# Install Skill > Install agent skills from various sources including local paths, GitHub URLs, or the dot-agents repository. Use when adding new skills to a project or user environment. Use when this capability is needed. - Skill: `tomevault-io/install-skill-2` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/install-skill-2` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/install-skill-2/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector WARNING) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: AI & ML - Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/install-skill-2 --- # Install Skill Install agent skills from local paths, GitHub repositories, or the dot-agents library. ## When to Use This Skill Use install-skill when you need to: - Add a skill from the dot-agents repository to your project - Install a custom skill from a local directory - Fetch and install a skill from a GitHub repository - Set up skills for the first time in a project - Share skills between projects ## Installation Process ### Step 1: Identify the Skill Source Determine where the skill is located: **Shorthand (from dot-agents repository)**: - `skills/meta/skill-creator` - `skills/meta/skill-tester` - `skills/meta/skill-evaluator` - `skills/examples/get-weather` - `skills/examples/simple-task` **Local Path**: - Absolute: `/path/to/skill-directory` - Relative: `../skills/my-skill` - Home: `~/custom-skills/my-skill` **GitHub URL**: - Full tree URL: `https://github.com/user/repo/tree/main/path/to/skill` ### Step 2: Determine Target Directory The installation script automatically discovers the skills directory by searching for existing `SKILL.md` files. **Discovery Priority**: 1. `.agents/skills/` (project-level, agent-agnostic) - preferred 2. `.claude/skills/` (project-level, Claude-specific) 3. `~/.agents/skills/` (global, agent-agnostic) 4. `~/.claude/skills/` (global, Claude-specific) If no existing skills are found, the script will prompt you to choose a location. **Manual Override**: You can specify the target directory as a second argument: ```bash bash scripts/install.sh ``` ### Step 3: Run the Installation Script Check available options: ```bash bash scripts/install.sh --help ``` Install a skill: ```bash bash scripts/install.sh ``` ### Step 4: Verify Installation Check that the skill was installed correctly: ```bash ls -la cat //SKILL.md ``` Validate the installed skill: ```bash python /path/to/skill-tester/scripts/test_skill.py / ``` ## Script Usage ### Basic Commands **Show Help**: ```bash bash scripts/install.sh --help ``` **Show Version**: ```bash bash scripts/install.sh --version ``` **Install from Shorthand**: ```bash bash scripts/install.sh skills/meta/skill-creator bash scripts/install.sh skills/examples/get-weather ``` **Install from Local Path**: ```bash bash scripts/install.sh /path/to/custom-skill bash scripts/install.sh ../skills/my-skill bash scripts/install.sh ~/custom-skills/my-skill ``` **Install from GitHub**: ```bash bash scripts/install.sh https://github.com/user/repo/tree/main/skills/my-skill ``` **Specify Target Directory**: ```bash bash scripts/install.sh skills/meta/skill-creator ~/.agents/skills bash scripts/install.sh skills/examples/get-weather ./.agents/skills ``` ## Examples ### Example 1: First-Time Setup **Scenario**: Setting up skills in a new project **Steps**: 1. Create skills directory: ```bash mkdir -p .agents/skills ``` 2. Install skill-creator: ```bash bash scripts/install.sh skills/meta/skill-creator ``` 3. Verify installation: ```bash ls -la .agents/skills/skill-creator ``` **Expected Output**: ```text ℹ Discovering skills installation directory... ⚠ Found empty skills directory: ./.agents/skills ℹ Target directory: ./.agents/skills ℹ Found skill locally: /Users/user/dot-agents/worktrees/main/skills/meta/skill-creator ℹ Installing skill-creator from /Users/user/dot-agents/worktrees/main/skills/meta/skill-creator ✓ Installed skill: skill-creator → ./.agents/skills/skill-creator ``` ### Example 2: Installing Multiple Skills **Scenario**: Installing several skills from the dot-agents repository **Steps**: ```bash bash scripts/install.sh skills/meta/skill-creator bash scripts/install.sh skills/meta/skill-tester bash scripts/install.sh skills/meta/skill-evaluator bash scripts/install.sh skills/examples/get-weather ``` **Result**: All skills installed to the same auto-detected directory ### Example 3: Installing Custom Skill **Scenario**: Installing a skill you developed locally **Steps**: 1. Develop skill at `~/my-skills/custom-analyzer/` 2. Ensure it has `SKILL.md` with proper frontmatter 3. Install: ```bash bash scripts/install.sh ~/my-skills/custom-analyzer ``` **Expected Output**: ```text ℹ Discovering skills installation directory... ℹ Found skills in: ./.agents/skills ℹ Target directory: ./.agents/skills ℹ Installing custom-analyzer from /Users/user/my-skills/custom-analyzer ✓ Installed skill: custom-analyzer → ./.agents/skills/custom-analyzer ``` ### Example 4: Installing from GitHub **Scenario**: Installing a community skill from GitHub **Steps**: ```bash bash scripts/install.sh https://github.com/user/repo/tree/main/skills/awesome-skill ``` **Process**: 1. Script clones the repository (sparse checkout) 2. Extracts the skill directory 3. Validates SKILL.md exists 4. Installs to auto-detected location ### Example 5: Overwriting Existing Skill **Scenario**: Updating a skill that's already installed **Steps**: ```bash bash scripts/install.sh skills/meta/skill-creator ``` **Interactive Prompt**: ```text ⚠ Skill already exists: ./.agents/skills/skill-creator Overwrite? [y/N]: ``` Choose `y` to update, `N` to cancel. ## How Directory Discovery Works The script searches for existing `SKILL.md` files in common locations to infer where skills should be installed. **Search Process**: 1. Search `./.agents/skills/*/SKILL.md` 2. Search `./.claude/skills/*/SKILL.md` 3. Search `~/.agents/skills/*/SKILL.md` 4. Search `~/.claude/skills/*/SKILL.md` **Decision Logic**: - If skills found in `.agents/skills/` → use that - If only found in `.claude/skills/` → use that - If found in multiple locations → use highest priority (agent-agnostic over Claude-specific, local over global) - If none found but empty directory exists → use that - If nothing found → prompt user ## Skill Name Extraction The script extracts the skill name from the `SKILL.md` YAML frontmatter: ```yaml --- name: skill-name description: ... --- ``` The skill is installed using this name, **not** the source directory name. This ensures consistency. ## Best Practices - **Use shorthand for dot-agents library**: Simplest and most reliable - **Verify after installation**: Check SKILL.md exists and is readable - **Use `.agents/skills/` for projects**: Agent-agnostic, future-proof - **Use `~/.agents/skills/` for global skills**: Available across all projects - **Validate installed skills**: Run skill-tester after installation - **Version control project skills**: Commit `.agents/skills/` to git for team sharing ## Common Pitfalls - **Missing SKILL.md**: Source directory must contain valid SKILL.md file - **Name mismatch**: Skill installed using YAML `name` field, not directory name - **Permission errors**: Ensure write access to target directory - **Network issues**: GitHub installations require internet connection - **Invalid GitHub URL**: Must be full tree URL, not just repo URL ## Error Handling **Source Not Found**: ```text ✗ Source directory does not exist: /path/to/skill ``` Check path spelling and existence. **SKILL.md Missing**: ```text ✗ SKILL.md not found in: /path/to/skill ``` Source must be a valid skill directory. **Clone Failed**: ```text ✗ Failed to clone repository: https://github.com/user/repo ``` Check URL and network connection. **Name Extraction Failed**: ```text ✗ Could not extract skill name from SKILL.md ``` SKILL.md must have valid YAML frontmatter with `name:` field. ## Dependencies - `bash` (version 4.0+) - `git` (for GitHub and dot-agents repository installations) - `awk` (for YAML parsing) - `find` (for directory discovery) Standard utilities available on macOS and Linux. ## Integration with Other Meta-Skills **After Installation**: 1. **Validate with skill-tester**: ```bash python skill-tester/scripts/test_skill.py .agents/skills/new-skill ``` 2. **Evaluate with skill-evaluator**: Load skill-evaluator and assess the installed skill's quality. 3. **Use skill-creator for new skills**: Install skill-creator first, then use it to scaffold new skills. ## Troubleshooting ### Q: Script can't find dot-agents repository A: Install from GitHub URL or clone the repository locally first. ### Q: Installation directory not detected A: Manually specify target directory as second argument or create `.agents/skills/` first. ### Q: Skill name doesn't match directory A: This is expected. The script uses the `name` field from SKILL.md YAML frontmatter. ### Q: Permission denied A: Check write permissions on target directory or use a different location. ## Resources - Installation script: `scripts/install.sh` - Agent Skills Repository: - Agent Skills Specification: --- > Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/tnez) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.