How to Integrate Garden Skills with AI Coding Assistants Like Claude Code and Cursor

Garden Skills integrates with Claude Code, Cursor, and other AI agents via the universal Skill spec, allowing you to install production-ready capabilities using the npx skills CLI or by manually copying skill folders into agent-specific directories like .claude/skills/ or .agents/skills/.

Garden Skills is a curated collection of production-ready agent capabilities hosted in the ConardLi/garden-skills repository. Each skill is a self-contained package that follows the Skill specification, enabling deterministic workflows when you integrate Garden Skills with AI coding assistants. The integration relies on standard directory structures and metadata files that compatible agents automatically detect and load.

How the Integration Architecture Works

Skill Package Structure

Every skill in the repository is a self-contained folder containing a SKILL.md file, optional README.md, assets, and helper scripts. According to the source code in skills/web-design-engineer/SKILL.md, the agent reads the front-matter in this file to determine when and how to invoke the skill. This metadata includes the skill's description, triggers, and execution workflow.

Agent Detection and Loading

The integration relies on the host agent's skill loader. Claude Code scans .claude/skills/ or loads plugins via .claude-plugin/marketplace.json, while Cursor discovers capabilities under .agents/skills/. The repository's .claude-plugin/marketplace.json file declares available plugins for Claude Code's marketplace, mapping each skill to a specific plugin entry. The universal skills CLI auto-detects which agent is running and drops files into the appropriate directory.

Installation Methods

Option A: Using the Skills CLI (Recommended)

The skills CLI provides single-line installation that works across Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, and OpenCode. The tool examines your environment to determine the correct target directory.

# Install all Garden Skills

npx skills add ConardLi/garden-skills

# Install only the web-design-engineer skill

npx skills add ConardLi/garden-skills -s web-design-engineer

The CLI references the package.json scripts (npm run list, npm run validate) to enumerate and verify skill integrity before installation.

Option B: Manual Installation for Cursor

For developers who prefer direct control over file placement, manually copy the skill folder into Cursor's skill directory:

# Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/ConardLi/garden-skills.git

# Copy the specific skill into Cursor's skill folder

cp -r garden-skills/skills/web-design-engineer your-project/.agents/skills/

Option C: Claude Code Marketplace

Claude Code users can install via the built-in marketplace using the repository's .claude-plugin/marketplace.json configuration:

/plugin marketplace add ConardLi/garden-skills
/plugin install web-design-engineer@garden-skills

Configuring and Triggering Skills

After installation, verify the skill appears in your agent's Skills interface. Claude Code displays installed capabilities under the Plugins section, while Cursor shows them in the Skill Explorer.

To trigger a skill, use natural language prompts that match the description field in the skill's SKILL.md file. For example, prompting Claude Code with "Create a polished web-design prototype for a SaaS dashboard" invokes the web-design-engineer skill because the description metadata matches the request intent.

Repository Maintenance and Automation

The repository includes automation to ensure installation links remain current. The scripts/release/update-readme.mjs script automatically updates the "Download" links for each skill's pinned .zip release, ensuring the installation instructions in README.md always reference the latest versions. This script runs as part of the release process to maintain accuracy across all five supported installation methods.

Summary

• Garden Skills provides self-contained skill packages in the ConardLi/garden-skills repository that follow the universal Skill specification compatible with Claude Code, Cursor, and other agents.
• Installation works via the npx skills add CLI (auto-detecting the host agent), manual copy to .claude/skills/ or .agents/skills/, or Claude Code's marketplace via .claude-plugin/marketplace.json.
• Skill discovery relies on each folder's SKILL.md file, which contains front-matter describing when and how the agent should invoke the capability.
• Activation occurs through natural language prompts that match the skill's description metadata, triggering deterministic helper scripts included in the package.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the skills CLI install Garden Skills files?

The CLI auto-detects your AI coding assistant and places skill folders in the appropriate directory: .claude/skills/ for Claude Code, .agents/skills/ for Cursor, or .codex/skills/ for Codex. The tool examines your project structure to identify the correct path before copying files from the skills/ directory.

Can I install individual skills rather than the entire collection?

Yes. Use the -s flag with the CLI to specify a single skill: npx skills add ConardLi/garden-skills -s web-design-engineer. For manual installation, copy only the specific skill folder from skills/ rather than cloning the entire repository.

How do I know if a skill is properly loaded by my AI assistant?

Check your agent's Skills or Plugins interface. Claude Code shows installed capabilities under the Plugins section, while Cursor displays them in the Skill Explorer. If the skill appears in the list with its description from SKILL.md, the integration is successful and the agent can invoke it via natural language prompts.

What determines when an AI assistant triggers a specific Garden Skill?

The agent reads the front-matter in each skill's SKILL.md file to determine trigger conditions. When your natural language prompt semantically matches the skill's description field—for example, requesting a web design prototype when using the web-design-engineer skill—the agent automatically invokes that skill's workflow and helper scripts defined in the package.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}