Supported Platforms ðŸ§
Agent Skills is an open standard for AI coding tools. Multiple platforms have officially adopted the specification, and more are joining the ecosystem.
The Open Standard
Anthropic released Agent Skills as an open standard in December 2025. Any tool can implement the specification, making skills portable across platforms. Learn more at the official GitHub repository.
Officially Supported Platforms
The following platforms have officially announced support for the Agent Skills specification:
Claude
Original creator • December 2025
Works across Claude.ai, Claude Code, Claude Agent SDK, and the API. Skills are included in Max, Pro, Team, and Enterprise plans at no additional cost.
Installation:
~/.claude/skills/Or add to Claude Projects via Project Knowledge
OpenAI Codex
Added December 19, 2025
Codex loads skills at startup and can activate them through explicit invocation (using /skills command or $ mentions) or implicit invocation when tasks match skill descriptions.
Installation:
~/.codex/skills/ (user-wide).codex/skills/ (project-wide)GitHub Copilot
Added December 18, 2025
Works across Copilot coding agent, Copilot CLI, and agent mode in Visual Studio Code Insiders. Copilot automatically loads skills when relevant to your prompt.
Installation:
.github/skills/skill-name/SKILL.md.claude/skills/skill-name/SKILL.mdEach skill should have its own directory with a SKILL.md file
Visual Studio Code
Via GitHub Copilot integration
Agent Skills work in VS Code through the GitHub Copilot extension. Use agent mode in VS Code Insiders for full skills support.
Installation:
Same as GitHub Copilot (see above)
Cursor
Documentation available
Cursor has published documentation for Agent Skills and is listed as adopting the standard. Some users report the feature may still be rolling out.
Status:
Check Cursor documentation or community forum for latest implementation details
How Skills Work Across Platforms
The Agent Skills specification defines a standard format for skill files. All platforms that support the standard use the same basic structure:
- SKILL.md file - Required file containing the skill definition
- YAML frontmatter - Metadata including name and description
- Instructions - Detailed guidance for the AI agent
- Optional resources - Scripts, templates, reference docs
Write Once, Use Everywhere
Because skills follow an open standard, the same SKILL.md file works across Claude, Codex, Copilot, and other compatible platforms. No need to rewrite instructions for different tools.
Skills vs Custom Instructions
Many platforms offer both skills and custom instructions. Here's when to use each:
| Feature | Agent Skills | Custom Instructions |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Detailed, task-specific workflows | Simple, universal guidelines |
| Activation | Automatic when relevant | Always applied |
| Example | "How to create Excel files" | "Use TypeScript for all code" |
| Portability | Works across platforms | Platform-specific format |
Future Platforms
As an open standard, Agent Skills can be adopted by any AI platform. More tools are expected to add support in 2026 and beyond.
Want to see if your platform supports skills? Check for documentation about "Agent Skills," "SKILL.md," or references to the open skills specification. New to skills? Read our beginner-friendly introduction.