# How to Install and Use Curriculum Skills in Claude or Cursor from ai-engineering-from-scratch

> Install and use curriculum skills in Claude or Cursor. Run the installer script to copy SKILL.md artifacts and activate them with slash commands like /find-your-level.

- Repository: [Rohit Ghumare/ai-engineering-from-scratch](https://github.com/rohitg00/ai-engineering-from-scratch)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-06-14

---

**Run the installer script [`scripts/install_skills.py`](https://github.com/rohitg00/ai-engineering-from-scratch/blob/main/scripts/install_skills.py) to copy SKILL.md artifacts into `~/.claude/skills/` or `~/.cursor/skills/`, then activate them via slash commands like `/find-your-level`.**

The **ai-engineering-from-scratch** repository by rohitg00 ships portable **curriculum skills** (SKILL.md artifacts) that integrate directly into Claude, Cursor, and other AI agents. These skills provide interactive learning workflows, assessment quizzes, and specialized tools that appear as native slash commands once installed. This guide covers the complete installation process, directory structure, and usage patterns based on the actual source implementation.

## What Are Curriculum Skills?

Curriculum skills are **markdown-based skill definitions** stored in `phases/**/outputs/*-skill-*.md` files throughout the repository. Each artifact contains YAML front-matter (name, description, version, tags) followed by the SKILL.md body that defines the agent's behavior.

When installed, these files land in agent-specific skill directories where Claude and Cursor automatically discover them. The agent exposes each skill as a **slash command** derived from the skill's `name` field, making complex curriculum interactions available through simple commands like `/check-understanding 14` or `/find-your-level`.

## Installation Guide

### Prerequisites

You need Python 3.x and the repository source code. Clone the repository to access the installer:

```bash
git clone https://github.com/rohitg00/ai-engineering-from-scratch.git
cd ai-engineering-from-scratch

```

### Choosing the Target Directory

Different agents scan different default locations for skill files:

| Agent | Default Skill Directory |
|-------|-------------------------|
| **Claude** | `~/.claude/skills/` |
| **Cursor** | `~/.cursor/skills/` |
| **OpenClaw** | `~/.config/openclaw/skills/` |

Create the appropriate directory if it does not exist.

### Running the Installer Script

The **[`scripts/install_skills.py`](https://github.com/rohitg00/ai-engineering-from-scratch/blob/main/scripts/install_skills.py)** file handles discovery, filtering, and placement of skill artifacts. You can invoke it directly or use the `npx` wrapper command generated by the web UI (as seen in [`site/lesson.html`](https://github.com/rohitg00/ai-engineering-from-scratch/blob/main/site/lesson.html) lines 3078-3081).

**Install all skills:**

```bash
npx skills add rohitg00/ai-engineering-from-scratch \
  --target $HOME/.claude/skills

```

**Install a specific skill:**

```bash
npx skills add rohitg00/ai-engineering-from-scratch \
  --skill find-your-level \
  --target $HOME/.cursor/skills

```

**Direct Python invocation (equivalent):**

```bash
python3 scripts/install_skills.py \
  $HOME/.claude/skills \
  --skill find-your-level \
  --layout skills

```

The script accepts several filtering options:

- `--type {skill,prompt,agent,all}` – Filter by artifact type (default: `skill`)
- `--phase N` – Install only skills from a specific curriculum phase
- `--tag TAG` – Filter by metadata tags (e.g., `safety`)
- `--layout {flat,by-phase,skills}` – Choose directory structure; use `skills` for Claude/Cursor compatibility
- `--dry-run` – Preview changes without writing files
- `--force` – Overwrite existing skill files

### Verifying the Installation

Confirm the skill files are correctly placed by inspecting the target directory:

```bash
ls -la $HOME/.claude/skills/
cat $HOME/.claude/skills/find-your-level/SKILL.md | head -n 10

```

The installer also writes a **[`manifest.json`](https://github.com/rohitg00/ai-engineering-from-scratch/blob/main/manifest.json)** to the target root. Query it to see installed skills:

```bash
jq '.artifacts[] | {name, version}' $HOME/.claude/skills/manifest.json

