# How to Install the Watch Skill for Various AI Assistants

> Install the Watch skill for AI assistants like Claude Code, Cursor, and Copilot. Learn easy installation methods using the plugin manager, CLI, or archive for claude.ai.

- Repository: [bradautomates/claude-video](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-07-17

---

**The watch skill is a self-contained package located in `skills/watch/` that can be installed via the built-in plugin manager for Claude Code, the universal `npx skills` CLI for editors like Cursor and Copilot, or as a bundled archive for claude.ai web, requiring no host-specific environment variables.**

The `bradautomates/claude-video` repository provides a harness-agnostic video analysis tool that processes media through **yt-dlp**, **ffmpeg**, and optional **Whisper** transcription. Because the skill computes its base directory from the location of [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/SKILL.md) rather than relying on host-specific variables like `CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR`, the same installation folder works across every supported platform.

## Installation via Claude Code Plugin Manager

For **Claude Code**, use the built-in marketplace to install the watch skill directly from the repository.

1. Add the marketplace entry:

    ```text
    /plugin marketplace add bradautomates/claude-video
    ```

2. Install the specific skill:

    ```text
    /plugin install watch@claude-video
    ```

This command copies the `skills/watch/` folder into Claude Code's plugin directory and registers the `/watch` slash command immediately.

## Installation for Codex, Cursor, Copilot, and 50+ Other Hosts

For AI assistants that support the universal skills protocol—including **Codex**, **Cursor**, **Copilot**, and over 50 other hosts—use the `npx` CLI to install the skill globally.

Run the following command in your terminal:

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

```

The `-g` flag copies the entire `skills/watch/` directory into the host's skill folder, making the `/watch` command available without additional configuration.

## Installation for claude.ai Web Interface

When working with the **claude.ai** web interface, you must upload the skill as a bundled archive.

First, build the distributable package:

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

```

This produces `dist/watch.skill`, a zip archive containing the complete skill structure. Then upload this file via the claude.ai "Upload Skill" UI to activate the functionality.

## Internal Skill Structure and Key Files

Regardless of the installation method, the watch skill deploys the identical folder layout:

```

skills/
 └─watch/
    ├─SKILL.md          ← Canonical contract defining the /watch command
    └─scripts/
        ├─watch.py      ← Main orchestrator for download → frames → transcript
        ├─download.py   ← yt-dlp wrapper for fetching video
        ├─frames.py     ← ffmpeg frame extraction with auto-FPS detection
        ├─transcribe.py ← Whisper API integration
        ├─setup.py      ← Pre-flight checks for dependencies
        └─config.py     ← Configuration management
    └─scripts/build-skill.sh  ← Archive builder for web uploads

```

As implemented in `bradautomates/claude-video`, the entry point at [`skills/watch/scripts/watch.py`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/skills/watch/scripts/watch.py) coordinates the video processing pipeline, while [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/SKILL.md) serves as the canonical contract that declares the slash command name and its invocability.

## Using the Watch Skill After Installation

Once installed, invoke the skill using the slash command:

```

/watch <YouTube-URL-or-local-path> [optional-question]

```

The skill executes the following sequence defined in [`watch.py`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/watch.py):
- **Download**: Fetches the video via [`download.py`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/download.py) using yt-dlp
- **Frame Extraction**: Processes frames via [`frames.py`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/frames.py) using ffmpeg with automatic FPS detection
- **Transcription**: Optionally generates captions via [`transcribe.py`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/transcribe.py) using the Whisper API

## Summary

- The watch skill lives in `skills/watch/` and is **harness-agnostic**, working across Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot, and claude.ai without modification.
- **Claude Code** users install via `/plugin marketplace add` followed by `/plugin install watch@claude-video`.
- **Codex/Cursor/Copilot** users run `npx skills add bradautomates/claude-video -g` to copy the skill folder globally.
- **claude.ai web** users must run `bash skills/watch/scripts/build-skill.sh` to create `dist/watch.skill`, then upload through the web UI.
- The skill computes its own path from [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/SKILL.md) location, eliminating dependency on host-specific environment variables like `CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR`.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Do I need to set environment variables like `CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR` to install the watch skill?

No. The watch skill is designed to be harness-agnostic and computes its base directory from the location of [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/SKILL.md) rather than relying on host-specific environment variables. This ensures the same installation works across Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot, and other platforms without configuration changes.

### What dependencies does the watch skill require?

The skill requires **yt-dlp** for video downloading, **ffmpeg** for frame extraction, and optionally the **Whisper API** for transcription. The [`setup.py`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/setup.py) script in `skills/watch/scripts/` performs pre-flight checks to verify these dependencies are installed before execution.

### Can I install the watch skill on AI assistants not listed in the installation methods?

Yes. Any AI assistant that supports the universal skills protocol can install the watch skill using the `npx skills add bradautomates/claude-video -g` command. The skill's self-contained structure in `skills/watch/` ensures compatibility with any host that can copy the folder into its plugin directory.

### How do I update the watch skill to the latest version?

For Claude Code, reinstall via `/plugin install watch@claude-video` after updating the marketplace entry. For `npx`-based installations, run the `npx skills add` command again with the `-g` flag to overwrite the existing skill folder. For claude.ai web, rebuild the archive using [`skills/watch/scripts/build-skill.sh`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/skills/watch/scripts/build-skill.sh) and re-upload the generated `dist/watch.skill` file.