# What You Can Learn from the pm-skills README: A Complete Guide to the AI Operating System for Product Managers > Discover how to transform AI assistants into product management tools with the pm-skills README. Learn about skills, slash commands, and plugins for the AI operating system. - Repository: [Pawel Huryn/pm-skills](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills) - Tags: getting-started - Published: 2026-07-08 --- **The pm-skills README explains how to transform Claude, Codex, and other AI assistants into specialized product management tools through a modular system of skills, slash commands, and plugins that cover the entire product lifecycle.** The `phuryn/pm-skills` repository serves as an **AI operating system** that encodes product management frameworks into machine-readable formats. According to the source code, the README documents the architecture, installation methods, and nine plugin categories that equip AI models with domain-specific capabilities ranging from opportunity solution trees to go-to-market strategies. ## Architecture: Skills, Commands, and Plugins The README outlines a three-layer architecture that structures how AI assistants access product management knowledge. ### Skills as Knowledge Modules **Skills** are self-contained markdown files stored at `*/skills/*/SKILL.md` that encode specific frameworks. Each skill represents a discrete product management capability—such as SWOT analysis, pricing strategy, or user persona creation—that the AI can invoke automatically when it detects relevance. Users can force a specific skill using the `/plugin-name:skill-name` prefix syntax. ### Commands as Workflow Orchestrators **Commands** function as slash-style workflows declared in `*/commands/*.md` files. These chain multiple skills into end-to-end processes. For example, the `/discover` command runs a sequence of discovery skills including "brainstorm-ideas-new," "identify-assumptions-new," and "prioritize-assumptions" to guide users through product discovery. ### Plugins as Domain Bundles **Plugins** are logical groupings of related skills and commands. The README defines nine plugins in the marketplace, each targeting a specific stage of the product lifecycle. Installing a plugin brings the entire suite for that domain into the AI's context window. ## Installation Options The README provides three distinct installation paths depending on your technical environment and AI assistant of choice. ### Claude Cowork (Recommended for Non-Developers) 1. Open **Customize** in Claude 2. Select **Browse plugins** 3. Click **Add marketplace from GitHub** 4. Enter `phuryn/pm-skills` This method delivers all nine plugins with ready-to-use slash commands through the graphical interface. ### Claude Code (CLI) For terminal-based workflows, use the following commands: ```bash # Add the marketplace registry claude plugin marketplace add phuryn/pm-skills # Install specific plugins claude plugin install pm-product-discovery@pm-skills claude plugin install pm-execution@pm-skills ``` ### Codex CLI (OpenAI) When using OpenAI's Codex, skills are available for prompting but commands are not exposed as slash commands: ```bash codex plugin marketplace add phuryn/pm-skills codex plugin add pm-toolkit@pm-skills ``` ## Available Plugins and Capabilities The README enumerates nine plugins covering the full product management spectrum. Each plugin contains specific skills and corresponding slash commands. | Plugin | Core Purpose | Example Skill | Example Command | |--------|--------------|---------------|-----------------| | **pm-product-discovery** | Ideation through experiment design | `opportunity-solution-tree` | `/discover` | | **pm-product-strategy** | Vision and business model development | `product-vision` | `/strategy` | | **pm-execution** | PRDs, OKRs, and sprint planning | `create-prd` | `/write-prd` | | **pm-market-research** | Personas and competitor analysis | `user-personas` | `/research-users` | | **pm-data-analytics** | SQL generation and cohort analysis | `sql-queries` | `/write-query` | | **pm-go-to-market** | Beachhead strategy and battlecards | `gtm-strategy` | `/plan-launch` | | **pm-marketing-growth** | Positioning and North Star metrics | `north-star-metric` | `/north-star` | | **pm-toolkit** | Resume review and legal documents | `review-resume` | `/review-resume` | | **pm-ai-shipping** | Documentation for AI-generated code | `shipping-artifacts` | `/ship-check` | These definitions reside in the plugin-specific README files such as [`pm-toolkit/README.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-toolkit/README.md) and [`pm-execution/README.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/README.md). ## How to Use Slash Commands Commands are invoked with a leading forward slash. The README demonstrates concrete invocation patterns: ```text /discover AI-powered meeting summarizer for remote teams /strategy B2B project management tool for agencies /write-prd Smart notification system that reduces alert fatigue /north-star Two-sided marketplace connecting freelancers with clients ``` Each command executes its skill chain and then suggests the next logical command, creating a guided workflow from discovery through execution. ## Extending the System The README emphasizes portability and extensibility. Skill files follow a **universal markdown format** that can be copied into other AI assistants including Gemini, OpenCode, Cursor, and Kiro. To add new capabilities: 1. Create a [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/SKILL.md) file under the appropriate plugin's `skills/` directory 2. Or create a new `*.md` file under `commands/` to define slash workflows 3. The marketplace automatically indexes new files without requiring configuration updates ## Summary - The **pm-skills README** documents an AI operating system that turns general-purpose models into product management specialists through structured markdown files. - The architecture separates **skills** (individual frameworks), **commands** (workflow chains), and **plugins** (domain-specific bundles). - Installation supports **Claude Cowork**, **Claude Code CLI**, and **Codex CLI**, with nine plugins covering discovery, strategy, execution, and go-to-market phases. - Skills are automatically loaded when relevant, or forced via `/plugin-name:skill-name` syntax. - The system is fully extensible by adding markdown files to `*/skills/` and `*/commands/` directories. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What file format do pm-skills use for knowledge storage? The system uses **markdown files** with specific naming conventions. Skills are stored as [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/SKILL.md) within plugin subdirectories (e.g., `pm-product-discovery/skills/`), while commands are defined as `*.md` files within `*/commands/` folders. This plain-text approach ensures compatibility across Claude, Codex, Gemini, and other AI assistants. ### How does the automatic skill detection work? According to the README source, the AI model **automatically loads** relevant skills when it detects contextual cues in the conversation. Users can override this behavior and force specific skills using the prefix syntax `/plugin-name:skill-name`, such as `/pm-product-discovery:opportunity-solution-tree`, ensuring precise control over which frameworks the AI applies. ### Can I use pm-skills without Claude? Yes. While slash commands require Claude's Cowork or Code interfaces, the **skill markdown files** can be manually copied into prompts for other AI assistants including OpenAI's Codex, Google's Gemini, Cursor, and OpenCode. The README includes a dedicated section "Other AI assistants (skills only)" explaining this portable approach. ### What is the difference between a skill and a command? A **skill** is a single knowledge module that teaches the AI one specific framework (like creating user personas). A **command** is a workflow that **chains multiple skills** together—for instance, `/discover` orchestrates ideation, assumption mapping, and experiment design skills into a complete discovery process.