> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/vercel-labs/skills/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# CLI Options Reference

> Complete reference for all Skills CLI commands and options

## Commands Overview

The Skills CLI provides commands for managing agent skills across your projects.

```bash theme={null}
skills <command> [options]
```

## Core Commands

### `add`

Install skills from git repositories, URLs, or local paths.

```bash theme={null}
skills add <package> [options]
```

<ParamField path="package" type="string" required>
  Source to install skills from. Supports:

  * GitHub shorthand: `owner/repo`
  * Full GitHub URL: `https://github.com/owner/repo`
  * Direct skill path: `https://github.com/owner/repo/tree/main/skills/my-skill`
  * GitLab URL: `https://gitlab.com/org/repo`
  * Any git URL: `git@github.com:owner/repo.git`
  * Local path: `./my-local-skills`
</ParamField>

#### Options

<ParamField path="-g, --global" type="boolean">
  Install to user directory (`~/<agent>/skills/`) instead of project directory (`./<agent>/skills/`)
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="-a, --agent" type="string[]">
  Target specific agents for installation. Use `'*'` to target all installed agents.

  **Examples:**

  * `-a claude-code`
  * `-a claude-code cursor`
  * `--agent '*'`
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="-s, --skill" type="string[]">
  Install specific skills by name. Use `'*'` to install all skills from the source.

  **Examples:**

  * `-s frontend-design`
  * `--skill pr-review commit-helper`
  * `--skill '*'`
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="-l, --list" type="boolean">
  List available skills in the repository without installing them.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="--copy" type="boolean">
  Copy files instead of creating symlinks. Use when symlinks aren't supported (e.g., Windows without Developer Mode).
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="-y, --yes" type="boolean">
  Skip all confirmation prompts. Useful for CI/CD and automated installations.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="--all" type="boolean">
  Shorthand for `--skill '*' --agent '*' -y`. Installs all skills to all agents without prompts.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="--full-depth" type="boolean">
  Search all subdirectories even when a root SKILL.md exists. Useful for repositories with skills at multiple levels.
</ParamField>

#### Examples

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash List available skills theme={null}
  npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --list
  ```

  ```bash Install specific skill theme={null}
  npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --skill frontend-design
  ```

  ```bash Install to specific agents theme={null}
  npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills -a claude-code -a cursor
  ```

  ```bash Non-interactive installation theme={null}
  npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --skill pr-review -g -y
  ```

  ```bash Install all skills to all agents theme={null}
  npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --all
  ```

  ```bash Install from local path theme={null}
  npx skills add ./my-custom-skills -g
  ```
</CodeGroup>

***

### `remove`

Remove installed skills from agents.

```bash theme={null}
skills remove [skills...] [options]
```

<ParamField path="skills" type="string[]">
  Optional skill names to remove. If omitted, shows interactive selection menu.
</ParamField>

#### Options

<ParamField path="-g, --global" type="boolean">
  Remove from global scope (`~/<agent>/skills/`) instead of project scope.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="-a, --agent" type="string[]">
  Remove from specific agents. Use `'*'` to remove from all agents.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="-s, --skill" type="string[]">
  Specify skills to remove. Use `'*'` to remove all skills.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="-y, --yes" type="boolean">
  Skip confirmation prompts.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="--all" type="boolean">
  Shorthand for `--skill '*' --agent '*' -y`. Removes all skills from all agents.
</ParamField>

#### Examples

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash Interactive removal theme={null}
  npx skills remove
  ```

  ```bash Remove specific skill theme={null}
  npx skills remove my-skill
  ```

  ```bash Remove from global scope theme={null}
  npx skills remove --global frontend-design
  ```

  ```bash Remove from specific agent theme={null}
  npx skills remove --agent cursor my-skill
  ```

  ```bash Remove all skills theme={null}
  npx skills remove --all
  ```
</CodeGroup>

***

### `list`

List all installed skills.

```bash theme={null}
skills list [options]
```

**Aliases:** `ls`

#### Options

<ParamField path="-g, --global" type="boolean">
  List only global skills. By default, lists both project and global skills.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="-a, --agent" type="string[]">
  Filter results by specific agents.
</ParamField>

#### Examples

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash List all skills theme={null}
  npx skills list
  ```

  ```bash List global skills only theme={null}
  npx skills ls -g
  ```

  ```bash Filter by agent theme={null}
  npx skills ls -a claude-code -a cursor
  ```
</CodeGroup>

***

### `find`

Search for skills interactively or by keyword.

```bash theme={null}
skills find [query]
```

**Aliases:** `search`, `f`, `s`

<ParamField path="query" type="string">
  Optional search keyword. If omitted, opens interactive search (fzf-style).
</ParamField>

#### Examples

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash Interactive search theme={null}
  npx skills find
  ```

  ```bash Search by keyword theme={null}
  npx skills find typescript
  ```

  ```bash Search for React skills theme={null}
  npx skills find react
  ```
</CodeGroup>

***

### `check`

Check for available skill updates.

```bash theme={null}
skills check
```

Compares installed skills against their latest versions on GitHub. Only checks skills with version tracking (installed after lock file v3).

