Shipkit Get Skills

shipkit-get-skills - Skill & Plugin Discovery

Purpose: Discover and install skills and plugins via conversational interface.

Core value: Discovery through conversation, not CLI memorization.

Two Distribution Channels

When user asks "what's available":

• For plugins → Read references/official-plugins.md
• For skills → Read references/community-skills.md

Why This Skill Exists

You don't naturally know what skills exist in the ecosystem.

When to Invoke

User says:

• "Find skills for X"
• "Is there a skill for testing?"
• "I need help with commit messages"
• "Get skills", "Search skills"
• "Install a skill for API docs"
• "What plugins are available?"
• "Show me official plugins"
• "Install the frontend-design plugin"

Auto-suggest when:

• User struggles with a task that likely has a community skill
• User asks "is there a better way to do X?"

For catalog questions:

• Plugins → Load references/official-plugins.md
• Community skills → Load references/community-skills.md

Prerequisites

Required:

• Node.js installed (for npx skills CLI)
• Internet connection

If npx not available:

• Offer manual install instructions
• Guide user to clone and copy skill folder

Process

Step 1: Understand Intent & Choose Source

When user mentions a need, determine if it's a plugin or skill need:

If user asks "what's available" or wants to browse: → Read references/official-plugins.md and present the catalog

If user has a specific need:

User: I'm struggling with writing good commit messages

Claude: The official `commit-commands` plugin handles this well.
        Install with: /plugin install commit-commands@claude-code-plugins

        Or I can search skills.sh for alternatives. Want me to look?

Step 1b: Install Official Plugin

If user wants an official plugin:

/plugin install <plugin-name>@claude-code-plugins

Examples:

/plugin install frontend-design@claude-code-plugins
/plugin install security-guidance@claude-code-plugins
/plugin install commit-commands@claude-code-plugins

If marketplace not added:

/plugin marketplace add anthropics/claude-code

Step 2: Search skills.sh (for non-plugin needs)

Run:

npx skills find "<query>"

Example:

npx skills find "commit messages"

If npx fails:

⚠ npx not found (Node.js required)

Options:
  1. Install Node.js: https://nodejs.org

  2. Manual install:
     - Find skill at: https://skills.sh
     - Clone the repo
     - Copy skill folder to: .claude/skills/<name>/

Want me to search skills.sh in browser instead?

Step 3: Present Results

Format search results conversationally:

Found 3 skills for "commit messages":

  [1] conventional-commits (vercel-labs/skills)
      Enforces conventional commit format with scopes

  [2] git-commit-helper (community/git-tools)
      Analyzes staged changes and suggests commit messages

  [3] semantic-commits (better-commits/skill)
      Semantic versioning aware commit messages

Install one? Enter number, or [s] to search again

Step 4: Install Selected Skill

Run:

npx skills add <owner/repo>

Example:

npx skills add community/git-tools@git-commit-helper

On success:

✓ Installed git-commit-helper

Location: .claude/skills/git-commit-helper/
Try it: /git-commit-helper

Or just start using it — Claude will invoke automatically when relevant.

Step 5: Handle Edge Cases

Skill uses shipkit- prefix

Note: This skill uses the "shipkit-" prefix, which is typically
reserved for Shipkit framework skills.

Installing anyway — this is your choice.

Non-blocking warning. User decides.

Skill already installed

git-commit-helper is already installed.

Location: .claude/skills/git-commit-helper/

[u] Update to latest  [r] Reinstall  [b] Back

No results found

No skills found for "quantum debugging".

Try:
  - Broader terms: "debugging", "testing"
  - Check skills.sh directly: https://skills.sh
  - Create your own skill for this use case

Commands

CLI Mapping

Official Plugins

skills.sh

Design Decisions

1. Naming — get-skills (action-oriented, pairs with get-mcps)

2. No proactive suggestions — User invokes explicitly. Avoids Clippy problem.

3. Namespace warning — Light warning for shipkit- prefix, non-blocking

4. Fallback without npx — Graceful degradation with manual install option

Context Files This Skill Reads

• .claude/skills/ — Check what's already installed
• package.json — Verify Node.js project context (optional)

Context Files This Skill Writes

Write Strategy: NONE (delegates to npx skills CLI)

The CLI handles all file operations:

• Creates .claude/skills/<name>/ folder
• Writes SKILL.md and supporting files

When This Skill Integrates with Others

Relationship: Standalone Utility

This skill operates independently. It helps users extend their skill set.

Complements:

• /shipkit-claude-md — Learnings about which skills work well

Sibling:

• /shipkit-get-mcps — Same pattern for MCP discovery

After Completion

Guardrails Check: Before moving to next task, verify:

1. Persistence - Has important context been saved to .shipkit/?
2. Prerequisites - Does the next action need a spec or plan first?
3. Session length - Long session? Consider /shipkit-work-memory for continuity.

Natural capabilities (no skill needed): Implementation, debugging, testing, refactoring, code documentation.

Suggest skill when: User needs to make decisions, create persistence, or check project status.

Success Criteria

• User can discover skills through conversation
• Search results are clear and actionable
• Installation is one confirmation away
• Fallback works when npx unavailable
• Namespace warnings are informative but non-blocking