# Where Are Individual Skills Located in the Google Skills Repository? > Discover where individual skills are located in the google/skills repository. Learn about the SKILL.md file structure and directory organization for easy access. - Repository: [Google/skills](https://github.com/google/skills) - Tags: how-to-guide - Published: 2026-09-02 --- **Individual skills in the google/skills repository (also known as Instagit) are stored as [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/SKILL.md) files within a hierarchical directory structure following the pattern `skills///SKILL.md`.** The `google/skills` repository organizes technical documentation and reference materials as discrete, reusable units called skills. Understanding the exact location of individual skills within the repository enables developers to browse documentation, construct direct GitHub links, and programmatically index available resources. ## Hierarchical Directory Structure Individual skills follow a strict three-tier directory convention. At the repository root, the `skills/` directory contains **domain-specific subdirectories** (such as `cloud`, `analytics`, `ads`, and `developers`). Within each domain folder, individual skill directories use kebab-case naming conventions and contain exactly one [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/SKILL.md) file that serves as the canonical definition for that skill. The repository layout follows this pattern: ``` skills/ ├─ analytics/ │ ├─ google-analytics-data-api-basics/ │ │ └─ SKILL.md │ └─ google-analytics-admin-api-basics/ │ └─ SKILL.md ├─ ads/ │ ├─ ima-sdk-client-side/ │ │ └─ SKILL.md │ └─ google-mobile-ads-rewarded/ │ └─ SKILL.md ├─ cloud/ │ ├─ workload-manager-basics/ │ │ └─ SKILL.md │ ├─ spanner-basics/ │ │ └─ SKILL.md │ └─ gke-basics/ │ └─ SKILL.md └─ developers/ ├─ retrieving-developer-knowledge/ │ └─ SKILL.md └─ finding-google-skills/ └─ SKILL.md ``` All skills adhere to the path structure: `skills///SKILL.md`. ## Domain Organization Skills are grouped into logical domains to categorize related functionality: - **cloud**: Google Cloud Platform services including Workload Manager, Spanner, and GKE - **analytics**: Google Analytics Data API and Admin API documentation - **ads**: Interactive Media Ads (IMA) SDK and mobile advertising implementations - **developers**: Developer productivity tools and knowledge retrieval systems Each domain directory contains multiple skill subdirectories. For example, `skills/cloud/` houses `workload-manager-basics/`, `spanner-basics/`, and `gke-basics/`, with each subdirectory containing its respective [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/SKILL.md) file. ## Programmatically Locating Skills Developers can discover and access individual skills using command-line utilities or Python scripts to navigate the repository structure without manual browsing. ### Using Command-Line Tools To enumerate all available skills, use the `find` command to locate every [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/SKILL.md) file: ```bash # List all available skills (Linux/macOS) find skills -type f -name SKILL.md ``` To inspect the contents of a specific skill, reference the full path relative to the repository root: ```bash # Display the first 20 lines of the GKE basics skill cat skills/cloud/gke-basics/SKILL.md | head -n 20 ``` ### Using Python for Discovery For automated tooling or integration scripts, use Python's `pathlib` module to programmatically discover all skill definitions: ```python import pathlib # Programmatically discover all skill definitions repo_root = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.parent skill_files = list(repo_root.glob("skills/**/SKILL.md")) for f in skill_files: print(f.relative_to(repo_root)) ``` This returns all paths matching the `skills/**/SKILL.md` pattern, enabling dynamic indexing of the repository's documentation. ## Direct GitHub Access Individual skills are directly browsable on GitHub without cloning the repository. Construct URLs using the pattern: `https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/skills///SKILL.md` Specific examples include: - **Workload Manager basics**: [`skills/cloud/workload-manager-basics/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/skills/cloud/workload-manager-basics/SKILL.md) - **Google Analytics Data API basics**: [`skills/analytics/google-analytics-data-api-basics/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/skills/analytics/google-analytics-data-api-basics/SKILL.md) - **IMA SDK client-side**: [`skills/ads/ima-sdk-client-side/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/skills/ads/ima-sdk-client-side/SKILL.md) ## Summary - Individual skills are located under the `skills/` directory following the strict pattern `skills///SKILL.md` - **SKILL.md** files serve as the single source of truth and core definition for each skill - Skills are organized by domain into **cloud**, **analytics**, **ads**, and **developers** categories - Skills can be discovered using standard Unix tools (`find`, `cat`) or Python's `pathlib` module with glob patterns - Each skill directory uses kebab-case naming and contains exactly one [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/SKILL.md) file ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the file naming convention for individual skills? Every individual skill is defined by a single file named exactly **SKILL.md** located within its own subdirectory. The parent directory uses kebab-case naming (lowercase words separated by hyphens) to describe the skill's function, such as `google-analytics-data-api-basics` or `retrieving-developer-knowledge`. ### How are skills organized within the repository structure? Skills are grouped by domain into subdirectories immediately under `skills/`. Current domains include **cloud** for Google Cloud Platform services, **analytics** for measurement APIs, **ads** for advertising SDKs, and **developers** for engineering resources. This hierarchical organization ensures related skills are co-located for easier discovery. ### Can I access individual skills directly through GitHub's web interface? Yes, all skills are immediately accessible via GitHub using the URL pattern `https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/skills///SKILL.md`. You can navigate the repository folder tree or construct direct links to specific skills without cloning the repository locally. ### How can I programmatically list all available skills in the repository? Use the `find` command to locate all skill definitions: `find skills -type f -name SKILL.md`. Alternatively, use Python's `pathlib` with the glob pattern `skills/**/SKILL.md` to generate a list of all skill paths programmatically, enabling automated documentation indexing or validation workflows.