skillctl

Unified skill manager for AI coding tools. Install skills from the registry, sync them to Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, OpenCode, and OpenClaw with a single command.

npm install -g @harness.farm/skillctl

What is a skill?

A skill is a SKILL.md file that extends what an AI coding tool can do. Skills follow the open AgentSkills standard and work across all supported clients.

my-skill/
├── SKILL.md        # instructions + frontmatter (required)
├── examples/       # optional supporting files
└── scripts/

# SKILL.md
---
name: my-skill
version: 1.0.0
description: What this skill does and when to use it
---

Your instructions here...

Commands

Local management

skillctl list                   # list installed skills
skillctl enable <name>          # enable a skill
skillctl disable <name>         # disable a skill
skillctl sync                   # sync skills to all enabled clients

Clients

skillctl clients                # show all clients and their status
skillctl clients enable <id>    # enable a client
skillctl clients disable <id>   # disable a client

Client IDs: claude-code, cursor, windsurf, opencode, openclaw

Registry

skillctl search                 # browse all skills
skillctl search <query>         # search by name or description
skillctl install <name>         # install latest version
skillctl install <name>@<ver>   # install specific version
skillctl publish [dir]          # publish current dir (or specified dir)

CLI Tools

skillctl cli                    # list registered CLI tools

How sync works

Skills are stored in ~/.skillctl/skills/. When you run skillctl sync, each enabled skill is symlinked into the skills directory of every enabled client:

Client	Skills directory
Claude Code	~/.claude/skills/
Cursor	~/.cursor/skills/
Windsurf	~/.codeium/windsurf/skills/
OpenCode	~/.config/opencode/skills/
OpenClaw	~/.openclaw/skills/

Sync uses a merge strategy: skillctl only writes its own skills and never removes skills you created manually in those directories.

Publishing

Set your publish token, then run publish from a skill directory:

export SKILLCTL_TOKEN=your_token
skillctl publish ./my-skill

The skill directory must contain a SKILL.md with name and version in the frontmatter. Once published, anyone can install it:

skillctl install my-skill

Browse published skills at skillctl.dev/marketplace.

Config

Skills and registry state are stored in ~/.skillctl/:

~/.skillctl/
├── skills/          # installed skills
├── cli/             # registered CLI tools
└── registry.yaml    # enabled/disabled state per skill and client

Example workflow

# Find and install a skill
skillctl search design
skillctl install next-variant

# Sync to all your AI tools
skillctl sync

# Check what's installed
skillctl list

# Disable for a specific client by editing ~/.skillctl/registry.yaml
# or disable the client entirely
skillctl clients disable windsurf