# Agent Isles Install Update

> Install or update Agent Isles in the current Claude Code project with deterministic package-manager detection and a render smoke check.

- Skill: `zpyoung/agent-isles-install-update` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add zpyoung/agent-isles-install-update`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/zpyoung/agent-isles-install-update/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- Author: zpyoung (https://skillmd.com/u/zpyoung)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/zpyoung/agent-isles-install-update

---


Use this skill when the user wants to install, update, enable, or verify Agent Isles in a project.

## Goal

Make Agent Isles work with as few manual steps as possible while keeping package mutations explicit and reviewable.

## Workflow

1. Identify the project root. Prefer the current working directory unless the user named another path.
2. Run the bundled doctor helper to detect package-manager state:
   ```bash
   node <plugin-root>/bin/isles-doctor.mjs --cwd . --json --smoke README.md
   ```
3. Read the JSON report:
   - `packageManager.manager` chooses npm, pnpm, or yarn.
   - `commands.init` is present when no `package.json` exists.
   - `commands.installOrUpdate` installs or updates `agent-isles@next` as a dev dependency.
   - `commands.smoke` renders an existing Markdown file when one was provided.
   - `commands.oneShotRender` renders the same Markdown with `npx agent-isles@next` without installing Agent Isles into the target project.
4. If the user only wants a one-off render, Agent Isles is not installed, or the user asked not to mutate dependencies, run `commands.oneShotRender` instead of init/install/update commands.
5. If the user asked you to install/update, run the recommended init/install/update commands.
6. Run a smoke check. Prefer an existing Markdown file in the project; otherwise create a tiny temporary Markdown fixture, render it, and remove it after verification if appropriate.
7. Report the package manager detected, commands run, generated HTML path, and any remaining issue.

## Safety boundaries

- Do not install globally by default.
- Do not edit generated HTML by hand.
- Do not publish npm packages or create releases.
- Keep mutations explicit: only run install/update commands when the user asked for install/update work.
- Prefer the doctor-provided `commands.oneShotRender` npx command when rendering without dependency changes.
- If package-manager detection conflicts with the user's instructions, follow the user's stated package manager and mention the mismatch.