---
name: claude-skills-installer
version: 1.0.0
description: Recursive bootstrap installer for claude-skills on Hermes. Iterates over `dist-hermes/<category>/<name>/` and installs each via `skill_manage(action='create')`. Respects `dist-hermes/SKIPPED.md` — skipped skills are not installed. Run once manually to bootstrap (`skill_manage(action='create', from='...')`), thereafter trigger «обнови claude-skills» to refresh all skills. The installer updates itself recursively — no separate update step.
---

# claude-skills-installer

> Bootstrap installer for the claude-skills suite on Hermes. One-time manual registration, then «обнови claude-skills» keeps everything in sync.

## When to use

- **Bootstrap phase:** First-time setup on a Hermes machine. Run manually:
  ```
  skill_manage(action='create', from='dist-hermes/meta/claude-skills-installer/SKILL.md')
  ```
- **Update phase:** Whenever user says «обнови claude-skills», «refresh claude-skills», or after `git pull` in the claude-skills repo.

## What it does

Iterates over `dist-hermes/<category>/<name>/` (all except `meta/`). For each:

1. Reads `SKILL.md` (frontmatter: name, version, description).
2. Collects assets (README.md, SECURITY.md, scripts/, etc.) if present.
3. Calls `skill_manage(action='create', category=<cat>, name=<name>, content=<SKILL.md>, assets=<...>)`.

Skips anything listed in `dist-hermes/SKIPPED.md` (these are intentionally not part of Hermes rollout).

**Recursive by design:** the installer lives in `meta/` and updates itself along with everything else.

## Prerequisites

- `dist-hermes/` tree exists (from `git clone claude-skills` + `python scripts/build-hermes.py`).
- Hermes has `skill_manage()` native tool.
- Working directory is `claude-skills` root (where `dist-hermes/` lives).

## Procedure

### Phase 0 — Verify dist-hermes

```bash
ls dist-hermes/
```

Should list: `software-development/`, `productivity/`, `mcp/`, `meta/`, `SKIPPED.md`.

If missing → run `python scripts/build-hermes.py` first.

### Phase 1 — Load SKIPPED.md

Read `dist-hermes/SKIPPED.md`. Parse the skip list — these categories/names will NOT be installed.

Example SKIPPED.md entry:
```
caveman (category: software-development)
  Reason: Hermes runs on glm-5.1 (cheap local model); token-compression motive disappears.
```

### Phase 2 — Scan dist-hermes

Walk `dist-hermes/<category>/<name>/`. Collect:

```
category: software-development | productivity | mcp | research
name: <directory name>
skill_file: dist-hermes/<category>/<name>/SKILL.md
assets:
  - dist-hermes/<category>/<name>/README.md (if exists)
  - dist-hermes/<category>/<name>/SECURITY.md (if exists)
  - dist-hermes/<category>/<name>/scripts/* (if exists)
```

**Skip conditions:**
- `category/name` is in SKIPPED.md
- `name == "claude-skills-installer"` (don't install yourself recursively)

Report the scan result:
```
Found N skills to install:
  software-development: pulling-before-work, active-platform, project-discipline, tdd-criteria
  productivity: using-markitdown
  mcp: setup-projects-meta, setup-context7
Skipped M entries (see dist-hermes/SKIPPED.md)
```

### Phase 3 — Confirm

Ask user:
```
Will install N skills. Proceed? (y/n)
```

Wait for explicit confirmation. This is a bulk operation — permission is required.

### Phase 4 — Install loop

For each skill in the scan list:

```
skill_manage(
  action='create',
  category='<category>',
  name='<name>',
  content='<SKILL.md content>',
  assets={
    'README.md': '<README.md content if exists>',
    'SECURITY.md': '<SECURITY.md content if exists>',
    'scripts/*': '<script files if exist>'
  }
)
```

**Important:** `skill_manage(action='create')` is idempotent. If a skill already exists, it updates to the new content.

Report progress per skill:
```
✓ pulling-before-work (v1.x.x)
✓ active-platform (v1.x.x)
...
✗ <name> failed: <error>
```

If any skill fails → stop, report the error, and ask whether to continue or rollback.

### Phase 5 — Verify

After the loop completes, ask user to verify:
```
hermes > skills_list()
```

Should show all installed skills under their categories. Count should match N.

### Phase 6 — Final report

```
✅ Installed N skills. Update complete.

Installed:
  software-development: <list>
  productivity: <list>
  mcp: <list>

Skipped:
  <list from SKIPPED.md>

To refresh: run this skill again after 'git pull' in claude-skills.
```

## Out of scope

- Creating `dist-hermes/` — that's `build-hermes.py` job.
- Installing skills NOT in dist-hermes (manual `skill_manage` calls).
- Uninstalling skills (use `skill_manage(action='delete')` manually).

## Common mistakes

- **Running from wrong directory.** Must be in claude-skills root where `dist-hermes/` lives.
- **Forgetting to rebuild dist-hermes.** After `git pull` in claude-skills, run `python scripts/build-hermes.py` before running installer.
- **Installing skipped skills.** SKIPPED.md is the source of truth. If a skill is there, don't install it.
- **Not verifying after install.** Always run `skills_list()` to confirm.