Beginner Guide to AI Agent Skills
What Are Skills?
Skills are Markdown files that teach AI coding agents (like Claude Code, Cursor, OpenCode) how to perform specific tasks. Think of them as "plugin packs" for your AI assistant — install one, and your AI instantly gains new capabilities.
How Do They Work?
Each skill contains instructions (prompts) that tell the AI agent what to do in specific situations. For example, a "code review" skill tells the AI to automatically review your pull requests for bugs, style issues, and security problems.
Which Tools Support Skills?
| Tool | How to Install |
|---|---|
| Claude Code | Copy SKILL.md to ~/.claude/skills/ or clone the repo |
| Cursor | Copy SKILL.md content into your .cursorrules file |
| OpenCode | Add SKILL.md to your project's skills directory |
| Gemini CLI | Include the skill content in your agent's system prompt |
How to Get Started
- Browse categories in the sidebar — find skills relevant to your work
- Check the stars — higher GitHub stars usually means more battle-tested
- Read the description — each skill page shows the full documentation from GitHub
- Copy the install command — one click, paste it in your terminal
- Start using it — your AI agent now has the new skill!
Recommended First Skills
If you are new, start with these community favorites:
FAQ
Are skills free? Yes — all skills listed here are open-source and free to use.
Can I create my own skill? Absolutely! Write a SKILL.md with your instructions and share it on GitHub.
How are skills rated? We use real GitHub star data to rank skills. More stars = more community trust.