Advanced Installation

Use this guide when you need more control than the root README quickstart: non-interactive installs, specific agents, global vs project scope, updates, removals, or a manual fallback.

Requirements

• Node.js and npm available on your PATH. The examples use npx, which ships with npm.
• Access to https://github.com/NVIDIA/skills.
• An AI agent that supports Agent Skills, such as Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, OpenCode, Windsurf, Gemini CLI, or another compatible agent.

List Skills Before Installing

$
npx skills add nvidia/skills --list

Use this when you want to inspect the catalog before selecting a skill.

Install One Skill

$
npx skills add nvidia/skills --skill cuopt-numerical-optimization-api-python

Use the skill name from the name: field in the skill’s SKILL.md. In this catalog, names usually match the leaf folder under skills/<product>/.

Install to a Specific Agent

$
npx skills add nvidia/skills --skill cuopt-numerical-optimization-api-python --agent codex
$
npx skills add nvidia/skills --skill cuopt-numerical-optimization-api-python --agent claude-code
$
npx skills add nvidia/skills --skill cuopt-numerical-optimization-api-python --agent cursor

You can pass --agent more than once:

$
npx skills add nvidia/skills \
>
  --skill cuopt-numerical-optimization-api-python \
>
  --agent codex \
>
  --agent claude-code

Choose Project or Global Scope

Project installs are the default. They place links under the current project’s agent-specific skills directory so the skills travel with that project.

$
npx skills add nvidia/skills --skill cuopt-numerical-optimization-api-python

Global installs make the skill available across projects for the selected agent:

$
npx skills add nvidia/skills \
>
  --skill cuopt-numerical-optimization-api-python \
>
  --agent codex \
>
  --global

Non-Interactive Install

Use --yes when scripting setup or bootstrapping a development environment:

$
npx skills add nvidia/skills \
>
  --skill cuopt-numerical-optimization-api-python \
>
  --agent codex \
>
  --global \
>
  --yes

Update or Remove Installed Skills

$
# See installed skills
$
npx skills list
$
$
# Check for updates
$
npx skills check
$
$
# Update all installed skills
$
npx skills update
$
$
# Remove a skill
$
npx skills remove cuopt-numerical-optimization-api-python

Manual Fallback

Prefer npx skills add because it handles agent directories, global vs project scope, and updates. If you cannot use Node.js or npm, you can still copy a skill directory manually:

1. Open the product folder under skills/.
2. Copy the specific skill directory containing SKILL.md.
3. Place it in your agent’s skills directory.

Common global locations are:

Manual installs do not participate in npx skills update, so use them only as a fallback.