Guide · Open source
How to use book-to-skill: install and query a technical book
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
book-to-skill is an open-source Python project that converts a technical book PDF, or other documents such as EPUB, DOCX or Markdown, into an agent skill. This guide is for developers and re-readers who want to ask questions about a book from inside an AI coding agent. By the end you will know how to install it, what files it produces, and how to query the result.
book-to-skillvirgiliojr94/book-to-skill · ★ 36.7k · MIT Install options & downloads Quick start
- 1Check prerequisites. Confirm you have an agent host such as Claude Code, and git if you plan a manual install.
- 2Install the skill. Run npx skills add virgiliojr94/book-to-skill, or clone the repository into ~/.claude/skills/book-to-skill.
- 3Pick your book. Choose a technical book PDF or another supported document, or a folder of sources.
- 4Run the converter. Call /book-to-skill with the file path, folder or glob inside your agent.
- 5Check the output. Open the generated skill folder and confirm SKILL.md and the chapter files are present.
- 6Ask a question. Invoke the skill with its slug and a topic to get an answer drawn from the chapter content.
Check the prerequisites
You need an AI agent host that supports the Agent Skills standard. The README names Claude Code, Copilot CLI, Codex and OpenCode, among others. The manual install also requires git.
The generated skill is meant to be loaded by an agent, so the tool is not useful without one.
Install book-to-skill
The simplest route is the cross-agent skills CLI, which works with any supported host. If you prefer a manual install, clone the repository into your Claude Code skills folder. The README notes that other hosts use different folders, such as ~/.copilot/skills/ for Copilot CLI and ~/.agents/skills/ for Amp and cross-agent use.
npx skills add virgiliojr94/book-to-skill
# Or manually, into the Claude Code skills folder:
git clone https://github.com/virgiliojr94/book-to-skill.git ~/.claude/skills/book-to-skillConvert a book into a skill
Run the converter from your agent by pointing it at a file, a folder or a glob. The README describes the pipeline as a deterministic Python extractor that produces clean text and metadata, followed by a generator that your agent drives by following SKILL.md. The skill is written to the user-level skills directory, and the converter reports where it landed.
- Single file: /book-to-skill ./my-book.pdf
- Folder or glob: pass a folder path or a file pattern instead of a single file
- Optional name: a second argument sets the skill name
/book-to-skill ./my-book.pdfUnderstand the generated files
The skill is a folder named after its slug. SKILL.md holds the core mental models and a chapter index. Chapter files are loaded only when you ask about that topic, so they do not count against the base budget.
- SKILL.md: core mental models and chapter index
- chapters/ch01-*.md onward: one file per chapter
- glossary.md: key terms, alphabetically sorted with chapter references
- patterns.md: techniques, algorithms and design patterns
- cheatsheet.md: decision tables and quick-reference rules
Query the book from your agent
Once the skill is installed, invoke it with its slug followed by your question. The agent reads the relevant chapter and answers from its content. The README's example is a slug followed by a topic word, which loads the matching material.
Treat answers as a starting point for study rather than verified fact, because the README does not describe a correctness review process.
/your-book-slug replicationUpdate a skill with new material
The README lists analyze-only, generate-from-analysis and update or fold-in modes. Fold-in lets you merge new sources into an existing skill, which suits research clusters and internal docs that change over time. See docs/usage.md in the repository for the exact steps.
What people use it for
- Querying a technical book from inside Claude Code while writing code
- Making a re-read reference book searchable by an agent
- Folding internal runbooks or architecture decision records into one queryable skill
- Turning a set of RFCs or API specs into a skill you consult rather than memorize
Frequently asked questions
Is book-to-skill free to use?
book-to-skill is released under the MIT licence, according to the repository. The README does not list any paid tier.
What do I need to run book-to-skill?
You need an AI agent host that supports the Agent Skills standard, such as Claude Code, Copilot CLI, Codex or OpenCode. The manual install also needs git.
Which file formats are supported?
The README lists PDF, EPUB, DOCX, MD, HTML, RTF and MOBI. You can also point it at a folder or glob of files.
How do I install book-to-skill?
Run npx skills add virgiliojr94/book-to-skill, or clone the repository into ~/.claude/skills/book-to-skill for a manual install.
Does it work without Claude Code?
Yes, according to the README. It lists Copilot CLI, Amp, Codex, Hermes Agent, OpenCode and OpenClaw as hosts that read the same SKILL.md format.
How does it compare to pasting the book into the agent?
The README says queries use 24 to 51 times fewer tokens than dumping the book into context, measured on real books. The methodology is in docs/performance.md.
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Our verdict
book-to-skill suits developers and frequent re-readers who already use an AI coding agent and want to query technical material from it. If you only want to read a book, or you need verified accuracy for legal or safety-critical content, pick a reading app or a reviewed reference instead.
Install options & downloads