Full guide
Follow the sections in order, then adapt commands to your current environment.
Gemini CLI supports Agent Skills with a three-tier discovery system and native integration with Google's AI models.
Installation Paths
User Skills
Terminal
~/.gemini/skills/- Personal skills available in any directory
- Managed at the user level
Workspace Skills
Terminal
.gemini/skills/- Highest precedence
- Shared with team members via version control
- Project-specific expertise
Extension Skills
Terminal
[extension-path]/skills/- Bundled with Gemini CLI extensions
- Referenced as
extension:skill-name
Installation Methods
Method 1: Manual Installation (Recommended)
For User Skills:
bash
# Create the user skills directory
mkdir -p ~/.gemini/skills/my-skill
# Create the SKILL.md file
cat > ~/.gemini/skills/my-skill/SKILL.md << 'EOF'
---
name: my-skill
description: A brief description for Gemini to understand when to use this skill
---
# My Skill
Detailed instructions for Gemini when using this skill.
## When to Use
- Use this skill when...
- This skill is helpful for...
## Instructions
- Step-by-step guidance for Gemini
- Domain-specific conventions
- Best practices and patterns
EOFFor Workspace Skills:
bash
# Create the workspace skills directory
mkdir -p .gemini/skills/my-skill
# Create the SKILL.md file
cat > .gemini/skills/my-skill/SKILL.md << 'EOF'
---
name: project-skill
description: Specialized instructions for this repository
---
# Workspace Specific Skill
Detailed instructions for this specific workspace...
EOFMethod 2: Extension Manager
bash
# Install a Gemini extension that contains skills
gemini extension install user/repo
# List available skills from extensions
gemini skills listMethod 3: Using Universal Installer
bash
# Install OpenSkills for universal access
npx openskills install anthropics/skills
npx openskills sync --target ~/.gemini/skillsSkill Discovery & Precedence
Gemini CLI searches for skills in the following order:
.gemini/skills/(Current Workspace)~/.gemini/skills/(User Home)- Installed extensions (
extension:skill)
Performance Optimization
Gemini uses Progressive Loading:
- Only the
nameanddescriptionare loaded initially to save tokens - The full content of
SKILL.mdis only loaded when Gemini determines the skill is relevant to your request
Using Skills in Gemini CLI
Activation
Gemini automatically activates skills when your request matches the skill's description.
Explicit Invocation
You can emphasize a skill by mentioning it at the start of your prompt:
bash
gemini "Using my-skill, help me optimize this function..."List Available Skills
bash
gemini /skills