Documentation

SkillDB API & Integration Guide

Everything you need to integrate 2,260+ agent skills into your workflow. Designed for agents first, developers always.

Quick Setup

The fastest way to give your agent access to SkillDB skills is to reference the library in your project's CLAUDE.md file.

markdown

# CLAUDE.md

## Skills
This project uses SkillDB skills.
Skills index: https://skilldb.dev/skills-data.json

To apply a skill, fetch the skill markdown file and follow
its instructions as system-level guidance.

Available packs: author-styles, software-skills, ux-design-skills, ...
Full list: https://skilldb.dev/api/skills

How Agents Discover Skills

Agents discover SkillDB skills through a simple chain:

Agent reads CLAUDE.md (or equivalent config) at session start.
Config points to skills-data.json -- the full index of all skills, packs, and categories.
Agent selects a relevant skill by name or category and fetches its markdown file.
Agent applies the skill's instructions as behavioral guidance for the current task.

File Structure

text

skilldb/
  skills-data.json          # Full index (categories, packs, skill metadata)
  packs/
    author-styles/
      hemingway.md           # Individual skill file
      orwell.md
    software-skills/
      react-architect.md
      api-design.md
    ...
  web/                       # This Next.js app
    src/app/
      api/skills/route.ts    # REST API
      api/stats/route.ts

API Reference

GET/api/skills

Returns the full list of skills. Supports filtering by category, pack, and free-text search.

Query Parameters

categorystringFilter by category name, e.g. "Writing & Literature"

packstringFilter by pack slug, e.g. "author-styles"

searchstringFree-text search across skill name, title, and description

Request

bash

curl https://skilldb.dev/api/skills?category=Writing

Response

json

{
  "skills": [
    {
      "pack": "author-styles",
      "name": "hemingway",
      "title": "Ernest Hemingway",
      "category": "Writing & Literature"
    }
  ],
  "total": 67,
  "categories": ["Writing & Literature", ...],
  "packs": ["author-styles", "poet-styles", ...]
}

GET/api/skills/:id

Returns a single skill by its pack and name. The :id parameter is formatted as pack/skill-name.

Request

bash

curl https://skilldb.dev/api/skills/author-styles/hemingway

Response

json

{
  "pack": "author-styles",
  "name": "hemingway",
  "title": "Ernest Hemingway",
  "category": "Writing & Literature",
  "content": "---\ntitle: Ernest Hemingway\n---\n\n# Hemingway Style Guide\n..."
}

GET/api/posts

Returns the list of blog posts with metadata. Used by the blog page and RSS feed.

Request

bash

curl https://skilldb.dev/api/posts

Response

json

{
  "posts": [
    {
      "slug": "launch-announcement",
      "title": "Introducing SkillDB",
      "date": "2026-03-13",
      "excerpt": "The agent-first skills platform..."
    }
  ],
  "total": 12
}

GET/api/stats

Returns platform-level statistics. Useful for dashboards and status pages.

Request

bash

curl https://skilldb.dev/api/stats

Response

json

{
  "totalSkills": 2260,
  "totalPacks": 108,
  "totalCategories": 27,
  "generated": "2026-03-13T21:01:58.861Z",
  "topCategories": [
    { "name": "Film & Television", "packs": 14 },
    { "name": "Writing & Literature", "packs": 5 },
    { "name": "Technology & Engineering", "packs": 7 }
  ]
}

Skill File Format

Every skill is a plain Markdown file with YAML frontmatter. This makes skills portable, version-controllable, and readable by any agent or tool.

YAML Frontmatter

yaml

---
title: "React Architect"
description: "Senior React architect specializing in scalable component design"
category: "Technology & Engineering"
pack: "software-skills"
type: "functional"           # functional | person-style | critic-style
version: "1.0"
tags: ["react", "architecture", "frontend"]
---

Markdown Body

The body contains the actual skill instructions. Structure varies by skill type but typically includes:

Identity -- who the agent becomes when this skill is active
Principles -- core rules and guidelines
Patterns -- specific techniques or approaches
Examples -- sample outputs demonstrating the skill
Anti-patterns -- what to avoid

Skill Types

Functional

Task-oriented skills like API design, testing, or deployment. Agent gains a capability.

e.g. react-architect, api-design

Person Style

Emulates a specific person's style, voice, or approach. Agent writes/thinks like them.

e.g. hemingway, kubrick

Critic Style

Evaluative skills that review and critique work using specific frameworks.

e.g. film-critic, code-reviewer

Example Skill File

markdown

---
title: "Ernest Hemingway"
description: "Write with Hemingway's iconic minimalist prose style"
category: "Writing & Literature"
pack: "author-styles"
type: "person-style"
version: "1.0"
tags: ["writing", "fiction", "minimalism"]
---

# Ernest Hemingway

## Identity
You write in the style of Ernest Hemingway. Your prose is
spare, direct, and emotionally resonant through what is
left unsaid.

## Principles
- Use short, declarative sentences
- Prefer concrete nouns and active verbs
- Omit needless words — apply the Iceberg Theory
- Let dialogue carry the emotional weight
- Avoid adverbs and adjectives where the verb suffices

## Anti-patterns
- Do NOT use flowery or ornate language
- Do NOT explain emotions — show them through action
- Do NOT use passive voice unless deliberately

Integration Guides

Claude Code

Claude Code reads CLAUDE.md at the start of every session. Add the skill index reference there.

markdown

# CLAUDE.md

## Skills
Use SkillDB skills from https://skilldb.dev/skills-data.json
When a task matches a skill category, fetch and apply the relevant skill.

## Active Skills
- author-styles/hemingway — for blog posts
- software-skills/react-architect — for component work

Cursor

Cursor uses .cursorrules for project-level instructions. Add skill references the same way.

text

# .cursorrules

You have access to SkillDB skills.
Skills index: https://skilldb.dev/skills-data.json

When writing React code, apply the react-architect skill.
When writing API routes, apply the api-design skill.
Fetch the skill markdown and follow its instructions.

Codex CLI

For OpenAI Codex CLI, include the skills index URL in your system prompt or project instructions file.

bash

# Download a skill locally for offline use
curl -o skills/hemingway.md \
  https://skilldb.dev/packs/author-styles/hemingway.md

# Reference in codex instructions
echo "Apply the skill in ./skills/hemingway.md" >> instructions.md

Custom Agents

For custom agent implementations, use the JSON index to programmatically discover and load skills.

javascript

// Fetch the skills index
const res = await fetch("https://skilldb.dev/api/skills");
const { skills } = await res.json();

// Find skills matching a task
const writingSkills = skills.filter(
  s => s.category === "Writing & Literature"
);

// Load a specific skill's content
const skill = await fetch(
  "https://skilldb.dev/api/skills/author-styles/hemingway"
);
const { content } = await skill.json();

// Inject into your agent's system prompt
const systemPrompt = `${basePrompt}\n\n## Active Skill\n${content}`;

SDK (Coming Soon)

In Development

@skilldb/sdk

A TypeScript SDK for programmatic skill discovery, loading, and management. Install via npm and integrate skills in three lines of code.

typescript

// Coming soon
import { SkillDB } from "@skilldb/sdk";

const sm = new SkillDB({ apiKey: "sk_..." });
const skill = await sm.skills.get("author-styles/hemingway");
console.log(skill.content);

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