How to Set Up the Nutlope/hallmark Repository Locally: Complete Installation Guide

The fastest way to set up the Nutlope/hallmark repository locally is to run npx skills add nutlope/hallmark, which automatically downloads the skill files into your AI tool's skill directory, or manually clone the repository and copy skills/hallmark/SKILL.md and the references/ folder to your environment's skill path.

The Hallmark repository is a reusable design skill for AI coding assistants like Claude Code, Cursor, and Codex. Setting it up locally requires no build tools or runtime dependencies—only placement of static skill files in the correct directory so the AI can invoke design verbs such as audit and redesign.

Installation Methods

You have two primary paths to install Hallmark locally. Choose the npx method for automatic setup, or manual cloning if you need to customize the skill files or inspect the source.

Method 1: Install via npx (Recommended)

The simplest approach uses the npx skills command to fetch and place the files automatically.

npx skills add nutlope/hallmark

This command retrieves the skill from the registry and copies the necessary files into the appropriate user-skill directory for your AI environment. No additional configuration is required.

Method 2: Manual Clone and Copy

For greater control or offline use, clone the repository directly and manually copy the skill definition.

git clone https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark.git
cd hallmark

After cloning, you must place the files in the specific skill directory for your target AI tool (see configuration paths below).

Configure for Your AI Environment

Hallmark works by placing the SKILL.md definition and the references/ directory where your AI assistant looks for skills. The destination path varies by tool.

Claude Code

Copy the entire skill folder to the Claude Code skills directory:

mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills/hallmark
cp -R skills/hallmark/* ~/.claude/skills/hallmark/

The skills/hallmark/SKILL.md file contains the core verb definitions (audit, redesign, study), while skills/hallmark/references/ houses the design-system themes and macro-structures.

Cursor

Cursor uses a single .mdc rule file rather than a folder. Copy the body of SKILL.md (omit any front-matter) into:

.cursor/rules/hallmark.mdc

Place the accompanying references/ directory at the project root or in a location your Cursor configuration can access.

Codex

Codex supports both global (personal) and project-scoped skills.

• Personal scope: ~/.codex/skills/hallmark/
• Project scope: .codex/skills/hallmark/

Copy both SKILL.md and the references/ folder into your chosen scope.

Verify the Installation

Confirm the setup by running a Hallmark verb against an example target:

hallmark audit ./site/examples/tally

A successful installation returns an audit report without errors. To test the redesign capability:

hallmark redesign ./site/examples/wayfare

Both commands operate immediately without build steps or Webpack compilation, as Hallmark runs entirely through static HTML, CSS, and the AI-interpreted skill definition.

Update Your Local Installation

Hallmark receives periodic updates to its themes and rule-sets. To stay current, re-run the installation command:

npx skills add nutlope/hallmark

Alternatively, if you cloned manually, run git pull inside the repository directory and re-copy the updated files to your skill path.

Summary

• Hallmark is a zero-dependency design skill for AI coding assistants that requires no build step or Node server.
• Install via npx skills add nutlope/hallmark for automatic placement, or clone manually to inspect skills/hallmark/SKILL.md and skills/hallmark/references/.
• Place files in ~/.claude/skills/hallmark/ (Claude Code), .cursor/rules/hallmark.mdc (Cursor), or ~/.codex/skills/hallmark/ (Codex).
• Verify by running hallmark audit <target> or hallmark redesign <target>.
• Update by re-running the npx command or pulling the latest Git changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need Node.js or a build step to run Hallmark locally?

No. Hallmark requires no runtime dependencies, Webpack, or Node server. The repository consists of static HTML, CSS, and skill definition files that the AI tool interprets at runtime. Node.js is only required if you choose to use the npx installation method.

Where exactly should I place Hallmark files for Cursor versus Claude Code?

For Claude Code, copy the entire skills/hallmark/ folder contents to ~/.claude/skills/hallmark/. For Cursor, paste the body of skills/hallmark/SKILL.md into .cursor/rules/hallmark.mdc (omitting front-matter), and keep the references/ directory accessible at your project root.

How do I update Hallmark to the latest version?

Re-run npx skills add nutlope/hallmark to overwrite existing files with the latest rule-sets and themes. If you cloned manually, execute git pull in the repository root and re-copy the SKILL.md and references/ files to your skill directory.

What is the difference between the npx and manual installation methods?

The npx method automatically detects your AI environment and copies files to the correct path. The manual method requires you to clone the repository and manually place SKILL.md and the references/ directory, which is necessary if you want to modify the skill definitions or work offline without registry access.

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