# skills | Vercel Labs | Knowledge Base | Instagit

The open agent skills tool - npx skills

GitHub Stars: 15.8k

Repository: https://github.com/vercel-labs/skills

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## Articles

### [Complete List of Supported Skill Discovery Paths in the Skills CLI](/vercel-labs/skills/supported-skill-discovery-paths-in-repositories-skills-cli)

Explore the complete list of skill discovery paths supported by the Skills CLI. Discover skills across conventional folders, vendor namespaces, and plugins.

- Tags: api-reference
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [How to Create Custom Skills Using the `skills init` Command](/vercel-labs/skills/how-to-create-custom-skills-skills-init-command)

Learn to create custom skills easily with the skills init command. This tool scaffolds a complete skill, including the SKILL.md file, to get you started fast.

- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [How skillFolderHash Detects Skill Updates in the Vercel Skills CLI](/vercel-labs/skills/role-of-skillfolderhash-in-detecting-skill-updates)

Learn how skillFolderHash detects skill updates in the Vercel Skills CLI by comparing GitHub tree SHAs in .skill-lock.json. Efficiently track changes without downloading files.

- Tags: internals
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [Local vs. Global Lock File Formats in the Skills CLI: A Complete Technical Guide](/vercel-labs/skills/differences-between-local-and-global-lock-file-formats-skills-cli)

Understand the differences between local (version 1) and global (version 3) lock file formats in the Skills CLI. Learn how each format manages skill metadata and version control.

- Tags: deep-dive
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [Universal Agents vs. Agent-Specific Symlinked Installations in the Skills CLI](/vercel-labs/skills/universal-agents-vs-agent-specific-symlinked-installations)

Understand universal agents and agent-specific symlinked installations in Vercel Skills CLI. Learn how shared directories and symlinks impact your setup.

- Tags: deep-dive
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [How the Skills CLI Agent Detection Mechanism Works: A Deep Dive into `vercel-labs/skills`](/vercel-labs/skills/agent-detection-mechanism-used-by-skills-cli)

Understand how the Skills CLI detects agents by examining unique filesystem markers. Learn about its configurable detection map in this deep dive into vercel-labs/skills.

- Tags: deep-dive
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [How to Handle Skill Names with Spaces During Installation in the Skills CLI](/vercel-labs/skills/how-to-handle-skill-names-with-spaces-during-installation)

Learn how the Skills CLI automatically handles skill names with spaces during installation, converting them to hyphens for safe filesystem storage without manual changes.

- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [How the Skills CLI Handles Multi-Word Skill Name Matching with Filters](/vercel-labs/skills/skills-cli-skill-name-matching-multi-word-filters)

Discover how the skills CLI matches multi-word skill names using a token-based algorithm. Learn how to filter skills effectively with this guide.

- Tags: internals
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [How the `skills find` Interactive Search Command Works with fzf-Style Selection](/vercel-labs/skills/interactive-find-search-command-fzf-style-selection-skills-cli)

Discover how the skills find command offers fzf-style interactive search directly in your terminal. Learn about raw terminal mode, debounced calls, and ANSI codes, all without external dependencies.

- Tags: internals
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [SKILL.md File Format: Required YAML Frontmatter Structure for Vercel Skills](/vercel-labs/skills/skill-md-file-format-yaml-frontmatter-requirements)

Learn the required SKILL.md file format for Vercel. Understand the essential YAML frontmatter structure including name and description fields for your projects.

- Tags: api-reference
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [Does the Skills CLI Support XDG Base Directory Specification for Skill Storage Paths?](/vercel-labs/skills/skills-cli-xdg-base-directory-specification-support)

Discover if the skills CLI supports XDG Base Directory for skill storage. Learn how it uses $XDG_STATE_HOME or falls back to ~/.agents for seamless configuration management.

- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [Skills CLI Environment Variables: Complete Configuration Guide](/vercel-labs/skills/environment-variables-supported-by-skills-cli)

Master the Skills CLI environment variables for authentication, endpoints, and agent config. Explore 16+ variables to optimize your workflow in this complete guide.

- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [How to Selectively Remove Skills from Specific Agents Using the `skills remove` Command](/vercel-labs/skills/how-to-remove-skills-from-specific-agents-remove-command)

Learn how to selectively remove skills from specific agents using the skills remove command with the -a or --agent flag. Uninstall skills without affecting other agents.

- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [How experimental_sync Integrates with node_modules in the Skills CLI](/vercel-labs/skills/how-experimental-sync-command-integrates-with-node-modules)

Discover how experimental_sync integrates with node_modules in the Skills CLI, scanning npm packages and installing them into agent skill directories via symlinks for seamless skill management.

- Tags: internals
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [Supported Source Formats for Installing Skills in the Skills CLI](/vercel-labs/skills/supported-source-formats-for-installing-skills-cli)

Discover the 10 supported source formats for installing skills via the skills CLI. Easily install from local paths, GitHub shorthand, URLs, and more.

- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [How the Claude Code Plugin Discovers Manifests Through marketplace.json](/vercel-labs/skills/how-claude-code-plugin-discovers-manifests-marketplacejson)

Learn how the Claude Code plugin finds skill manifests by parsing marketplace.json, validating paths, and scanning for SKILL.md files to discover plugins.

- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [How to Work with Internal Skills Using the `INSTALL_INTERNAL_SKILLS` Environment Variable](/vercel-labs/skills/how-to-work-with-internal-skills-install-internal-skills)

Learn how to work with internal skills by setting the INSTALL_INTERNAL_SKILLS environment variable. Easily reveal and install skills marked as internal true in SKILL.md.

- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [How to Use the `--full-depth` Flag for Recursive Skill Discovery in the Skills CLI](/vercel-labs/skills/how-to-use-full-depth-flag-recursive-skill-discovery)

Master recursive skill discovery with the Skills CLI full-depth flag. Learn how to find all SKILL.md files in any subdirectory, even with existing root files.

- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [Understanding the Lock File Architecture in the Skills CLI: Global `.skill-lock.json` vs Local `skills-lock.json`](/vercel-labs/skills/skills-cli-lock-file-architecture-global-vs-local)

Learn the skills CLI lock file architecture. Discover the difference between global .skill-lock.json for machine updates and local skills-lock.json for project installs to ensure reproducible builds.

- Tags: internals
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [Security Audit Features in the skills CLI: How Gen, Socket, and Snyk Protect Your Code](/vercel-labs/skills/security-audit-features-socket-snyk-gen-skills-cli)

Discover how the skills CLI uses Gen, Socket, and Snyk to conduct comprehensive security audits and protect your code. Get risk assessments at a glance.

- Tags: deep-dive
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [How to Target Specific Agents with the `--agent` Flag During Skill Installation](/vercel-labs/skills/how-to-target-specific-agents-with-agent-flag)

Install skills to specific agents with the --agent flag. Target runtimes like cursor or claude-code or use * for all agents. Learn how to manage your skill installations effectively.

- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [How the SkillFolderHash Mechanism Works for Checking Skill Updates in Vercel Skills](/vercel-labs/skills/how-skillfolderhash-works-for-update-checking)

Discover how the skillFolderHash mechanism in Vercel Skills uses GitHub tree SHAs to quickly detect skill updates, bypassing slow per-file checks and streamlining your workflow.

- Tags: internals
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [Project-Level vs Global Skill Installation Scopes in the Skills CLI](/vercel-labs/skills/project-level-vs-global-skill-installation-scopes)

Understand project-level vs global skill installation scopes in the Skills CLI. Install skills locally for a project or user-wide for all projects.

- Tags: internals
- Published: 2026-04-23

### [How the Skills CLI Differentiates Between Symlink and Copy Installation Modes](/vercel-labs/skills/how-skills-cli-differentiates-symlink-copy-installation)

Learn how the skills CLI differentiates symlink vs copy installation modes. Discover the default symlink mode and fallback to copy for seamless installations.

- Tags: internals
- Published: 2026-04-23