# How to Install AWS Agent Toolkit Skills Locally: 3 Methods Explained

> Install AWS Agent Toolkit skills locally in 3 simple methods. Learn the fastest approach using npx to add skills and enhance your AI agent. Get started now.

- Repository: [Amazon Web Services/agent-toolkit-for-aws](https://github.com/aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-06-27

---

**The fastest way to install AWS Agent Toolkit skills locally is running `npx skills add aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws/skills`, which automatically detects your AI agent and copies skill packages to the appropriate directory.**

The AWS Agent Toolkit for AWS distributes functionality as *skills*—self-contained packages of instructions, reference material, and example code that AI coding agents can load on demand. The `aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws` repository supports three distinct approaches to making these skills available to your agent, with local installation offering the most control over which capabilities are available offline.

## Three Installation Methods Overview

The repository supports multiple distribution strategies depending on your workflow:

- **Plugin Install** – Install one of the provided plugins (`aws-core`, `aws-agents`, `aws-data-analytics`) via npm. Bundled skills become automatically available system-wide.
- **Local Install** – Copy skill directories directly into your agent's *skills folder* using the CLI helper or manual copy commands.
- **Runtime Discovery** – Configure the AWS MCP Server to allow agents query and load skills on demand without pre-installation.

For developers who need offline access or want to customize which skills are available, local installation is the preferred approach.

## Prerequisites for Local Installation

Before installing skills locally, ensure your environment meets the following requirements:

- **Node.js** version 18.x or higher
- **npx** command (included with npm)

According to the repository's top-level [`README.md`](https://github.com/aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws/blob/main/README.md), these commands work out of the box once Node is properly installed [【/cache/repos/github.com/aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws/main/README.md#L91-L99】](https://github.com/aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws/blob/main/README.md).

## Local Installation Step-by-Step

### Option 1: CLI Helper (Recommended)

The repository provides a one-line command that downloads the skill manifest and automatically installs skills to your agent's specific directory:

```bash

# Installs all skills from the repository

npx skills add aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws/skills

```

This helper detects which agent you are using—whether Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, or others—and places files in the appropriate location. For example, Claude Code uses `~/.claude/skills/` while Cursor uses `~/.cursor/skills/`. The mapping of agents to default skill paths is documented in [`skills/README.md`](https://github.com/aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws/blob/main/skills/README.md) [【/cache/repos/github.com/aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws/main/skills/README.md#L17-L23】](https://github.com/aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws/blob/main/skills/README.md).

### Option 2: Manual Copy

If you only need specific capabilities rather than the entire toolkit, copy individual skill directories manually:

```bash

# Example: install only the Amplify web-and-mobile skill

cp -r skills/specialized-skills/web-and-mobile-development/aws-amplify \
      ~/.claude/skills/

```

The [`skills/README.md`](https://github.com/aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws/blob/main/skills/README.md) file contains a reference table showing which folder corresponds to each supported agent, ensuring you target the correct installation path.

## Verifying Your Installation

After running the installation command, confirm the skills are properly registered by checking your agent's skill directory:

```bash

# For Claude Code users

ls ~/.claude/skills | grep aws

# For Cursor users  

ls ~/.cursor/skills | grep aws

```

You should see new folders such as `aws-amplify/` or `aws-containers/`. Each installed skill contains:
- A [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws/blob/main/SKILL.md) file describing the workflow
- A `references/` subdirectory with supplemental documentation

## Using Installed Skills in Your Agent

Once installed, invoke skills naturally during your agent session:

```

User: "Create an Amplify web app with a backend API."
Agent: (searches skill catalogue, loads aws-amplify skill, follows step-by-step instructions)

```

Alternatively, configure the **AWS MCP Server** as described in the User Guide (linked from the top-level [`README.md`](https://github.com/aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws/blob/main/README.md) lines 45-53) to enable runtime discovery. This approach fetches skills automatically when needed rather than pre-installing them [【/cache/repos/github.com/aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws/main/README.md#L45-L53】](https://github.com/aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws/blob/main/README.md).

## Summary

- **Local installation** requires Node.js ≥ 18.x and uses either `npx skills add` for automatic setup or manual `cp -r` for selective installation.
- The **CLI helper** auto-detects your agent type and maps to correct directories (`~/.claude/skills/`, `~/.cursor/skills/`, etc.) as defined in [`skills/README.md`](https://github.com/aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws/blob/main/skills/README.md).
- **Manual installation** allows selective skill copies from paths like `skills/specialized-skills/web-and-mobile-development/aws-amplify/`.
- **Runtime discovery** via AWS MCP Server offers an alternative that requires no local file copying.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is the fastest way to install all AWS Agent Toolkit skills at once?

Run `npx skills add aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws/skills` from any terminal. This command automatically downloads the repository's skill manifest, detects your active AI agent, and copies all skill directories to the appropriate location without manual configuration.

### Where are AWS Agent Toolkit skills stored after local installation?

Skills are stored in your agent's specific skills folder, typically located at `~/.claude/skills/` for Claude Code or `~/.cursor/skills/` for Cursor. The exact path varies by agent and is documented in the [`skills/README.md`](https://github.com/aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws/blob/main/skills/README.md) file [【/cache/repos/github.com/aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws/main/skills/README.md#L17-L23】](https://github.com/aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws/blob/main/skills/README.md).

### Can I install individual skills instead of the entire repository?

Yes. Copy specific skill directories manually using commands like `cp -r skills/specialized-skills/web-and-mobile-development/aws-amplify ~/.claude/skills/`. This approach saves disk space when you only need specific AWS service capabilities rather than the complete toolkit.

### Do I need to restart my AI agent after installing skills locally?

Most modern agents—including Claude Code and Cursor—detect new skills automatically when placed in their respective skills directories. However, if a session was already active when you installed the files, start a new conversation thread to ensure the agent loads the skill catalogue fresh.