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How to Install AI Coding Skills in 30 Seconds

skills-hub.ai team3 min read
tutorialinstallationclaude codecursorwindsurfcodex cligetting started

AI coding assistants like Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, and Codex CLI are powerful out of the box. But they become dramatically more useful when you give them domain-specific skills. This guide shows you how to install skills on any supported platform in under 30 seconds.

What are AI coding skills?

A skill is a SKILL.md file that contains structured instructions for AI coding assistants. Think of it like a specialized training module. Instead of your AI giving generic advice about Next.js, a Next.js skill teaches it Vercel's actual recommended patterns, App Router conventions, and best practices.

Skills live in your project directory and are automatically loaded by your AI tool. They are version-controlled, shareable, and open source.

Prerequisites

You need Node.js 18+and one of the supported AI coding tools: Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Codex CLI, GitHub Copilot, or Cline. That's it.

Method 1: The CLI (recommended)

The skills-hub CLI is the fastest way to install skills. It auto-detects which AI tool you are using and places the skill file in the correct location.

Step 1: Install a skill directly

No global install needed. Just run:

npx @skills-hub-ai/cli install nextjs-development

The CLI detects your AI tool, downloads the skill, and places it in the right directory. Done.

Step 2: Search before you install

Not sure what slug to use? Search from the command line:

npx @skills-hub-ai/cli search "react testing"

The CLI searches the full skills-hub.ai catalog and shows matching results with descriptions and install counts.

Step 3: Initialize your project

For first-time setup, run:

npx @skills-hub-ai/cli init

This creates the correct skill directory structure for your AI tool and optionally installs recommended starter skills.

Method 2: One-click from the website

Every skill page on skills-hub.ai shows the exact install command. Visit the skill page, copy the command, paste it in your terminal. The website also shows the full skill content so you can review it before installing.

Method 3: Manual installation

If you prefer manual control, create the skill file yourself:

Platform-specific paths

PlatformSkill directory
Claude Code.claude/skills/
Cursor.cursor/rules/
Windsurf.windsurf/rules/
Codex CLI.codex/

The CLI handles all of this automatically, but it's good to know where skills live in case you want to edit them.

Verifying installation

After installing, verify the skill is loaded by asking your AI assistant about the topic. If you installed a Next.js skill, ask Claude about App Router patterns. The response should reflect the specific knowledge from the skill, not generic information.

Managing installed skills

# List all installed skills
npx @skills-hub-ai/cli list

# Remove a skill
npx @skills-hub-ai/cli remove nextjs-development

# Update to latest version
npx @skills-hub-ai/cli update nextjs-development

Next steps