How to Use SKILL.md Skills in Cursor

A skill is a set of instructions packaged as a SKILL.md file that an AI agent reads to learn a new workflow. Cursor supports SKILL.md alongside its native .cursorrules system. Here's how to set it up.

Quick Answer: Create a .cursor/skills/ directory in your project root, drop in skill folders containing SKILL.md files, and reload your Cursor workspace. Skills activate on demand based on their description. They work alongside .cursorrules — use both for the best results.

How do I set up skills in Cursor?

Cursor reads skills from .cursor/skills/ in your project directory. Create the folder and add skills:

# In your project root
mkdir -p .cursor/skills

# Download a skill from Agensi
unzip code-reviewer.zip -d .cursor/skills/

# Your structure should look like:
# .cursor/
# └── skills/
#     └── code-reviewer/
#         └── SKILL.md

Reload your Cursor workspace (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+P → "Developer: Reload Window"). The skill is now active and will trigger when you ask Cursor to do something matching the skill's description.

How do skills interact with .cursorrules?

They complement each other. Your .cursorrules file provides always-on project context — coding conventions, framework choices, style preferences. Skills provide on-demand specialized workflows.

When you ask Cursor to review code, it loads:

1. Your .cursorrules context (your team's conventions)
2. The matching SKILL.md instructions (the review protocol)

The result is a review that follows your specific standards. Neither system alone achieves this — .cursorrules doesn't have workflow logic, and skills don't know your project conventions without .cursorrules.

For a detailed comparison, read Cursor Rules vs SKILL.md Skills.

Where do I find skills to install?

Three sources:

Agensi marketplace — agensi.io/skills has security-scanned skills for code review, testing, git automation, documentation, DevOps, and more. Download the zip, unzip to .cursor/skills/, done.

GitHub — Search filename:SKILL.md on GitHub to find community-published skills. Clone the repo and copy the skill folder.

Build your own — Document your team's workflows in SKILL.md format. For a step-by-step tutorial, read How to Create a SKILL.md from Scratch.

Skip the manual installs.

Agensi Pro connects Cursor to the full skill catalog via MCP. Skills load on demand, no file management needed.

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$9/mo after trial. Card required. Cancel anytime.

Can I use Claude Code skills in Cursor?

Yes. SKILL.md is a cross-agent standard. A skill built for Claude Code works in Cursor without any modification:

# Copy a Claude Code skill to Cursor
cp -r ~/.claude/skills/code-reviewer .cursor/skills/

The reverse also works. Skills you create in Cursor's .cursor/skills/ directory can be copied to ~/.claude/skills/, ~/.openclaw/skills/, or any other agent's directory.

What are common mistakes when using skills in Cursor?

Forgetting to reload. Unlike Claude Code, which loads skills at session start, Cursor may need a window reload to pick up new skills. Use Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+P → "Developer: Reload Window."

Mixing up .cursorrules and SKILL.md. Don't put skill instructions in .cursorrules. It bloats the always-on context and wastes tokens. Use .cursorrules for project info, skills for workflows.

Project-only scope. Cursor doesn't have a personal skills directory. If you want a skill in every project, you need to copy it into each project's .cursor/skills/ folder — or use Agensi Pro with MCP.

For path details across all agents, read Where Are Cursor Skills Stored?.

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Find and install skills for Cursor, Claude Code, OpenClaw, and more on Agensi.