# How to Install the Claude-Video Skill: Complete Setup Guide

> Install the Claude-Video skill effortlessly with our complete setup guide. Learn to use the Claude Code marketplace, Agent Skills CLI, or manual symlinking for quick integration.

- Repository: [bradautomates/claude-video](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-08-09

---

**To install the Claude-Video skill, use the Claude Code marketplace command `/plugin install watch@claude-video`, the Agent Skills CLI `npx skills add bradautomates/claude-video -g`, or manually symlink the `skills/watch/` directory into your host's skill folder.**

The Claude-Video *watch* skill is a self-contained video analysis tool hosted in the `bradautomates/claude-video` repository. When you install the Claude-Video skill, you register the `skills/watch/` directory—containing the manifest ([`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/SKILL.md)) and runtime scripts—with any Agent-Skills compatible host. Because the skill resolves all paths relative to `SKILL_DIR`, it requires no host-specific environment variables and works identically across Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Copilot, Gemini CLI, and the Claude web UI.

## Installation Methods for Different Hosts

### Claude Code (Recommended)

The simplest way to install the Claude-Video skill in Claude Code is through the built-in marketplace.

```text
/plugin marketplace add bradautomates/claude-video
/plugin install watch@claude-video

```

This pulls the latest released version and registers `skills/watch/` in the Claude Code plugin cache.

### Codex, Cursor, Copilot, and Gemini CLI

For hosts that support the Agent Skills specification, use the global installer:

```bash
npx skills add bradautomates/claude-video -g

```

The CLI discovers [`skills/watch/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/skills/watch/SKILL.md) and copies or symlinks the folder into the host's global skill directory (e.g., `~/.codex/skills` or `~/.cursor/skills`).

### Claude Web UI (claude.ai)

To install on the web interface:

1. Download the pre-built `watch.skill` bundle from the latest release
2. Navigate to **Settings → Capabilities → Skills**
3. Click **+** and upload the bundle file

The bundle is a zipped copy of `skills/watch/` that the web UI unpacks automatically.

### Manual and Development Installation

For development or to keep the installation synced with a local git repository:

```bash
git clone https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video.git
ln -s "$(pwd)/claude-video/skills/watch" ~/.claude/skills/watch

```

This symlinks directly to `claude-video/skills/watch/`, ensuring changes to your working copy reflect immediately in the installed skill.

## What Gets Installed

All installation methods ultimately produce the same directory structure:

```

skills/watch/
 ├─ SKILL.md                ← skill contract and manifest
 └─ scripts/
     ├─ watch.py            ← main entry point
     ├─ download.py         ← yt-dlp wrapper
     ├─ frames.py           ← ffmpeg frame extraction
     ├─ transcribe.py       ← caption parsing
     ├─ whisper.py          ← Groq/OpenAI client
     ├─ config.py           ← reads ~/.config/watch/.env
     ├─ setup.py            ← pre-flight installer
     └─ build-skill.sh      ← bundling script

```

The [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/SKILL.md) file serves as the source of truth, defining the skill's name, version, and allowed tools. The [`scripts/watch.py`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/scripts/watch.py) file acts as the orchestrator, invoking helpers like [`download.py`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/download.py) and [`frames.py`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/frames.py) when users run the `/watch` command.

## Post-Installation Configuration

After you install the Claude-Video skill, the first execution triggers [`scripts/setup.py`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/scripts/setup.py) to perform pre-flight checks:

- Verifies `ffmpeg` and `yt-dlp` binaries are installed (auto-installs via Homebrew on macOS, prints apt/dnf/pipx commands on Linux)
- Scaffolds `~/.config/watch/.env` with placeholder API keys for Whisper transcription services

The skill relies solely on standard-library Python plus these external binaries, ensuring consistent behavior across all hosts without additional environment variables.

## Building a Custom Bundle

To package the skill manually for claude.ai upload:

```bash
bash skills/watch/scripts/build-skill.sh

```

This creates `dist/watch.skill`, a zipped archive of `skills/watch/` ready for manual installation.

## Summary

- **Install via Claude Code**: Use `/plugin install watch@claude-video` for automatic marketplace installation.
- **Install via Agent Skills CLI**: Run `npx skills add bradautomates/claude-video -g` for Codex, Cursor, Copilot, or Gemini CLI.
- **Install on Claude Web**: Download the `watch.skill` bundle and upload via Settings.
- **Manual Install**: Clone the repository and symlink `skills/watch/` into `~/.claude/skills/` or equivalent.
- **First Run**: [`scripts/setup.py`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/scripts/setup.py) automatically checks dependencies and creates `~/.config/watch/.env`.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Where is the Claude-Video skill located in the repository?

The skill resides in the `skills/watch/` directory at the root of the `bradautomates/claude-video` repository. This folder contains the [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/SKILL.md) manifest and the `scripts/` subdirectory with all runtime logic.

### Do I need to set environment variables to install the Claude-Video skill?

No. The skill uses `SKILL_DIR` to resolve paths relative to the directory containing [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/SKILL.md). It does not require host-specific environment variables, making it portable across Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, and other Agent-Skills hosts.

### What dependencies does the skill require after installation?

The skill requires Python 3.x (standard library only), `ffmpeg` for video processing, and `yt-dlp` for downloading. The [`scripts/setup.py`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/scripts/setup.py) file checks for these on first run and guides you through installation if they are missing.

### Can I modify the skill after installing it?

Yes, if you use the manual installation method with `ln -s`. Symlinking the `skills/watch/` directory allows you to edit files in your git clone and see changes immediately in the installed skill without reinstallation.