How do I install the Xlink skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add vimalinx/xlink 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 Xlink safe to use?

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Which AI agents work with Xlink?

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 Xlink free to use?

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

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

Xlink by vimalinx — Agent Skill

Name: Xlink
Rating: 4.5 (4 reviews)
Author: vimalinx

File contents

xlink

Local link resolver built on xcommon.sh, xlink.ini, and rchive -link. It reads UIDs from stdin, -id, -input, or an upstream ENTREZ_DIRECT message, follows a named link target, and emits either raw linked UIDs or a wrapped local result set for the destination database.

Quick Start

Command: xlink -target <link-name>
Local executable: /home/vimalinx/miniforge3/envs/bio/bin/xlink
Critical environment: EDIRECT_LOCAL_ARCHIVE

When To Use This Tool

Traversing record-to-record links inside a prepared local EDirect archive
Moving from one UID set to another after xsearch, xfilter, or manual ID input
Translating link targets into the destination database defined in xlink.ini
Working with PubMed citation or PubMed Central link-outs in the x* local stack

Common Patterns

# Follow PubMed citation links in the local archive
export EDIRECT_LOCAL_ARCHIVE=/path/to/local/archive
xsearch -db pubmed -query 'Havran W* [AUTH]' | xlink -target CITED

# Jump from PubMed IDs to linked PMC IDs
export EDIRECT_LOCAL_ARCHIVE=/path/to/local/archive
printf '2539356\n' | xlink -db pubmed -target PMCID -raw

# Feed linked IDs into the next local step
export EDIRECT_LOCAL_ARCHIVE=/path/to/local/archive
xsearch -query 'dna repair' | xlink -target CITED | xfetch

Recommended Workflow

Set EDIRECT_LOCAL_ARCHIVE and make sure the upstream step is producing valid local UIDs or an ENTREZ_DIRECT message.
Supply the source database with -db when it is not already encoded in the incoming message; otherwise the script falls back to pubmed.
Choose a link target such as CITED, CITES, or PMCID.
Keep wrapped output for downstream x* stages, or add -raw if the next command wants plain UIDs.

Guardrails

This is a local link-following tool, not a remote Entrez elink client.
-target is mandatory; the script exits with ERROR: Insufficient arguments given to xlink if you do not supply it.
Source inspection shows xlink.ini currently maps [pubmed] CITED=pubmed, CITES=pubmed, and PMCID=pmc.
Without -raw, linked UIDs are wrapped in ENTREZ_DIRECT XML using the destination database from xlink.ini; with -raw, plain linked UIDs are sent to stdout.
The script accepts input from -id, -input, stdin, or an upstream ENTREZ_DIRECT message parsed by shared xcommon.sh helpers.
A configured local postings/archive installation is still required before link traversal works.

---name: xlinkdescription: Use when following local EDirect link relations such as PubMed `CITED`, `CITES`, or `PMCID` from an incoming UID stream or `ENTREZ_DIRECT` message.---# xlinkLocal link resolver built on `xcommon.sh`, `xlink.ini`, and `rchive -link`. It reads UIDs from stdin, `-id`, `-input`, or an upstream `ENTREZ_DIRECT` message, follows a named link target, and emits either raw linked UIDs or a wrapped local result set for the destination database.## Quick Start- **Command:** `xlink -target <link-name>`- **Local executable:** `/home/vimalinx/miniforge3/envs/bio/bin/xlink`- **Critical environment:** `EDIRECT_LOCAL_ARCHIVE`## When To Use This Tool- Traversing record-to-record links inside a prepared local EDirect archive- Moving from one UID set to another after `xsearch`, `xfilter`, or manual ID input- Translating link targets into the destination database defined in `xlink.ini`- Working with PubMed citation or PubMed Central link-outs in the `x*` local stack## Common Patterns```bash# Follow PubMed citation links in the local archiveexport EDIRECT_LOCAL_ARCHIVE=/path/to/local/archivexsearch -db pubmed -query 'Havran W* [AUTH]' | xlink -target CITED``````bash# Jump from PubMed IDs to linked PMC IDsexport EDIRECT_LOCAL_ARCHIVE=/path/to/local/archiveprintf '2539356\n' | xlink -db pubmed -target PMCID -raw``````bash# Feed linked IDs into the next local stepexport EDIRECT_LOCAL_ARCHIVE=/path/to/local/archivexsearch -query 'dna repair' | xlink -target CITED | xfetch```## Recommended Workflow1. Set `EDIRECT_LOCAL_ARCHIVE` and make sure the upstream step is producing valid local UIDs or an `ENTREZ_DIRECT` message.2. Supply the source database with `-db` when it is not already encoded in the incoming message; otherwise the script falls back to `pubmed`.3. Choose a link target such as `CITED`, `CITES`, or `PMCID`.4. Keep wrapped output for downstream `x*` stages, or add `-raw` if the next command wants plain UIDs.## Guardrails- This is a local link-following tool, not a remote Entrez elink client.- `-target` is mandatory; the script exits with `ERROR: Insufficient arguments given to xlink` if you do not supply it.- Source inspection shows `xlink.ini` currently maps `[pubmed] CITED=pubmed`, `CITES=pubmed`, and `PMCID=pmc`.- Without `-raw`, linked UIDs are wrapped in `ENTREZ_DIRECT` XML using the destination database from `xlink.ini`; with `-raw`, plain linked UIDs are sent to stdout.- The script accepts input from `-id`, `-input`, stdin, or an upstream `ENTREZ_DIRECT` message parsed by shared `xcommon.sh` helpers.- A configured local postings/archive installation is still required before link traversal works.

Frequently asked questions

Xlink