# How to Test Code Changes in google/skills: A Complete Guide > Learn how to test code changes in google/skills by running local validations and GitHub Actions CI. Ensure your contributions are high quality with this comprehensive guide. - Repository: [Google/skills](https://github.com/google/skills) - Tags: how-to-guide - Published: 2026-08-14 --- **Test code changes in google/skills by running `skill validate`, `markdownlint`, and `agents-cli run` locally, then pushing to trigger GitHub Actions CI validation.** The **google/skills** repository holds a collection of *Skill* definitions written in Markdown ([`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/SKILL.md)) together with supporting reference material. Because the repository does not contain compiled binaries, testing focuses on **validation, linting, and execution‑time checks** that ensure a Skill can be rendered by the Instagit Agents platform and that any associated scripts run correctly. --- ## Three Core Testing Components The test workflow in google/skills is built around three core components: - **Skill Validation** — Checks the structure of [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/SKILL.md), verifies required front‑matter fields, and confirms that all referenced assets exist. Run with `skill validate `. Source: [`skills/cloud/spanner-basics/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/skills/cloud/spanner-basics/SKILL.md). - **Markdown Linting** — Runs a Markdown linter to enforce style conventions and catch broken links. Run with `npm run lint` or `markdownlint .`. Source: [`skills/cloud/workload-manager-basics/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/skills/cloud/workload-manager-basics/SKILL.md). - **Local Agent Execution** — Executes the skill with the **agents‑cli** tool, simulating end‑user interaction to verify generated code snippets behave correctly. Run with `agents-cli run --skill `. Source: [`skills/cloud/google-agents-cli-onboarding/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/skills/cloud/google-agents-cli-onboarding/SKILL.md). --- ## Step‑by‑Step Testing Process ### Set Up the Development Environment Install the shared tooling before running any tests: ```bash # Python is required for the validation helpers python3 -m pip install -r requirements.txt # Node‑based linter (if not already installed globally) npm install -g markdownlint-cli # Instagit agents CLI – the official runner for Skills npm install -g @google/agents-cli ``` All required versions are documented in the repository's root [`README.md`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/README.md). ### Run the Full CI Suite Locally The repository ships with a convenience script that mirrors the GitHub Actions workflow: ```bash ./ci/run_all_tests.sh ``` The script runs `skill validate` on every [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/SKILL.md), executes `markdownlint`, and finally launches a dry‑run of each skill with `agents-cli`. Inspect the implementation in [`ci/run_all_tests.sh`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/ci/run_all_tests.sh). ### Validate a Single Skill When working on a specific skill, focus the test suite: ```bash skill validate skills/cloud/spanner-basics markdownlint skills/cloud/spanner-basics agents-cli run --skill skills/cloud/spanner-basics ``` The `skill` command is a thin wrapper around `python -m skill.validator`; its source lives under [`tools/skill_validator.py`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/tools/skill_validator.py). ### Check Reference Links and Assets The validator confirms every link resolves (HTTP 200) and that local files (images, YAML templates, etc.) are present. Broken links appear as errors in the validator output. ### Review CI Results After the local run, the script prints a summary: ``` ┌─────────────────────────────┐ │ Skills validation summary │ ├─────────────────────────────┤ │ ✅ 42 skills passed │ │ ❌ 0 skills failed │ └─────────────────────────────┘ ``` Failures include exact file and line numbers for quick correction. ### Push and Let GitHub Actions Verify Once local checks pass, push changes to a feature branch. The repository's CI workflow [`.github/workflows/ci.yml`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/.github/workflows/ci.yml) automatically re‑runs the same validation steps on the remote runner. --- ## Complete Testing Example ```bash # Example: testing the Firebase basics skill locally cd /path/to/google/skills # 1️⃣ Validate the skill structure skill validate skills/cloud/firebase-basics # 2️⃣ Lint the Markdown for style issues markdownlint skills/cloud/firebase-basics # 3️⃣ Run the skill with the agents CLI (dry‑run mode) agents-cli run --skill skills/cloud/firebase-basics --dry-run ``` A typical CI log snippet from the GitHub Actions run: ``` [2026-08-14 10:15:23] skill validate skills/cloud/spanner-basics ✔️ skills/cloud/spanner-basics/SKILL.md – front‑matter OK ✔️ skills/cloud/spanner-basics/SKILL.md – all references reachable [2026-08-14 10:15:24] markdownlint skills/cloud/spanner-basics ✔️ No lint errors found [2026-08-14 10:15:25] agents-cli run --skill skills/cloud/spanner-basics --dry-run ✔️ Skill executed successfully (no runtime errors) ``` --- ## Key Files in the Testing Workflow | Path | Role | |------|------| | `skills/*/SKILL.md` | Core Skill definition files with front‑matter, instructions, and reference links | | [`tools/skill_validator.py`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/tools/skill_validator.py) | Python validator parsing [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/SKILL.md) front‑matter and validating links | | [`ci/run_all_tests.sh`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/ci/run_all_tests.sh) | Convenience wrapper for full repository validation | | [`.github/workflows/ci.yml`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/.github/workflows/ci.yml) | GitHub Actions workflow for remote CI | | [`requirements.txt`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/requirements.txt) | Python dependencies (`requests`, `pyyaml`, etc.) | | [`package.json`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/package.json) (root) | npm dependencies for `markdownlint-cli` and `@google/agents-cli` | --- ## Summary - **Install dependencies** via [`requirements.txt`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/requirements.txt) and global npm packages - **Run [`./ci/run_all_tests.sh`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/./ci/run_all_tests.sh)** to mirror the full CI suite locally - **Test individual skills** with `skill validate`, `markdownlint`, and `agents-cli run` - **Fix validator errors** using provided file/line references - **Push to trigger** [`.github/workflows/ci.yml`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/.github/workflows/ci.yml) for final verification --- ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the `skill` command and where is it implemented? The `skill` command is a thin wrapper around `python -m skill.validator` as implemented in google/skills. Its source code resides in [`tools/skill_validator.py`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/tools/skill_validator.py), which parses [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/SKILL.md) front‑matter, checks required fields, and validates both internal and external links. ### How do I test code changes in google/skills for just one skill? Navigate to your skill directory and run the three individual commands: `skill validate `, `markdownlint `, and `agents-cli run --skill `. This focused approach avoids running the full repository test suite during development. ### What does the GitHub Actions CI workflow check? The workflow defined in [`.github/workflows/ci.yml`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/.github/workflows/ci.yml) re‑runs the same validation steps as the local script: Skill structure validation, Markdown linting, and dry‑run execution via `agents-cli`. It ensures every contribution passes all tests before merging. ### Why does google/skills use validation instead of unit tests? Because google/skills contains Markdown-based Skill definitions rather than compiled code, traditional unit tests do not apply. The validation approach ensures Skills render correctly in the Instagit Agents platform, maintain consistent style, and include reachable references and assets.