# Prerequisites for Using pm-skills: Essential Setup Guide for Product Managers

> Learn the essential prerequisites for using pm-skills. Understand product management basics, AI assistant access, Python 3.8+, and plugin-skill architecture for setup.

- Repository: [Pawel Huryn/pm-skills](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills)
- Tags: getting-started
- Published: 2026-07-08

---

**To use pm-skills, you need basic product management knowledge, access to a supported AI assistant like Claude Code or Codex CLI, Python 3.8+ for validation scripts, and familiarity with the plugin-skill-command architecture.**

The pm-skills repository is a marketplace of nine independent plugins that expose 68 product-management skills and 42 chained commands to AI assistants. Understanding the prerequisites for using pm-skills ensures you can install, configure, and leverage these tools effectively from the first command. This guide covers the technical and domain knowledge requirements based on the repository structure and documentation found in [`README.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/README.md) and [`CLAUDE.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/CLAUDE.md).

## Core Product Management Knowledge

Before installing the plugins, you should understand the underlying frameworks that the skills implement. The repository provides concrete implementations of standard product management methodologies.

You need familiarity with frameworks such as:

- Discovery and Lean Canvas
- SWOT analysis and Porter's Five Forces
- OKRs and North Star metrics
- Roadmapping and Go-to-Market (GTM) strategies
- Cohort analysis and other analytics methods

Understanding these concepts allows you to ask the right questions when using skills like `lean-canvas` or `swot-analysis`. Each skill in paths like [`pm-product-strategy/skills/lean-canvas/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-strategy/skills/lean-canvas/SKILL.md) assumes you recognize the methodology it implements.

## AI Assistant Access Requirements

The pm-skills marketplace is consumed as a plugin by compatible AI assistants. You must have access to one of the supported platforms to load and execute the skills.

Supported AI assistants include:

- **Claude Code** and **Claude Cowork**
- **Codex CLI**
- **Gemini CLI**
- **Cursor** and **Kiro**

These tools read the [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/SKILL.md) format and automatically load skills when they detect relevant terminology. Commands must be invoked explicitly using the forward-slash syntax, such as `/discover`.

### Installation Commands

Add the marketplace to your AI assistant using the CLI:

```bash

# Add the marketplace (Claude Code)

claude plugin marketplace add phuryn/pm-skills

```

Install individual plugins as needed:

```bash

# Install specific plugin

claude plugin install pm-product-discovery@pm-skills

```

Force-load a specific skill when auto-detection is ambiguous:

```text
/pm-product-discovery:lean-canvas

```

Run chained commands that utilize multiple skills:

```text
/discover AI-powered meeting summarizer for remote teams

```

## Technical Prerequisites

While the skills run within AI assistants, certain technical requirements enable full functionality and validation.

### Python 3.8 or Higher

The validation scripts and test suite require Python 3.8+. These tools ensure plugin integrity and consistency with the marketplace manifest defined in [`.claude-plugin/marketplace.json`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json).

Validate your installation locally:

```bash
python3 validate_plugins.py
python3 -m unittest discover -s tests

```

The validator checks plugin JSON, skill front-matter, command front-matter, and intra-plugin references as implemented in [`validate_plugins.py`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/validate_plugins.py).

### Git (Optional but Recommended)

Git enables you to clone the repository, inspect source files like `pm-<plugin>/.claude-plugin/plugin.json`, or contribute new skills. While optional, cloning allows you to browse raw [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/SKILL.md) files and run unit tests locally.

```bash

# Example: Copy skills to OpenCode directory

for plugin in pm-*/; do
  mkdir -p .opencode/skills/
  cp -r "$plugin/skills/"* .opencode/skills/ 2>/dev/null
done

```

## Understanding the Plugin Architecture

Grasping the relationship between plugins, skills, and commands prevents usage errors and helps you navigate the marketplace effectively.

According to [`CLAUDE.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/CLAUDE.md) (lines 49-59), the architecture follows these rules:

- **Skills** are noun-based and auto-load when the assistant detects relevant terminology
- **Commands** are verb-based and must be invoked explicitly (e.g., `/discover`)
- Each plugin is installable independently without cross-plugin hard-references

This separation prevents dependency conflicts. For example, [`pm-product-discovery/commands/discover.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/commands/discover.md) chains multiple skills but remains self-contained within its plugin.

## Validation and Consistency

Running the test suite ensures your local changes remain consistent with the marketplace manifest and versioning.

The test suite in `tests/` includes:

- [`test_validator.py`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/test_validator.py) - Plugin structure validation
- [`test_consistency.py`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/test_consistency.py) - Marketplace manifest alignment

Execute tests to verify plugin integrity:

```bash
python -m unittest discover -s tests

```

## Summary

- **Domain knowledge** in product management frameworks (Lean Canvas, OKRs, SWOT) is essential for effective skill utilization
- **AI assistant access** through Claude Code, Codex CLI, or compatible tools is required to consume the marketplace
- **Python 3.8+** enables validation via [`validate_plugins.py`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/validate_plugins.py) and running the `tests/` suite
- **Git** facilitates source inspection and contribution to the nine-plugin repository
- **Architecture understanding** of noun-based skills (auto-loading) versus verb-based commands (explicit invocation) ensures proper usage

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Do I need to be a Python developer to use pm-skills?

No. While Python 3.8+ is required for running the validator and tests in [`validate_plugins.py`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/validate_plugins.py), you can use the skills without any coding knowledge. The Python requirements are only necessary if you want to validate the marketplace locally or contribute to the repository.

### Can I use pm-skills with ChatGPT or other web-based AI assistants?

No. The pm-skills marketplace requires AI assistants that support the [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/SKILL.md) plugin format and CLI installation commands. Supported platforms include Claude Code, Claude Cowork, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, Cursor, and Kiro. Standard web-based ChatGPT does not support this plugin architecture.

### What happens if I don't have product management experience?

You can still install and run the commands, but the output will be less meaningful. The skills in directories like `pm-product-discovery/skills/` assume familiarity with frameworks like Lean Canvas and Discovery. Without this background, you may struggle to interpret results or ask effective follow-up questions.

### How do I verify my installation is working correctly?

Run the validation script and test suite:

```bash
python3 validate_plugins.py
python3 -m unittest discover -s tests

```

These commands check that the plugin JSON in [`.claude-plugin/marketplace.json`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json) aligns with the actual skill files and that all intra-plugin references are valid.