How to Install Google Skills for Codex

Google Skills for Codex are installed as plugins by registering the google/skills marketplace, browsing available skills, and installing specific plugins via the Codex CLI.

The google/skills repository distributes Google Cloud and workspace capabilities as Codex-compatible plugins. Installing Google Skills for Codex enables your environment to execute specialized commands for BigQuery, Cloud Storage, and other Google services through the standard Codex interface. This guide covers the complete installation workflow using the official marketplace commands documented in the repository's README.md.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure your Codex CLI is installed and initialized on your system. The plugin marketplace functionality requires Codex version 1.0 or later to support third-party plugin registries and custom skill sources.

Step-by-Step Installation Guide

The installation workflow consists of three main phases: registering the marketplace source, discovering available skills, and installing your selected components.

Register the Google Skills Marketplace

First, add the google/skills repository as a trusted plugin source. This command updates Codex's internal registry to recognize plugins hosted under the google/skills namespace, as documented in the repository's root README.md.

codex plugin marketplace add google/skills

Browse and Select Skills

Once registered, open the plugin browser to view all available Google Skills. You can browse via the CLI using codex plugin list or through the web-based plugin explorer. The browser lists all plugins under the google/skills namespace, such as google-cloud-developer for Cloud Storage and BigQuery integration.

codex plugin list

Install Individual Plugins

Install specific skills using the codex plugin install command followed by the plugin identifier. For example, to install the Cloud Developer skill that provides gcloud safety and onboarding capabilities:

codex plugin install google-cloud-developer

To install the entire collection, use the "Install All" option available in the web-based plugin browser.

Plugin Architecture and Source Files

Understanding the internal structure of Google Skills helps verify successful installation and troubleshoot configuration issues. These files determine how Codex interprets and executes Google Cloud commands.

Manifest Configuration

Each plugin is described by a JSON manifest located at .codex-plugin/plugin.json within the plugin directory. For the Cloud Developer plugin, this manifest resides at plugins/cloud/google-cloud-developer/.codex-plugin/plugin.json and specifies the plugin name, version, and directory containing skill markdown files. A separate plugin.json file in the same directory provides general metadata used by both Codex and Claude plugin systems.

Skill Documentation Structure

Individual capabilities are defined in markdown files stored within each plugin's skills/ directory, such as plugins/cloud/google-cloud-developer/skills/…/SKILL.md. These files contain the executable logic and parameter definitions that Codex invokes when running specific Google Cloud operations.

Post-Installation Verification

Confirm your installation succeeded by filtering the active plugins list for your newly installed skill. Successful verification indicates the plugin manifest at .codex-plugin/plugin.json was parsed correctly by the Codex engine.

codex plugin list | grep google-cloud-developer

You should see output confirming the installation:

✅ google-cloud-developer  v1.1.0  – Google Cloud onboarding & gcloud safety

After verification, invoke skills via codex run <skill-name>. If a required CLI tool like gcloud is missing from your system, the skill's documentation will prompt you to install it.

Summary

• Register the marketplace using codex plugin marketplace add google/skills to enable the Google Skills source
• Browse available plugins with codex plugin list to identify skills matching your workflow
• Install specific capabilities via codex plugin install <skill-name> or use "Install All" in the web browser
• Verify installation by checking for the plugin name and version in the active plugins list
• Plugin metadata is stored in .codex-plugin/plugin.json files, with skill logic in corresponding skills/ directories

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary command to install Google Skills for Codex?

The primary command is codex plugin marketplace add google/skills, which registers the entire google/skills collection as a trusted plugin source for your Codex environment. After registration, you use codex plugin install <skill-name> to add specific capabilities like google-cloud-developer to your local environment.

Where are Google Skills plugin manifests located in the repository?

Plugin manifests are stored in .codex-plugin/plugin.json files within each plugin's subdirectory. For example, the Cloud Developer plugin manifest is located at plugins/cloud/google-cloud-developer/.codex-plugin/plugin.json and defines the plugin version, name, and paths to skill documentation.

Can I install all Google Skills at once instead of individually?

Yes, after adding the marketplace, you can use the "Install All" option in the web-based plugin browser interface to install the complete Google Skills collection simultaneously. Alternatively, install skills individually using codex plugin install commands for more granular control over your environment.

How do I verify that a Google Skill installed correctly?

Run codex plugin list | grep <skill-name> to filter the active plugins output. A successful installation displays the plugin name, version number, and description, such as ✅ google-cloud-developer v1.1.0 – Google Cloud onboarding & gcloud safety, confirming the skill is ready for use.

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