skillpm — npm-native package manager for Agent Skills

The Agent Skills spec defines what a skill is, but not how to publish, install, version, or share it through npm. skillpm fills that gap.

skillpm keeps Agent Skills inside the normal npm model: package.json, node_modules, lockfiles, semver, and the npm registry.

For full project-wide agent configuration, use APM.

Quick start

# Install a skill (no global install needed)
npx skillpm install <skill-name>

# List installed skills
npx skillpm list

# Scaffold a new skill package
npx skillpm init

Or install the CLI globally:

npm install -g skillpm

Note: Skills are always workspace-local. This installs the skillpm CLI — not skills.

How it works

When you run skillpm install <skill>:

1. npm install — npm handles resolution, download, lockfile, and node_modules/
2. Scan — skillpm scans node_modules/ for packages containing skills/*/SKILL.md
3. Link — for each skill found, skillpm calls skills to wire it into supported agent directories

That is the whole scope: package, install, publish, and link reusable skills.

What skillpm adds

| The spec doesn't define... | skillpm adds... | |---|---| | A registry | Publish to npmjs.org with skillpm publish | | An install command | skillpm install resolves the skill dependency tree | | Dependency management | Standard package.json dependencies — npm handles semver, lockfiles, audit | | Versioning | npm semver, package-lock.json, reproducible installs | | Agent wiring | Links installed skills into agent directories via skills |

Commands

| Command | Description | |---|---| | skillpm install [skill...] | Install skill(s) + dependency tree, then wire them into agent dirs | | skillpm uninstall <skill...> | Remove skill(s) | | skillpm list [--json] | List installed skill packages | | skillpm init | Scaffold a new skill package | | skillpm publish | Publish to npmjs.org (validates the Agent Skills spec) | | skillpm sync | Re-wire agent directories without reinstalling | | skillpm <npm-command> [args] | Any other command is passed through to npm |

Aliases: i/add for install, rm/remove for uninstall, ls for list.

Monorepo / npm workspace support

If your repo is an npm workspace monorepo where each skill is a first-party package, npm installs them as symlinks inside node_modules/.

node_modules/
  @org/
    my-skill → ../../skills/my-skill

skillpm sync (and skillpm install) detects these symlinks and treats them as workspace packages, so contributors can regenerate linked skills after editing local packages.

Creating a skill

mkdir my-skill && cd my-skill
skillpm init

See the full Creating Skills guide for package structure, SKILL.md format, dependencies, and publishing.

What are Agent Skills?

Agent Skills are modular, reusable packages of instructions, scripts, and resources that AI agents can dynamically load to extend their capabilities. They follow an open standard adopted by Claude, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Augment, and others.

Where APM fits

• Use skillpm for reusable npm-distributed skills.
• Use APM for full project agent configuration.

Development

npm install
npm run build
npm test
npm run lint

License

MIT