# Uniform agent skills

> Install the Uniform agent skills. These skills give your AI coding assistant instructions to build with Uniform, for example Next.js integration, content models, forms, automations, and Mesh.

Source: https://docs.uniform.app/docs/guides/ai/agent-skills

Uniform supplies a public, open-source set of [agent skills](https://agentskills.io). These skills give AI coding assistants the correct instructions to build with Uniform.

Each skill contains instructions for a specific task. Examples:

- How to connect Uniform to a Next.js application
- How to model a content type
- How to build a mega menu

The skills are in the [uniformdev/agent-skills](https://github.com/uniformdev/agent-skills) repository. For Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, and GitHub Copilot, install the skills as a plugin. For other agents that read `SKILL.md` files, install the skills directly.

> **Agent skills vs Scout skills:**
>
> Agent skills (this page) give instructions to your coding assistant, for example Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, or Copilot. The assistant uses them in your editor or terminal. [Scout skills](https://docs.uniform.app/docs/guides/ai/scout/skills) give instructions to Scout, inside Uniform. They contain the content procedures that your team does frequently.
>
> Use agent skills to make your coding assistant write a correct Uniform integration. Use Scout skills to make Scout follow your editorial process.

## Why skills help

An AI assistant knows only the Uniform information that it found on the internet. Thus, the assistant can invent APIs, use deprecated packages, or make content models that are difficult for editors.

Skills tell the assistant the best procedure for each task. At startup, the assistant loads only the name and the description of each skill. The assistant loads the full skill only when a task needs it. We keep each skill small, so all the skills together use a small quantity of tokens.

## Install

### Claude Code

Type these commands:

```bash
/plugin marketplace add uniformdev/agent-skills
/plugin install uniformdev@uniformdev
```

The skills are ready immediately. No configuration is necessary.

The plugin also contains the [Uniform MCP server](https://docs.uniform.app/docs/guides/ai/mcp-server). The MCP server is optional. To activate the MCP server, do these steps:

1. Run `/plugin configure`.
2. Enter your project ID and your API key.

Claude Code keeps the API key in your system keychain. If you do not configure the MCP server, it shows in the list, but it does not connect.

The plugin has no version number. Thus, Claude Code always uses the latest commit in the repository. To get new skills, run `/plugin update uniformdev@uniformdev`.

### Codex

Uniform is in the Codex plugin directory. It is not necessary to add a marketplace. Type this command:

```bash
codex plugin add uniformdev@openai-curated-remote
```

You can also install the plugin from the Codex marketplace.

The CLI command operates only with Codex 0.153.0 or later. Earlier versions do not show the plugin in the directory. If you have an earlier version, run `codex update` first.

### GitHub Copilot

The repository root contains a portable [Agent Plugins](https://agent-plugins.org) manifest. Thus, Copilot can install the plugin directly from the repository. Type this command:

```bash
copilot plugin install uniformdev/agent-skills
```

To use a local copy of the repository, run `copilot --plugin-dir /path/to/agent-skills`.

These two methods install only the skills. The Agent Plugins specification does not permit credentials in a manifest. Thus, this plugin does not contain an MCP configuration. To use the [Uniform MCP server](https://docs.uniform.app/docs/guides/ai/mcp-server), configure it separately.

### Cursor

1. In the sidebar, open **Customize**.
2. Select **Add marketplace**.
3. Enter this URL:

   ```text
   https://github.com/uniformdev/agent-skills
   ```
4. Install **Uniform** from that marketplace.

To use the MCP server that the plugin contains, set `UNIFORM_PROJECT_ID` and `UNIFORM_API_KEY` in your environment.

### Other agents

Many assistants can read `SKILL.md` files. To install only the skills, type this command:

```bash
npx skills add uniformdev/agent-skills
```

This command puts the skills in the skills directory of each agent. It does not install the MCP server. To update the skills, run `npx skills update`.

To install one skill only, add the `--skill` option:

```bash
npx skills add https://github.com/uniformdev/agent-skills --skill uniform-automations
```

## Use the skills

It is not necessary to name a skill. Tell the assistant your task in your usual words. The assistant compares your task with the skill descriptions and selects the correct skill. Examples:

- "Add Uniform to this Next.js app so we can manage the homepage."
- "Our editors need a header with dropdown panels they can author and reorder."
- "Add a newsletter signup form to the homepage."
- "Review our content model. Editors say the entry list is unusable and filtering doesn't work."
- "Write an automation that posts to Slack when an entry is published."
- "Build a custom Mesh data connector so editors can pick products from our PIM."

If the assistant does not use a skill, do these steps:

1. Name the area in your prompt, for example "Use the Uniform Mesh skill to ...".
2. Start the skill with a `/<skill-name>` command, for example `/uniform-automations`. Many coding assistants support this command.
3. Make sure that the plugin is active.