# --install-skill

Source: https://zshot-cli.com/reference/flags/agents/install-skill/
Markdown: https://zshot-cli.com/reference/flags/agents/install-skill/index.md
Section: [Reference](https://zshot-cli.com/reference/) › [Flags](https://zshot-cli.com/reference/flags/) › [Agents](https://zshot-cli.com/reference/flags/agents/)
CLI: `--install-skill` · REST: CLI only
Value: `PATH`

Writes the Agent Skill into a `zshot/` folder in a skills directory. A path ending `.zip` writes a package instead, for hosts such as Claude Desktop that install a skill from one file.

## Default Directory

With no path, run by a coding agent, the skill goes into that agent's user skills directory, which ZShot creates when it is missing:

| Agent | Directory |
|---|---|
| Claude Code | `~/.claude/skills` |
| Codex | `~/.agents/skills` |
| Gemini CLI | `~/.gemini/skills` |
| Antigravity | `~/.gemini/antigravity-cli/skills` |
| Cursor | `~/.cursor/skills` |
| OpenCode | `~/.config/opencode/skills` |
| pi | `~/.pi/agent/skills` |

Otherwise the skill goes into `./.agents/skills`, or `~/.agents/skills` when that is absent, and ZShot fails when neither exists. A path you pass must be an existing directory.

## Agent Notice

When a coding agent runs ZShot and its skill is missing or older than ZShot, ZShot writes one `AGENT NOTICE:` line to stderr saying so. ZShot recognizes an agent by the environment variables it sets or by its process, and only when stderr is not a terminal. `--quiet` silences the line, and `ZSHOT_DETECT_AGENT=0` stops ZShot looking for an agent.

## Existing Files

On a terminal, ZShot asks before replacing each existing file. Without a terminal it replaces them. A `.zip` that already exists is never replaced.

## Example

Install where the agent running ZShot reads skills, or into the first skills directory found:
**CLI**

```sh
zshot --install-skill
```

Install for Claude Code:
**CLI**

```sh
zshot --install-skill ~/.claude/skills/
```

Write a package:
**CLI**

```sh
zshot --install-skill ./zshot.zip
```

## Related

Flags:

- [`--agent-help`](https://zshot-cli.com/reference/flags/agents/agent-help/)
- [`--mcp-local-server`](https://zshot-cli.com/reference/flags/agents/mcp-local-server/)

Topics:

- [Skills](https://zshot-cli.com/reference/agents/skills/)
- [Agents](https://zshot-cli.com/reference/agents/)
- [Agent Skills](https://agentskills.io/)
- [Claude Code Skills](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/skills)

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