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Get started with Agent Skills

docs/cli/tutorials/skills-getting-started.md

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Get started with Agent Skills

Agent Skills extend Gemini CLI with specialized expertise. In this guide, you'll learn how to create your first skill, bundle custom scripts, and activate them during a session.

How to create a skill

A skill is defined by a directory containing a SKILL.md file. Let's create an API Auditor skill that helps you verify if local or remote endpoints are responding correctly.

Create the directory structure

  1. Run the following command to create the folders:

    macOS/Linux

    bash
    mkdir -p .gemini/skills/api-auditor/scripts

    Windows (PowerShell)

    powershell
    New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path ".gemini\skills\api-auditor\scripts"

Create the definition

  1. Create a file at .gemini/skills/api-auditor/SKILL.md. This tells the agent when to use the skill and how to behave.

    markdown
    ---
name: api-auditor
description:
  Expertise in auditing and testing API endpoints. Use when the user asks to
  "check", "test", or "audit" a URL or API.
---

# API Auditor Instructions

You act as a QA engineer specialized in API reliability. When this skill is
active, you MUST:

1.  **Audit**: Use the bundled `scripts/audit.js` utility to check the
    status of the provided URL.
2.  **Report**: Analyze the output (status codes, latency) and explain any
    failures in plain English.
3.  **Secure**: Remind the user if they are testing a sensitive endpoint
    without an `https://` protocol.

Add the tool logic

Skills can bundle resources like scripts.

  1. Create a file at .gemini/skills/api-auditor/scripts/audit.js. This is the code the agent will run.

    javascript
    // .gemini/skills/api-auditor/scripts/audit.js
const url = process.argv[2];

if (!url) {
  console.error('Usage: node audit.js <url>');
  process.exit(1);
}

console.log(`Auditing ${url}...`);
fetch(url, { method: 'HEAD' })
  .then((r) => console.log(`Result: Success (Status ${r.status})`))
  .catch((e) => console.error(`Result: Failed (${e.message})`));

How to verify discovery

Gemini CLI automatically discovers skills in the .gemini/skills directory. You can also use .agents/skills as a more generic alternative. Check that it found your new skill.

Command: /skills list

You should see api-auditor in the list of available skills.

How to use the skill

Now, try it out. Start a new session and ask a question that triggers the skill's description.

User: "Can you audit http://geminicli.com"

Gemini recognizes the request matches the api-auditor description and asks for permission to activate it.

Model: (After calling activate_skill) "I've activated the api-auditor skill. I'll run the audit script now..."

Gemini then uses the run_shell_command tool to execute your bundled Node script:

node .gemini/skills/api-auditor/scripts/audit.js http://geminili.com

Next steps