Installation Process for Claude Code, Codex, and claude.ai Web: Complete Guide

The installation process differs by host mechanism: Claude Code uses built-in marketplace commands (/plugin install), Codex and similar agents use the npx skills CLI, and claude.ai web requires manual upload of a .skill archive.

The bradautomates/claude-video repository provides a video analysis skill that can be deployed across multiple AI coding environments. Understanding the installation process for Claude Code, Codex, and claude.ai web ensures you can leverage the watch skill regardless of your preferred interface. Each platform uses a distinct delivery mechanism, but all methods result in the same runtime file structure according to the repository's source code.

Claude Code Marketplace Installation

Claude Code installs skills through its built-in marketplace command-set. The host reads the .claude-plugin/plugin.json manifest to discover skill metadata and entry points.

To install the video analysis skill in Claude Code:

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

The IDE pulls the pre-packed watch.skill bundle from the repository's release assets and extracts the entire skills/watch/ directory into Claude Code's plugin folder. Updates are handled via /plugin update watch@claude-video.

Codex and Agent Skills CLI Installation

For Codex, Cursor, Copilot, and other Agent Skills hosts, installation uses the generic npx skills CLI. This method reads the .codex-plugin/plugin.json manifest and copies the skill folder directly into the host's skills directory.

Install globally for all projects:

npx skills add bradautomates/claude-video -g

Or install locally for the current project only:

npx skills add bradautomates/claude-video

The CLI reads skills/watch/SKILL.md and places the folder into ~/.codex/skills/ (or the host-specific equivalent). No marketplace intermediary is involved; the skill is transferred as a file tree. Update later with npx skills update watch -g.

claude.ai Web Manual Upload

The claude.ai web interface cannot execute marketplace commands, requiring manual upload of a .skill archive. First, download the watch.skill zip from the repository's latest release assets.

Then navigate to Settings → Capabilities → Skills in the web UI, click +, and drop the archive file. The web UI extracts the contents and registers the skill.

Because the web environment cannot run CLI installation tools, you must enable "Code execution and file creation" in settings so the skill can invoke ffmpeg and yt-dlp at runtime.

Universal Runtime Structure

Regardless of the installation method, all three paths result in an identical runtime layout:

skills/watch/
├── SKILL.md               # Contract read by the host

└── scripts/
    ├── watch.py           # Main orchestrator

    ├── download.py
    ├── frames.py
    ├── transcribe.py
    ├── whisper.py
    ├── config.py
    ├── setup.py
    └── build-skill.sh     # Packs the folder for web upload

The skills/watch/SKILL.md contract file defines entry points for every host, while scripts/watch.py serves as the main orchestrator that downloads video, extracts frames, and runs transcription. The core difference between platforms is simply where these files end up: Claude Code places them in its IDE plugin folder, Codex-family hosts use ~/.codex/skills/, and the web interface unpacks them into its temporary sandbox.

Summary

• Claude Code uses /plugin install via its built-in marketplace, reading .claude-plugin/plugin.json.
• Codex and agents use npx skills add, reading .codex-plugin/plugin.json and copying to ~/.codex/skills/.
• claude.ai web requires manual download and upload of the watch.skill archive, with explicit permission for code execution.
• All methods deploy the same skills/watch/ directory containing SKILL.md and the Python scripts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I install the skill globally for all projects?

Only Codex and Agent Skills hosts support global installation via npx skills add bradautomates/claude-video -g, which places the skill in ~/.codex/skills/. Claude Code manages skills through its IDE-specific marketplace, while claude.ai web requires per-session manual uploads.

Why does the claude.ai web version require additional permissions?

Unlike Claude Code and Codex, which can execute shell commands directly, the web interface requires explicit enabling of "Code execution and file creation" in Settings. This permission allows the skill to invoke external binaries like ffmpeg and yt-dlp that are pre-installed in the web environment.

How do I update the skill to the latest version?

Update commands vary by host: use /plugin update watch@claude-video in Claude Code, npx skills update watch -g for Codex, or re-download the latest watch.skill archive from the releases page and re-upload it to the claude.ai web interface.

Are the skill files different between installation methods?

No. All methods deploy the identical skills/watch/ directory containing SKILL.md and the scripts/ folder. The .claude-plugin/plugin.json and .codex-plugin/plugin.json manifests only affect how the host discovers and installs the package, not the runtime behavior.

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