FAQ
Honest answers, no marketing hedges.
Everything about Claude Skills Hub, from getting started to advanced usage. If your question is not here, reply to any of our emails and it lands in the founder inbox.
Twenty questions, answered.
What is Claude Skills Hub?
A curated directory of ready-to-use skills for Claude Code, Anthropic's official CLI for Claude. It provides a searchable, categorized collection of skill files that extend Claude Code's capabilities across development workflows such as code review, testing, documentation, DevOps, and more. Browse all available skills at /browse.
What are Claude Code skills?
Markdown instruction files that give Claude Code specialized knowledge and capabilities for specific tasks. They act as expert prompts. When installed, they guide Claude Code to follow best practices, use correct patterns, and produce higher-quality output for a given domain (writing React components, reviewing pull requests, configuring CI/CD pipelines).
How many skills are available?
2,390 total. 845 verified skills we wrote and tested ourselves (paid tier, $25 lifetime) and 1,545 community-attributed skills (free forever, MIT and Apache licensed). New skills land regularly.
Is Claude Skills Hub free?
The community 1,545 are free forever. The 845 verified skills are $25 lifetime, or $30 bundled with the Cheat Sheet. The free 75-page guide is free. Cheat sheet is $19. Vertical packs (SAP, Legal, Realtor) are $49-299. Nothing is subscription.
How do I install a skill?
Find a skill on /browse. Click the download button to get the .md file. Place it in your ~/.claude/skills/ directory. The skill is now available in your next Claude Code session.
Where do skill files go?
Two locations work. ~/.claude/skills/ makes them global across all projects. .claude/skills/ inside a project directory makes them project-specific. Create the directory if it does not exist. Claude Code automatically reads all .md files in these locations.
How do I use a skill after installing it?
Nothing to do. Start a Claude Code session and work normally. Claude picks up the skill automatically when the context matches its trigger description. Install a React skill and ask Claude to build a component, and it will follow the patterns defined in that skill.
Can I use multiple skills at once?
Yes, unlimited. Claude Code reads all skill files from the skills directory and applies relevant guidance based on context. Complementary skills (React plus Testing) often produce the best results.
Do skills work with all Claude Code versions?
Yes. Skills are markdown-based instruction files so they are forward-compatible. For the best experience, keep Claude Code updated to the latest version.
What categories are available?
Frontend, Backend, DevOps and CI/CD, Testing, Documentation, Security, Database, API Design, Performance, Code Review, Architecture, Mobile, AI and ML, Sales and GTM, Content and copy, Ops and SRE, Career and coaching, and dozens more niche categories. Visit /browse to explore all categories.
What is the difference between beginner, intermediate, and advanced skills?
Beginner covers foundational tasks with straightforward guidance, good for people new to Claude Code or a technology. Intermediate covers nuanced patterns, edge cases, and best practices for developers with some experience. Advanced covers complex scenarios like architecture design, performance optimization, and security hardening.
Can I request a new skill?
Yes. Submit a request through our GitHub repository or reply to team@clskills.in. We prioritize based on community demand.
Can I modify a skill after downloading?
Yes. Skill files are plain markdown. Open and edit with any text editor. Customize a skill to match your team's conventions, add project-specific rules, or combine guidance from multiple skills into one file.
What is the skill file format?
Standard Markdown (.md) files with a YAML frontmatter block that carries the skill name, description, and trigger keywords. No compilation step, no special syntax beyond that.
What is the difference between Skills and MCP servers?
Skills are passive instruction files that guide Claude Code's behavior through written guidelines and examples. They do not execute code. MCP servers are active integrations that give Claude Code access to external tools and data sources (databases, APIs, file systems). Skills define how to work. MCP servers provide what to work with. They complement each other.
Do skills have access to my code?
No. Skills themselves are static markdown files that provide instructions to Claude Code. Claude Code reads your project files as part of its normal operation. Skills simply guide how Claude Code interprets and works with your code.
Are skills safe to use?
Yes. Skills are plain text markdown files containing instructions. They cannot execute code, install packages, or make network requests on their own. They only influence how Claude Code responds. All skills in the Hub are reviewed before publication.
Can I create and share my own skills?
Yes. Write clear instructions and examples in a .md file, test with Claude Code, and share via GitHub PR against our repository or reply to team@clskills.in.
What are Collections?
Curated bundles of related skills packaged together for specific roles or workflows. A Full-Stack Developer collection might include skills for React, Node.js, API design, testing, and deployment. Visit /collections to explore bundles.
Can I download multiple skills at once?
Yes. Collections let you download an entire bundle in a single ZIP. Individual skills are also downloadable one at a time from the skill detail page.
Still stuck? Email me.
Reply to any CLSkills email and you reach me directly. Async only, no calls. Usually a same-day response.