Prerequisites for Running Hallmark: Complete Setup Guide

To run Hallmark, you need Node.js (≥14) with npm for package installation, internet access to fetch dependencies from npm and GitHub, and optionally Python 3 for local preview servers and Git for manual installation.

Hallmark is a design-skill package that runs inside AI-coding assistants like Claude Code, Cursor, and Codex to generate AI-resistant UI designs. Since the tool is distributed as an npm package and is installed with npx, understanding the prerequisites for running Hallmark ensures a smooth setup across different environments.

Core Prerequisites for Running Hallmark

Node.js and npm (Required)

Hallmark is distributed as an npm package and relies on the npx command for installation. You need Node.js (≥14) with npm installed to execute npx skills add nutlope/hallmark.

Verify your installation by running:

node -v
npm -v

Internet Connectivity

The installation process fetches the package from the npm registry (registry.npmjs.org) and retrieves reference files hosted on GitHub (github.com). Ensure your machine can reach these domains before attempting installation.

Python 3 (Optional for Local Preview)

If you want to view generated HTML locally, the repository includes a tiny HTTP server accessible via npm run serve. According to the package.json file, this script uses Python 3 and its built-in http.server module to serve content on http://localhost:4173.

Most systems already have Python 3 installed. Verify with:

python3 -V

Git (Optional for Manual Installation)

While npx is the recommended installation method, you can optionally clone the repository manually. This requires Git to fetch the source code from GitHub.

Compatible AI Coding Assistants

Hallmark is designed specifically for AI-coding assistants including Claude Code, Cursor, and Codex. As implemented in Nutlope/hallmark, the skill files are placed in assistant-specific directories such as ~/.claude/skills/hallmark/.

Check your assistant's documentation for the exact path to add custom skills.

Installation and Verification

Install Hallmark using the following command:

npx skills add nutlope/hallmark

Verify the installation by checking that skill files were copied to your assistant's directory:

ls ~/.claude/skills/hallmark/

Expected output includes SKILL.md and references/.

To preview designs locally, run the development server:

npm run serve

This launches Python's http.server on port 4173.

Key Repository Files

Understanding the codebase structure helps when customizing the skill:

• package.json — Declares the package metadata, entry points, and the serve script that launches the local preview server.
• skills/hallmark/SKILL.md — Contains the core skill definition consumed by Claude, Cursor, and Codex.
• docs/recipes.md — Provides worked-example recipes demonstrating how to invoke the skill effectively.
• README.md — Contains the high-level overview, installation snippets, and usage instructions.

Summary

• Node.js (≥14) and npm are required to install Hallmark via npx.
• Internet access is necessary to fetch packages from npm and reference files from GitHub.
• Python 3 is only needed if you want to run the local preview server on localhost:4173.
• Git is optional for manual installation instead of using npx.
• Skill files are installed to assistant-specific paths like ~/.claude/skills/hallmark/.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need Python to use Hallmark?

No. Python 3 is only required if you want to run the local preview server using npm run serve. The core skill functionality works entirely through Node.js and your AI coding assistant without Python.

Which AI assistants support Hallmark?

Hallmark supports Claude Code, Cursor, and Codex. As implemented in Nutlope/hallmark, the skill files are placed in assistant-specific directories, such as ~/.claude/skills/hallmark/ for Claude Code installations.

Can I install Hallmark without npm?

While npm via npx is the recommended method, you can manually install Hallmark by cloning the Git repository. This requires Git installed on your system and knowledge of where your AI assistant stores custom skills.

Where does Hallmark store its skill files?

After installation, Hallmark places its files in assistant-specific directories. For Claude Code, this is typically ~/.claude/skills/hallmark/, containing SKILL.md and a references/ folder.

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