Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Skill Installer agent skill (skill-installer)
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The Skill Installer is an agent skill that lets your AI agent browse and install other skills, which are packaged sets of instructions and scripts that change how the agent behaves. It is for people who want to add existing community or vendor skills without copying files by hand. After this guide you will know what the skill does, how to install it, how to ask for skills in plain language, and what to check before you install anything.
Skill Installerpacifio/atlas · Apache-2.0 Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download and unzip. Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it. You should end up with a skill-installer folder containing SKILL.md and scripts.
- 2Place the folder. Move the folder into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or into .claude/skills/ in a project. In the Claude apps, upload it under Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills instead.
- 3Check your requirements. Confirm Python 3 is available and that the machine can reach github.com and api.github.com. Install Git if you want the fallback for private repos.
- 4Ask what is available. Ask the agent what skills you can install. It will list the curated skills and mark any you already have.
- 5Choose and install. Name the skills you want. The agent downloads them into your Atlas agent skills folder and reports them as available on your next turn.
What the Skill Installer lets the agent do
Once installed, the agent can list skills published in GitHub repositories. By default it looks at the curated collection at openai/skills, and it can also read experimental skills and skills in other repos or paths, including private repos you have access to.
When you choose a skill, the agent runs bundled Python scripts to download it and copy it into your local Atlas agent skills folder. After an install, the agent tells you the new skill will be available on your next turn.
- List installable skills, marking the ones you already have
- Install a curated skill by name
- Install a skill from another GitHub repo or path, including private repos
- Install several skills in one run
Install the Skill Installer skill
Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it. Then place the skill folder in one of these locations:
For a personal setup, put it in ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, put it in that project's .claude/skills/ folder.
If you use the Claude apps, you can upload the skill instead. Go to Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills, and upload it there.
- Personal: ~/.claude/skills/
- Project: .claude/skills/ inside the project folder
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills
Know where installed skills go
The installer copies each skill into $ATLAS_AGENT_HOME/skills/<skill-name>. If the variable is not set, the default is ~/.atlas_engine/skills. The script's --dest option can point the install somewhere else.
The installer will not overwrite an existing skill. If the destination skill folder already exists, the install aborts.
scripts/install-skill-from-github.py --dest <path>Ask for skills in plain language
You do not need special syntax. The skill is triggered by requests such as listing installable skills, installing a named curated skill, or installing from a GitHub repo path. If you just invoke the skill without saying what you want, the agent lists the curated skills.
When listing, the agent shows the skills from the source and asks which ones you want installed. To see experimental skills, ask for them by name so the agent uses the experimental list.
- "What skills can I install?"
- "Install the curated skill named X."
- "Show me the experimental skills."
- "Install the skill at skills/.experimental/<skill-name> from openai/skills."
- "Install the skill at this GitHub folder link, from my private repo."
Use the helper scripts directly
The agent runs these scripts for you. You can also run them yourself to check what is available. Listing marks skills that are already installed.
To install from a GitHub URL, pass the folder's tree link. Multiple --path values install several skills in one run, each named after its folder unless you supply --name. The --ref option sets the branch or tag (default main), and --method accepts auto, download or git.
- --ref <ref> sets the git ref (default main)
- --method auto|download|git chooses the download method
- --name sets the installed name when you install a single path
scripts/list-skills.py
scripts/list-skills.py --format json
scripts/list-skills.py --path skills/.experimental
scripts/install-skill-from-github.py --repo <owner>/<repo> --path <path/to/skill> [<path/to/skill> ...]
scripts/install-skill-from-github.py --url https://github.com/<owner>/<repo>/tree/<ref>/<path>Safety notes before you install
The skill runs Python scripts and uses the network to reach api.github.com and github.com. Installed skills can change how the agent behaves, so review any skill from an untrusted source before you install it. Only GitHub URLs are supported for download mode.
For private repos, the installer uses your existing git credentials, or a GITHUB_TOKEN or GH_TOKEN environment variable if you set one. Downloads are tried first, and if they fail with auth or permission errors, the installer falls back to a git sparse checkout, which needs Git installed. The git fallback tries HTTPS first, then SSH.
The system skills at openai/skills .system are already preinstalled, so you do not need to install them.
- Requires Python 3 (standard library imports only)
- Needs network access to api.github.com and github.com
- Optional GITHUB_TOKEN or GH_TOKEN for private repos or higher rate limits
- Git is needed only for the fallback method
What people use it for
- Adding a curated community skill to your agent without copying files by hand
- Installing the same set of skills on several machines with one repeatable step
- Installing skills from a private GitHub repo your team already has access to
- Browsing experimental skills before deciding which to try
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the skill-installer skill?
Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it. Place the folder in ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or in a project's .claude/skills/ folder, or upload it in the Claude apps under Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills.
Does the skill-installer cost money or is it free?
This page does not state pricing. The skill is published under the Apache-2.0 licence, and the licence text is included in the download as LICENSE.txt.
What do I need to run skill-installer?
You need Python 3, network access to api.github.com and github.com, and optionally a GITHUB_TOKEN or GH_TOKEN for private repos. Git is needed only for the fallback sparse checkout method.
Where does skill-installer put the skills it installs?
It installs each skill into $ATLAS_AGENT_HOME/skills/<skill-name>. If that variable is not set, the default is ~/.atlas_engine/skills. The --dest option can change the destination.
Why did my skill install fail or refuse to overwrite?
The installer aborts if the destination skill folder already exists, so remove or rename the existing folder first. If downloads fail with auth or permission errors, check your GITHUB_TOKEN or GH_TOKEN, or make sure Git is installed for the fallback.
Can skill-installer install skills from sources other than GitHub?
No. The source says only GitHub URLs are supported for download mode, so skills hosted elsewhere need to be added another way.
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Our verdict
Use the Skill Installer if you want to add existing curated, experimental or private GitHub skills to your agent without copying files by hand, and you are comfortable reviewing code before it runs. Pick something else if you need to install from non-GitHub sources, work where the agent cannot run scripts or reach GitHub, or want to install skills from sources you have not vetted.
Download the skill