## Common Mistakes | Mistake | Correct Pattern | | --------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Running `ghostty +new-tab` or `+new-split` as CLI commands | These are keybind actions, not CLI actions; configure them in the config file with `keybind = ...` | | Running `ghostty` without full path when not symlinked on macOS | Use `/Applications/Ghostty.app/Contents/MacOS/ghostty` or create a symlink | | Using `+new-window` on macOS expecting it to work | `+new-window` uses D-Bus IPC and only works on Linux/GTK | | Editing config without reloading | Use the `reload_config` keybind action (default: `ctrl+shift+comma` on Linux) | | Using `--config-file` with a relative path | Use absolute paths for `--config-file` to avoid resolution issues | | Passing unknown actions without checking available list | Run `ghostty +help` to see CLI actions or `+list-actions` for keybind actions | | Confusing CLI actions with keybind actions | CLI actions use `+action` syntax; keybind actions are configured via `keybind = key=action` in config | ## Delegation - **Discover available actions and themes**: Use `Explore` agent to run `ghostty +list-actions` and `ghostty +list-themes` - **Automate terminal layouts**: Use `Task` agent to script window creation and config changes - **Plan configuration changes**: Use `Plan` agent to design keybind and theme configurations before applying ## References - [CLI actions, flags, and IPC commands](references/cli-actions.md) - [Configuration file, themes, fonts, keybinds, and debugging](references/configuration.md)

Frequently asked questions