An agent skill is a folder with a SKILL.md file. You install it once in Cursor, Claude Code, Codex, or VS Code Copilot. After that, the agent can load those rules when the task matches, instead of you pasting the same prompt every session.
If you are choosing between a one-off paste and a standing skill, read Skill vs prompt first. This page is the install path.
What you are installing
A skill is not a single markdown file dropped at random. Agents look for a folder whose name matches the skill, with SKILL.md sitting directly inside it:
The YAML frontmatter needs a name that matches that folder, plus a description the agent uses to decide when the skill is relevant. Extra nesting is the usual reason a download "worked" and then never appears in chat.
Skills on this site are the same format. Open any entry in the skills catalog, read the SKILL.md, then install it with the command on that page or by copying the file into the folder for your agent.
Install in four steps
- Pick a skill from the catalog. Accessibility Expert and Frontend Design are good first installs if you ship UI.
- Install it with
npx skills addfrom the skill page, or download SKILL.md and place it in the agent folder below. - Confirm the skill shows up in the agent's skills list (Cursor: Settings, then Rules).
- Start a new agent chat. Type
/and the skill name, or just describe the task and let the agent pick it.
Project folders apply to one repo. Home-directory folders apply to every workspace on that machine. Use project scope for team standards. Use global scope for personal taste.
Install from this catalog
Each skill page already has the mechanics. Download SKILL.md, copy the body, open the GitHub source, or send an install prompt into Cursor, Claude Code, or Codex.
If the skill has a GitHub URL, the page builds a command like this:
Run it from the repo if you want project scope. Run it from anywhere else for a personal install. Add --agent cursor when you use more than one coding agent and you only want Cursor's directories.
Manual copy is fine too. Download the file, then make sure the path is skill-id/SKILL.md, not skill-id/skill-id/SKILL.md.
Cursor
Cursor loads skills from project and user folders, including nested .cursor/skills directories in a monorepo. It also reads Claude and Codex skill folders for compatibility. Cursor skills docs
| Location | Scope |
|---|---|
| .cursor/skills/ | This project |
| .agents/skills/ | This project |
| ~/.cursor/skills/ | Every Cursor project on this machine |
| ~/.agents/skills/ | Every project on this machine |
In Agent chat, type /skill-name to invoke it, or attach it with @. Cursor also offers skills to the agent from the description field, so a well-written description matters more than a slash command you remember.
Claude Code
Put the skill folder in .claude/skills/ for the repo, or ~/.claude/skills/ for your user account. Claude Code skills docs
Restart or start a new session after you add files. Claude Code discovers skills from those directories the same way Cursor does: folder name, SKILL.md, description.
OpenAI Codex
Use .codex/skills/ in the project, or ~/.codex/skills/ globally. If you already installed the skill for Cursor, Codex can often see the same files when they live in a shared .agents/skills/ folder.
VS Code Copilot
Copilot treats skills as a preview. Enable chat.useAgentSkills in VS Code settings, then place SKILL.md files where Copilot looks for agent skills. VS Code Copilot skills
If nothing happens after you drop the file, the setting is off, or you are in a Chat mode that does not load agent skills. Flip the setting, then start a new chat.
Check that it loaded
In Cursor, open Settings, then Rules. Installed skills show up in the Agent Decides section. In chat, type / and look for the skill name.
Then run a task the description claims to cover. If you installed Accessibility Expert, ask for a component and see whether the first draft includes labels, focus, and keyboard behavior without you mentioning WCAG.
When it does not show up
- The zip or clone added an extra folder, so SKILL.md is one level too deep.
- The
namein frontmatter does not match the folder name. - You installed globally, but the agent directory (for example ~/.cursor/skills) did not exist yet.
- You are still in an old chat. Skills are discovered for new agent sessions.
- VS Code:
chat.useAgentSkillsis off.
List the directory and confirm SKILL.md sits immediately inside the skill folder. That one check fixes most "I installed it and nothing happened" reports.
After you install
Start with one skill that matches work you already do this week. A pile of overlapping skills fights for context. Add a second skill when the first one is actually firing.
Designer starting set: Accessibility Expert, Frontend Design, UX Writing. Role collections live under skills for designers.
If the job is still a one-off, stay on a prompt. Skills earn their keep when you would otherwise paste the same rules tomorrow.
Frequently asked questions
How do I install an agent skill in Cursor?
Place a folder with SKILL.md at .cursor/skills/your-skill/ for this project, or ~/.cursor/skills/your-skill/ for every Cursor workspace. The folder name must match the name field in the file. You can also run npx skills add from the skill page, then start a new Agent chat and type /skill-name.
What is a SKILL.md file?
SKILL.md is the markdown file inside a skill folder. It tells coding agents when to activate, what to gather, how to work, and what done looks like. Cursor, Claude Code, Codex, and VS Code Copilot all read this format.
Do I use npx skills add or copy the file?
Use npx skills add when the skill has a GitHub source. The command on each catalog page targets that repo and skill id. Copy or download SKILL.md when you want a manual install, then put the file directly inside a folder named after the skill, not nested one extra level.
Why is my installed skill not showing up?
Usually SKILL.md is nested one folder too deep, the name field does not match the folder, or you are still in an old chat. Confirm the path, then start a new Agent session. In VS Code, also enable chat.useAgentSkills.
Should I install a skill or paste a prompt?
Install a skill when the same quality bar should apply across sessions, such as accessibility or design-system rules. Paste a prompt when the task is one-off or the inputs change every time. The Skill vs prompt guide covers the decision.
