The short answer
- 1Folders: Claude Code reads
~/.claude/skills. Codex reads~/.agents/skillsand the older~/.codex/skills. Cursor reads its own folder plus both of those. - 2Calling by name:
/skill-namein Claude Code and Cursor,$skill-namein Codex. - 3Required fields: Codex and Cursor need
nameanddescription, and Cursor’snamemust match the folder. Claude Code needs neither.
Claude Code vs Codex vs Cursor at a glance
All three follow the same Agent Skills format, so a well-formed Skill folder runs in any of them. What changes is where each agent looks, how you call a Skill, and how strict it is about the frontmatter.
| Claude Code | Codex | Cursor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal folder | ~/.claude/skills/ | ~/.agents/skills/, older ~/.codex/skills/ | ~/.cursor/skills/ or ~/.agents/skills/ |
| Project folder | .claude/skills/ | .agents/skills/, from where you start up to the repo root | .cursor/skills/ or .agents/skills/ |
| See what’s installed | /skills | /skills (CLI, IDE); Skills in the ChatGPT desktop app sidebar | Customize → Skills |
| Call by name | /skill-name | $skill-name | /skill-name or @skill-name |
| Required fields | None | name, description | name (= folder), description |
| Same name twice | Enterprise, then personal, then project | Both can appear | Not documented |
| After editing | Picked up in the same session | Picked up; restart if not | Found at startup; open a new chat or reload |
Switching agents? Your Skills may already be there
Moving from Claude Code to Cursor
Cursor also reads ~/.claude/skills/ and ~/.codex/skills/, so Skills you installed for Claude Code show up in Cursor without copying anything. The catch is Cursor’s name rule: name has to match the folder. A Skill that runs fine in Claude Code with no name at all may be skipped in Cursor.
Choose the folder by which agents you want the Skill to reach:
| Keep the Skill in | Works in |
|---|---|
~/.claude/skills/ | Claude Code and Cursor |
~/.agents/skills/ | Codex and Cursor |
~/.cursor/skills/ | Cursor, including Cloud Agents when synced |
Using Skills in the cloud, on the web, and with a team
A Skill in your personal folder lives on your computer. Cloud sessions, web apps, and teammates won’t see it until you put it somewhere they can reach.
| Agent | Your personal Skills don’t reach | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Code | Cloud sessions, routines, and Cowork | Enable the Skill on your claude.ai account; cloud sessions also load Skills committed to .claude/skills/ |
| Codex | ChatGPT on the web and mobile | Standalone Skills work in the ChatGPT desktop app, CLI, and IDE extension; ship a plugin for web and mobile |
| Cursor | Cloud Agents, unless synced | Keep it in ~/.cursor/skills/ and turn on Sync Skills for Cloud Agents |
Install a Skillry Skill in each agent
The install command is the same for all three agents, with one difference.
| Agent | Command |
|---|---|
| Claude Code | npx --yes skillry-cli@latest install <slug> --agent claude-code |
| Codex, Cursor | npx --yes skillry-cli@latest install <slug> |
The CLI’s default folder, ~/.agents/skills/, is the one Codex and Cursor share. That’s why only Claude Code needs the extra flag. The Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor guides also cover the install prompt and ZIP routes.
Common questions
Can Cursor use Claude Skills?
Yes. Cursor loads ~/.claude/skills/ and .claude/skills/ for compatibility, as long as each Skill’s name matches its folder.
Can I use a Claude Code Skill in Codex?
Yes, as long as its SKILL.md has both name and description, which Codex requires. Copy the folder from ~/.claude/skills/ to ~/.agents/skills/, or install it again from Skillry without --agent claude-code.
Which agent is best for Skills?
All three read the same format, so use the agent you already work in. The differences on this page only matter when you switch agents or share Skills with a team.
Do Codex Skills work in ChatGPT on the web?
Standalone Skills don’t. They work in the ChatGPT desktop app, the Codex CLI, and the IDE extension. Skills bundled in a plugin work in ChatGPT on the web, desktop, and mobile.
Sources
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