Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Atlas Settings Editor agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The atlas-self-configure skill teaches an AI agent how to read and change the user preferences in Atlas's config.toml file. It is for Atlas users who would rather ask for a change in plain language than edit the file by hand, and for developers who maintain Atlas settings across several projects. After this guide you will know what the skill does, how to install it, how to phrase requests, and where its limits are.
Atlas Settings Editorpacifio/atlas · Apache-2.0 Download the skill Quick start
- 1Install Atlas. Install the Atlas desktop app and launch it once so config.toml is created.
- 2Download the skill. Download the atlas-self-configure ZIP from this page and unzip it so SKILL.md is in its own folder.
- 3Place the skill folder. Move it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into the project's .claude/skills/ for one project.
- 4Or upload it in the apps. In the Claude apps, go to Settings → Capabilities → Skills and upload the ZIP instead.
- 5Make a request. Describe the preference and outcome you want, and state whether it applies globally or to this project.
- 6Review the proposal. Check the key, current value, new value and the file comment the agent quotes before you approve the write.
- 7Confirm the result. Let the agent re-read config.toml, or open the file yourself, to verify the change.
What an agent skill is and what this one does
An agent skill is a folder of instructions that an AI agent loads when a task matches it. This skill is defined by a SKILL.md file and covers one job: inspecting and safely updating Atlas user preferences.
Atlas keeps its preferences in one human-editable file, config.toml. With the skill installed, the agent knows where that file lives, reads the comment above each key to learn what values are allowed, explains the proposed change to you, and then edits only the line you asked about.
- Reads the whole file before changing anything.
- Explains the key, current value, new value and the file's own comment before writing.
- Writes atomically: it writes a temp file in the same directory, then renames it over config.toml.
- Re-reads the file afterwards to confirm the change landed.
- Can set per-project overrides in a project's .atlas/config.toml.
Install the atlas-self-configure skill
Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it. The skill folder contains SKILL.md. For a personal setup, put the folder in ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, put it in that project's .claude/skills/ directory.
You can also upload the skill in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- Personal: ~/.claude/skills/ (available across your projects).
- Per project: the project's .claude/skills/ directory.
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload the ZIP.
Check the requirements before you start
The skill needs the Atlas desktop app installed and its config.toml present. Atlas creates that file on first launch, so open Atlas at least once.
The agent needs filesystem access to ~/.config/atlas (or $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/atlas if that variable is set) and to the project's .atlas/ directory when you are making project-level changes. The skill runs no scripts and makes no network requests.
- Atlas desktop app installed.
- config.toml present, created on first launch.
- Filesystem access to ~/.config/atlas or $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/atlas, and to the project's .atlas/ directory.
~/.config/atlas/config.tomlAsk for a change in plain language
You do not need special syntax. Name the preference you want to change and the result you want, and the agent will look up the key in the file's comments. Expect it to show you the current value and proposed value before it writes anything.
If you want a change only for the current project, say so explicitly, for example "only in this project". The agent will then use the project's .atlas/config.toml instead of the global file.
- Describe the outcome: "Turn off inline git blame in Atlas."
- Say whether the change is global or for this project only.
- Confirm the proposed change when the agent explains it.
- Ask the agent to show the file again if you want to verify the result yourself.
What the skill will not do
The skill is limited to preferences. It refuses to write API keys, tokens or other credentials, which live in your shell profile rather than in config.toml. It also leaves state.json, device.json and telemetry.json alone, does not edit your shell profile, and does not update or reinstall Atlas. Session history and other per-project .atlas/ state are out of scope too; only .atlas/config.toml is.
If a file is missing, the skill reports that instead of creating defaults. The exception is a project's .atlas/config.toml, which the agent may create by starting it with schemaVersion = 1 and [settings].
- No credentials or secrets in config.toml.
- No changes to state.json, device.json, telemetry.json or your shell profile.
- No Atlas binary, package or self-update work.
- No creating the global config.toml from guessed defaults.
Tips for reliable results
Work from the file, not from memory. The skill tells the agent to follow the comments in your own config.toml, since they match the Atlas build you run. If a change is rejected, the agent should report it and offer to restore the content it read before the edit.
Atlas watches the file and validates changes live, without a restart. An invalid edit is rejected and Atlas keeps the last good settings, but it also blocks settings writes from the Atlas UI until the file is repaired or reset with "Recreate defaults", which keeps a .bak-<unix-seconds> copy.
- Ask for one change at a time so each can be checked.
- To remove a setting that means unset, have the agent delete its line rather than write an empty string.
- Keep keys Atlas does not recognise; the skill preserves them and Atlas reports them as diagnostics.
What people use it for
- Turning a display or editor preference on or off without opening the file.
- Setting a numeric preference within the range its comment allows, after the agent checks it.
- Applying a single-project override in .atlas/config.toml, such as turning off a setting that a project is allowed to disable.
- Reviewing the current preferences by asking the agent to read and explain each key's comment.
- Keeping preference changes consistent across several projects with a read-first workflow.
Frequently asked questions
Is the atlas-self-configure skill free?
The skill is licensed under Apache-2.0, according to its listing here. The source does not mention pricing, so check the listing for any terms beyond the licence.
What do I need to use the atlas-self-configure skill?
You need the Atlas desktop app installed, its config.toml present (created on first launch), and filesystem access to ~/.config/atlas or $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/atlas. For project changes you also need access to the project's .atlas/ directory.
Where do I put the skill files?
Unzip the downloaded ZIP and place the folder in ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or in a project's .claude/skills/ directory. You can also upload the ZIP in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
Can the skill change my API keys?
No. The skill explicitly refuses to write credentials. API keys and tokens live in your shell profile, which the skill does not edit, so you will need to change them yourself.
Why does the agent say the config file does not exist?
Atlas creates config.toml on first launch. If the file is missing because Atlas was never opened or the file was deleted, the skill reports this rather than creating default settings.
What should I do if an edit breaks Atlas settings?
Atlas keeps running on the last good settings, but it blocks settings writes from its UI while the file is invalid. Ask the agent to restore the content it read before the edit, or use Atlas's "Recreate defaults" option, which keeps a .bak-<unix-seconds> copy.
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Our verdict
This skill suits Atlas users who want to change preferences by describing what they want, and developers who manage Atlas settings across projects and want a careful, read-first editing process. It is not the right tool for API keys, secrets, updating or reinstalling Atlas, or any setup where Atlas is not installed.
Download the skill