System Skill Installer — Workflow

Overview

How the system-skill-installer skill works, step by step.

Source Workflow

Codex skill workflow.

Step-by-step Workflow

Skill Installer

Helps install skills. By default these are from https://github.com/openai/skills/tree/main/skills/.curated, but users can also provide other locations. Experimental skills live in https://github.com/openai/skills/tree/main/skills/.experimental and can be installed the same way.

Use the helper scripts based on the task:

  • List skills when the user asks what is available, or if the user uses this skill without specifying what to do. Default listing is .curated, but you can pass --path skills/.experimental when they ask about experimental skills.
  • Install from the curated list when the user provides a skill name.
  • Install from another repo when the user provides a GitHub repo/path (including private repos).

Install skills with the helper scripts.

Communication

When listing skills, output approximately as follows, depending on the context of the user's request. If they ask about experimental skills, list from .experimental instead of .curated and label the source accordingly: """ Skills from {repo}:

  1. skill-1
  2. skill-2 (already installed)
  3. ... Which ones would you like installed? """

After installing a skill, tell the user: "Restart Codex to pick up new skills."

Scripts

All of these scripts use network, so when running in the sandbox, request escalation when running them.

  • scripts/list-skills.py (prints skills list with installed annotations)
  • scripts/list-skills.py --format json
  • Example (experimental list): scripts/list-skills.py --path skills/.experimental
  • scripts/install-skill-from-github.py --repo <owner>/<repo> --path <path/to/skill> [<path/to/skill> ...]
  • scripts/install-skill-from-github.py --url https://github.com/<owner>/<repo>/tree/<ref>/<path>
  • Example (experimental skill): scripts/install-skill-from-github.py --repo openai/skills --path skills/.experimental/<skill-name>

Behavior and Options

  • Defaults to direct download for public GitHub repos.
  • If download fails with auth/permission errors, falls back to git sparse checkout.
  • Aborts if the destination skill directory already exists.
  • Installs into $CODEX_HOME/skills/<skill-name> (defaults to ~/.codex/skills).
  • Multiple --path values install multiple skills in one run, each named from the path basename unless --name is supplied.
  • Options: --ref <ref> (default main), --dest <path>, --method auto|download|git.

Notes

  • Curated listing is fetched from https://github.com/openai/skills/tree/main/skills/.curated via the GitHub API. If it is unavailable, explain the error and exit.
  • Private GitHub repos can be accessed via existing git credentials or optional GITHUB_TOKEN/GH_TOKEN for download.
  • Git fallback tries HTTPS first, then SSH.
  • The skills at https://github.com/openai/skills/tree/main/skills/.system are preinstalled, so no need to help users install those. If they ask, just explain this. If they insist, you can download and overwrite.
  • Installed annotations come from $CODEX_HOME/skills.

Execution Logic

The skill executes when its trigger fires (slash command, natural-language match, or direct invocation). It reads its references, applies its rules, and produces the documented outputs.

Edge Cases

See the source skill's references/ and scripts/ folders for edge-case handling.

Failure Handling

A skill failure surfaces as a tool error or a partial output; never a silent skip. Re-run with --verbose (where applicable) for diagnostics.

Integration Notes

  • Claude — invoked via the Skill tool with skill: "system-skill-installer".
  • Codex — referenced from AGENTS.md if mirrored.
  • Antigravity — referenced from the workspace agent rules if mirrored.
  • HQ Project — listed on the landing page Skills section + post-login sidebar.
  • MD Project (md.sgnk.ai) — file rendered from Skills/System Skill Installer/workflow.md.
  • Obsidian — file rendered with frontmatter + tags.

Usage Examples

Invoke via slash command or natural language matching the skill description.

Source: (none)