# How to Install the /no-mistakes Agent Skill: A Complete Guide > Install the /no-mistakes agent skill easily with our complete guide. Run no-mistakes init to enable coding agents like Claude Code, Codex, and OpenCode for a quality gate pipeline. - Repository: [Kun Chen/no-mistakes](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes) - Tags: how-to-guide - Published: 2026-07-14 --- **Run `no-mistakes init` to install the `/no-mistakes` agent skill into your user-level skill directories (`~/.claude/skills/` and `~/.agents/skills/`), enabling coding agents like Claude Code, Codex, and OpenCode to discover and invoke the quality gate pipeline.** The `/no-mistakes` agent skill in the `kunchenguid/no-mistakes` repository provides the primary interface between coding agents and the no-mistakes validation pipeline. Installing this skill allows agents to automatically validate commits or execute tasks through the quality gate system without polluting your repository with configuration files. ## Understanding the /no-mistakes Skill Implementation The canonical implementation lives in **[`internal/skill/skill.go`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/internal/skill/skill.go)**, which serves as the single source of truth for the skill's name, description, and Markdown body. This file defines the **`Description`** field (lines 13-20) that agents use for discovery via front-matter, and the **`Markdown()`** method that generates the full skill instructions. Key implementation details you should know: - **Skill name**: `/no-mistakes` (the slash command agents type) - **Description**: Embedded in YAML front-matter for agent discovery - **Body**: Markdown instructions that teach agents how to translate user intents into `no-mistakes axi` flags ## Installing the /no-mistakes Agent Skill ### Step 1: Initialize the Installation Run the initialization command from any repository where you want to use the skill: ```bash no-mistakes init ``` This command, implemented in **[`internal/cli/init.go`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/internal/cli/init.go)**, performs a best-effort installation that follows existing symlinks between `.claude` and `.agents` directories. This ensures the skill is visible to all supported agents without requiring manual configuration. ### Step 2: Verify Installation Locations The `no-mistakes init` command generates the skill's [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/SKILL.md) from `skill.Markdown()` and copies it to: - `~/.claude/skills/no-mistakes/` - `~/.agents/skills/no-mistakes/` No skill files are written into the repository itself; the installation is purely user-level. This design prevents repository contamination while making the skill globally available to agents. ## How Agents Use the /no-mistakes Skill Once installed, agents can invoke the skill in two modes, both driving the non-interactive **`no-mistakes axi`** command surface that prints TOON output to `stdout` and progress messages to `stderr`. ### Validate-Only Mode (Bare) Invoke the skill without arguments to validate already-committed changes on a feature branch: ``` /no-mistakes ``` This mode is useful when you want the agent to check existing work without performing new tasks. ### Task-First Mode Pass a task description to have the agent perform work, commit it automatically (creating a feature branch if you're on the default branch), and run the pipeline: ``` /no-mistakes add a --json flag to the status command ``` According to **[`internal/skill/skill.go`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/internal/skill/skill.go)** (lines 58-78), this mode translates the task text into the `--intent` flag for `no-mistakes axi run`. The agent reads the skill's Markdown body to know how to invoke `axi respond --action fix` when gates fail. ## Direct CLI Usage Without Agents For non-agent use or CI pipelines, invoke the pipeline directly without installing the skill: ```bash # Run with specific intent no-mistakes axi run --intent "Add JSON flag to status command" # Full automation mode (skips confirmations) no-mistakes axi run --intent "Add JSON flag" --yes ``` ## Generating Skill Documentation for Development For CI pipelines or testing purposes, the repository includes **[`cmd/genskill/main.go`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/cmd/genskill/main.go)**, a CLI tool that renders `skill.Markdown()` to [`skills/no-mistakes/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/skills/no-mistakes/SKILL.md). This is useful for verifying skill syntax or generating documentation artifacts without performing a user-level install. ## Summary - The `/no-mistakes` agent skill is defined in **[`internal/skill/skill.go`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/internal/skill/skill.go)** and serves as the bridge between coding agents and the validation pipeline. - Install via **`no-mistakes init`**, which copies [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/SKILL.md) to `~/.claude/skills/` and `~/.agents/skills/` following any existing symlinks between these directories. - Agents invoke the skill in two modes: **bare** (validate-only) or **task-first**, both ultimately calling `no-mistakes axi` with appropriate flags. - The installation is user-level and repository-agnostic, keeping your projects clean while enabling global agent access to the quality gate. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Where is the /no-mistakes skill installed? The skill installs to user-level directories at `~/.claude/skills/no-mistakes/` and `~/.agents/skills/no-mistakes/`. According to the source code in **[`internal/cli/init.go`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/internal/cli/init.go)**, the installation follows existing symlinks between `.claude` and `.agents` directories to ensure the skill is visible to all supported agents without duplicating files across locations. ### What coding agents support the /no-mistakes skill? The skill is compatible with Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Rovo Dev, Pi, and other agents that follow the standard skill directory convention. The skill's **`Description`** field in **[`internal/skill/skill.go`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/internal/skill/skill.go)** (lines 13-20) generates front-matter that agents parse for discovery, making it visible in supported environments. ### Can I use no-mistakes without installing the agent skill? Yes. The skill is merely a convenience wrapper around the **`no-mistakes axi`** command surface. You can run the pipeline directly from the terminal using commands like `no-mistakes axi run --intent "your task" --yes`. The skill installation only enables natural language invocation through agents and automatic branch management. ### How do I update the skill after installation? Run `no-mistakes init` again after updating the CLI tool. This regenerates the [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/SKILL.md) from `skill.Markdown()` in **[`internal/skill/skill.go`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/internal/skill/skill.go)** and overwrites the files in your skill directories with the latest version. Since the install is user-level and not repository-specific, you only need to update once per machine to affect all repositories.