> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/anthropics/skills/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Using skills in Claude Code

> Install and use skills in Claude Code through the plugin marketplace or direct installation commands

Claude Code supports skills through a plugin system that allows you to install individual skills or curated skill collections from marketplaces. Once installed, skills are automatically activated when relevant to your tasks.

## Installing skills from a marketplace

You can register third-party marketplaces as sources for Claude Code plugins. The Anthropic skills repository provides two curated plugin collections.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Register the marketplace">
    Add the Anthropic skills marketplace to Claude Code:

    ```bash theme={null}
    /plugin marketplace add anthropics/skills
    ```

    This registers the `anthropic-agent-skills` marketplace, which contains two plugin bundles:

    * **document-skills**: Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and PDF capabilities
    * **example-skills**: Skill creation, MCP building, visual design, and more
  </Step>

  <Step title="Browse available plugins">
    Open the plugin browser in Claude Code:

    1. Run `/plugin` or select `Browse and install plugins` from the command palette
    2. Select `anthropic-agent-skills` from the marketplace list
    3. Choose either `document-skills` or `example-skills`
    4. Select `Install now`
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Direct plugin installation

If you know which plugin you want, install it directly without browsing:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash Document skills theme={null}
  /plugin install document-skills@anthropic-agent-skills
  ```

  ```bash Example skills theme={null}
  /plugin install example-skills@anthropic-agent-skills
  ```
</CodeGroup>

### What's included in each plugin

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="document-skills">
    Comprehensive document processing capabilities:

    * **xlsx**: Create, read, and modify Excel spreadsheets
    * **docx**: Generate and edit Word documents
    * **pptx**: Build and update PowerPoint presentations
    * **pdf**: Read, merge, split, fill forms, extract text and images from PDFs

    <Note>
      These are the same production skills that power Claude's document capabilities in Claude.ai.
    </Note>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="example-skills">
    Example skills demonstrating various capabilities:

    * **skill-creator**: Create and improve skills with evaluation workflows
    * **mcp-builder**: Generate Model Context Protocol servers
    * **algorithmic-art**: Create generative art and visualizations
    * **brand-guidelines**: Apply consistent branding across materials
    * **canvas-design**: Design visual layouts and graphics
    * **doc-coauthoring**: Collaborative document writing workflows
    * **frontend-design**: Build modern UI components
    * **internal-comms**: Draft company newsletters and announcements
    * **slack-gif-creator**: Generate animated GIFs for Slack
    * **theme-factory**: Create and apply visual themes
    * **web-artifacts-builder**: Build interactive web components
    * **webapp-testing**: Test web applications systematically
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Using installed skills

Once a plugin is installed, you can use its skills by simply mentioning them in your requests. Claude Code automatically activates the appropriate skill based on your task.

### Example workflows

<Steps>
  <Step title="Mention the skill explicitly">
    Reference the skill by name in your request:

    ```
    Use the PDF skill to extract form fields from contracts/agreement.pdf
    ```

    Claude Code will load the PDF skill and execute the task.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Let Claude detect the need">
    Alternatively, describe your task naturally:

    ```
    Extract all text from the quarterly-report.pdf file
    ```

    If the `pdf` skill is installed, Claude Code will automatically activate it based on the `.pdf` file extension and extraction task.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Skills contain descriptions that help Claude determine when to activate them. For example, the PDF skill's description includes: "Use this skill whenever the user wants to do anything with PDF files. This includes reading or extracting text/tables from PDFs, combining or merging multiple PDFs into one, splitting PDFs apart..."
</Note>

## Creating custom marketplace plugins

To create your own marketplace:

1. Create a `.claude-plugin/marketplace.json` file in your repository:

```json theme={null}
{
  "name": "your-marketplace-name",
  "owner": {
    "name": "Your Name",
    "email": "you@example.com"
  },
  "metadata": {
    "description": "Your marketplace description",
    "version": "1.0.0"
  },
  "plugins": [
    {
      "name": "your-plugin",
      "description": "Plugin description",
      "source": "./",
      "strict": false,
      "skills": [
        "./skills/skill-one",
        "./skills/skill-two"
      ]
    }
  ]
}
```

2. Users can then add your marketplace:

```bash theme={null}
/plugin marketplace add your-username/your-repo
```

## Skill structure

Each skill is a folder containing a `SKILL.md` file with YAML frontmatter and instructions:

```markdown theme={null}
---
name: my-skill-name
description: A clear description of what this skill does and when to use it
---

# My Skill Name

[Instructions that Claude will follow when this skill is active]

## Examples
- Example usage 1
- Example usage 2

## Guidelines
- Guideline 1
- Guideline 2
```

Skills can also include bundled resources:

* **scripts/**: Executable code for deterministic tasks
* **references/**: Documentation loaded as needed
* **assets/**: Templates, icons, fonts used in output

## Managing plugins

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash List installed plugins theme={null}
  /plugin list
  ```

  ```bash Remove a plugin theme={null}
  /plugin uninstall document-skills
  ```

  ```bash Update a plugin theme={null}
  /plugin update document-skills@anthropic-agent-skills
  ```
</CodeGroup>