```

## Using Skills in Claude and Cursor

### Available Slash Commands

Once installed, skills automatically register as slash commands. Common commands from the ai-engineering-from-scratch curriculum include:

| Command | Source File | Function |
|---------|-------------|----------|
| `/find-your-level` | [`phases/01-fundamentals/outputs/find-your-level-skill.md`](https://github.com/rohitg00/ai-engineering-from-scratch/blob/main/phases/01-fundamentals/outputs/find-your-level-skill.md) | Starts a 10-question placement quiz mapping you to the appropriate learning phase |
| `/check-understanding <phase>` | Various phase outputs | Runs assessment quizzes for specific phase numbers (e.g., `/check-understanding 14`) |

The skill logic executes within the agent's environment, respecting permission modes and budget constraints defined in each SKILL.md's front-matter.

### Practical Workflow Example

1. Open Claude or Cursor in a new session
2. Type `/find-your-level` and press Enter
3. The agent loads the skill from `~/.claude/skills/find-your-level/SKILL.md` and initiates the interactive quiz
4. Respond to prompts; the skill may invoke external tools (like `curl` or `git`) through constrained agent capabilities

## Advanced Installation Options

### Filtering by Phase or Tag

Install only phase 19 capstone skills for a focused environment:

```bash
python3 scripts/install_skills.py \
  $HOME/.cursor/skills \
  --phase 19 \
  --layout skills

```

Install safety-critical skills using tag filtering:

```bash
python3 scripts/install_skills.py \
  $HOME/.claude/skills \
  --tag safety \
  --type skill

```

### Layout Strategies

The `--layout` flag controls how files are organized:

- **`flat`** – All SKILL.md files in the root target directory (renamed by skill)
- **`by-phase`** – Organized by curriculum phase number
- **`skills`** – Creates `<skill-name>/SKILL.md` structure (required by Claude/Cursor)

According to [`scripts/install_skills.py`](https://github.com/rohitg00/ai-engineering-from-scratch/blob/main/scripts/install_skills.py) lines 61-65, the `skills` layout creates the directory structure `~/.claude/skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md` that agents expect.

## Summary

- **Curriculum skills** are SKILL.md artifacts stored in `phases/**/outputs/` that provide interactive learning capabilities
- **Install** them using [`scripts/install_skills.py`](https://github.com/rohitg00/ai-engineering-from-scratch/blob/main/scripts/install_skills.py) or `npx skills add rohitg00/ai-engineering-from-scratch --target ~/.claude/skills/`
- **Target directories** must match your agent: `~/.claude/skills/` for Claude, `~/.cursor/skills/` for Cursor
- **Activate** skills via slash commands (`/find-your-level`, `/check-understanding 14`) once files are in place
- **Verify** installations by checking [`manifest.json`](https://github.com/rohitg00/ai-engineering-from-scratch/blob/main/manifest.json) and the presence of `<skill-name>/SKILL.md` files

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Where does the installer script place the skill files?

The installer copies SKILL.md artifacts to `<target>/<skill-name>/SKILL.md` when using the `--layout skills` option. As implemented in [`scripts/install_skills.py`](https://github.com/rohitg00/ai-engineering-from-scratch/blob/main/scripts/install_skills.py), this mirrors the expected structure for Claude (`~/.claude/skills/`) and Cursor (`~/.cursor/skills/`) discovery.

### Can I install skills without using npx?

Yes. Run the Python script directly: `python3 scripts/install_skills.py <target-dir> --skill <name>`. The `npx skills add` command shown in the web UI ([`site/lesson.html`](https://github.com/rohitg00/ai-engineering-from-scratch/blob/main/site/lesson.html) lines 3078-3081) is simply a wrapper that invokes this script with appropriate arguments.

### How do I know which slash commands are available after installation?

Check the [`manifest.json`](https://github.com/rohitg00/ai-engineering-from-scratch/blob/main/manifest.json) file in your target directory. It lists all installed artifacts with their metadata. Alternatively, start typing `/` in Claude or Cursor to see the auto-completed list of available skills loaded from the skill directory.

### Do I need to restart Claude or Cursor after installing skills?

Most agents pick up new skills automatically when they scan the skill directory. If a newly installed command does not appear immediately, try typing `/refresh` (if supported) or restart the agent session. The [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/rohitg00/ai-engineering-from-scratch/blob/main/AGENTS.md) file in the repository root explains the discovery mechanism in detail.