name	skill-installer
description	Install Codex skills into $CODEX_HOME/skills from a curated list or a GitHub repo path. Use when a user asks to list installable skills, install a curated skill, or install a skill from another repo (including private repos).
metadata	{"short-description": "Install curated skills from openai/skills or other repos"}

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.

Use the helper scripts based on the task: - List curated skills when the user asks what is available, or if the user uses this skill without specifying what to do. - 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 curated skills, output approximately as follows, depending on the context of the user's request: """ 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-curated-skills.py (prints curated list with installed annotations)
scripts/list-curated-skills.py --format json
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>

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.