<Note>
  Skills installed from local paths cannot be checked for updates automatically. You'll see a message indicating which skills were skipped.
</Note>

***

### `update`

Update all installed skills to their latest versions.

```bash theme={null}
skills update
```

**Aliases:** `upgrade`

Automatically checks for and installs updates for all trackable skills.

<Warning>
  This command reinstalls skills globally. Project-specific customizations may be lost.
</Warning>

***

### `init`

Create a new skill template.

```bash theme={null}
skills init [name]
```

<ParamField path="name" type="string">
  Optional skill name. If omitted, creates `SKILL.md` in current directory. If provided, creates `<name>/SKILL.md`.
</ParamField>

#### Examples

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash Create in current directory theme={null}
  npx skills init
  ```

  ```bash Create in subdirectory theme={null}
  npx skills init my-awesome-skill
  ```
</CodeGroup>

***

### `experimental_install`

Restore skills from `skills-lock.json`.

```bash theme={null}
skills experimental_install
```

**Aliases:** `i`, `install` (when no arguments provided)

Restores project skills from the lock file, similar to `npm install`. Useful for:

* Setting up a new development environment
* Ensuring team members have consistent skills
* CI/CD environments

<Tip>
  The `skills-lock.json` file should be committed to version control to track project skill dependencies.
</Tip>

***

### `experimental_sync`

Sync skills from `node_modules` into agent directories.

```bash theme={null}
skills experimental_sync [options]
```

Crawls `node_modules` for skills and installs them to agent directories.

#### Options

<ParamField path="-a, --agent" type="string[]">
  Specify agents to sync to. Use `'*'` for all agents.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="-y, --yes" type="boolean">
  Skip confirmation prompts.
</ParamField>

#### Examples

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash Interactive sync theme={null}
  npx skills experimental_sync
  ```

  ```bash Sync without prompts theme={null}
  npx skills experimental_sync -y
  ```

  ```bash Sync to specific agents theme={null}
  npx skills experimental_sync -a claude-code -y
  ```
</CodeGroup>

***

## Global Options

These options work with any command:

<ParamField path="--help, -h" type="boolean">
  Show help message for the command.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="--version, -v" type="boolean">
  Show CLI version number.
</ParamField>

## Installation Scope

| Scope       | Flag      | Location            | Use Case                                 |
| ----------- | --------- | ------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| **Project** | (default) | `./<agent>/skills/` | Committed with project, shared with team |
| **Global**  | `-g`      | `~/<agent>/skills/` | Available across all projects            |

## Installation Methods

When installing interactively, choose between:

| Method                    | Description                                                                    | When to Use                                 |
| ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------- |
| **Symlink** (Recommended) | Creates symlinks from agent directories to canonical copy in `.agents/skills/` | Default choice, easy updates                |
| **Copy**                  | Creates independent copies for each agent                                      | When symlinks not supported (e.g., Windows) |

<Tip>
  Use `--copy` flag to force copy mode: `npx skills add <repo> --copy`
</Tip>

## Environment Variables

The CLI respects these environment variables:

| Variable                  | Description                                                    |
| ------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `INSTALL_INTERNAL_SKILLS` | Set to `1` or `true` to show skills marked as `internal: true` |
| `DISABLE_TELEMETRY`       | Disable anonymous usage telemetry                              |
| `DO_NOT_TRACK`            | Alternative way to disable telemetry                           |
| `GITHUB_TOKEN`            | GitHub token for higher API rate limits                        |
| `CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR`       | Custom Claude Code config directory (default: `~/.claude`)     |
| `CODEX_HOME`              | Custom Codex home directory (default: `~/.codex`)              |

## Examples by Use Case

<Accordion title="Setting up a new project" icon="rocket">
  ```bash theme={null}
  # Install skills for your project
  npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --skill frontend-design

  # Team members restore from lock file
  npx skills experimental_install
  ```
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Installing for multiple agents" icon="users">
  ```bash theme={null}
  # Install to specific agents
  npx skills add owner/repo -a claude-code -a cursor

  # Install to all detected agents
  npx skills add owner/repo --agent '*'
  ```
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="CI/CD automation" icon="gear">
  ```bash theme={null}
  # Non-interactive installation
  npx skills add owner/repo --skill my-skill -g -y

  # Restore from lock file
  npx skills experimental_install
  ```
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Keeping skills updated" icon="rotate">
  ```bash theme={null}
  # Check for updates
  npx skills check

  # Update all skills
  npx skills update
  ```
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Managing global skills" icon="globe">
  ```bash theme={null}
  # Install globally
  npx skills add owner/repo -g

  # List global skills
  npx skills ls -g

  # Remove global skill
  npx skills remove my-skill --global
  ```
</Accordion>

## Related Documentation

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Skill Format" icon="file-code" href="/api/skill-format">
    Learn how to create SKILL.md files
  </Card>

  <Card title="Agent Config" icon="gear" href="/api/agent-config">
    Agent configuration reference
  </Card>

  <Card title="Compatibility" icon="check" href="/resources/compatibility">
    Agent feature compatibility
  </Card>

  <Card title="Troubleshooting" icon="wrench" href="/resources/troubleshooting">
    Common issues and solutions
  </Card>
</CardGroup>