# Sync Skills

> (project) Use when a skill in skills/ has its name or description changed, or is added or removed — syncs README.md, settings.json, and hal_dotfiles.json Use when this capability is needed.

- Skill: `tomevault-io/sync-skills` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/sync-skills`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/sync-skills/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector CAUTION)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/sync-skills

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# Instructions

**IMPORTANT**: Only use this skill in `/usr/local/hal-9000`. Otherwise, abort.

1. **Discover skills**
   - Glob `skills/*/SKILL.md` in `/usr/local/hal-9000` only
   - Extract `name` from each YAML frontmatter
   - Rewrite each `description` into one short sentence (~10 words max) saying what it does — no "Use when" triggers, no verbatim frontmatter copy

2. **Update `README.md`** (the `### Agent Skills` section)
   - Format: `- [name](skills/name): description`
   - Use the rewritten description from step 1
   - Add new skills, remove deleted skills, update changed descriptions
   - Preserve existing entry order; append new entries at end

3. **Update `dotfiles/.claude/settings.json`** (the `permissions.allow` array)
   - Sync the `Skill(...)` entries to match discovered user-invocable skills
   - Only include skills with `user-invocable: true` in frontmatter
   - Format: `"Skill(<name>)"`
   - Add new skills, remove entries whose skill no longer exists
   - Preserve existing entry order; append new entries at end
   - Keep the entries in the same position block (between other tool entries)

4. **Update `dotfiles/hal_dotfiles.json`** (the `links` array)
   - Format: `{"dest": "{{HOME}}/.claude/skills/<name>/", "src": "{{REPO_ROOT}}/skills/<name>/"}`
   - Add new skill dirs, remove entries whose `"src"` matches `{{REPO_ROOT}}/skills/*` but no longer has a matching skill
   - Preserve existing entry order; append new entries at end
   - Leave non-skill entries and `copies` array as-is

5. **Run `./bin/hal sync`**, then report what changed.

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<!-- tomevault:4.0:skill_md:2026-04-11 -->

