Build Skill CLI

1.4.0 verified Sat Apr 25 auth: no javascript

Scaffold AI agent skills quickly with the Build Skill CLI (build-skill v1.4.0). Creates a fully-configured skills repository following the Agent Skills Specification. Released monthly since February 2026 under MIT license by Flash Brew Digital. Differentiates from generic scaffolding tools by targeting AI agent skill structure, including GitHub Actions workflows, Claude plugin integration, and validation scripts out of the box. Requires Node.js >=20.

Common errors

error Error: Node.js version must be >=20 ↓

cause The engine requirement is enforced programmatically; running on older Node.js triggers this error.

fix

Install Node.js 20 or later (nvm install 20).

error Error: The 'keywords' option must be a JSON array ↓

cause In v1.3.0, keywords validation was strict, rejecting comma-separated strings.

fix

Upgrade to v1.4.0 or pass keywords as a JSON array, e.g., --keywords '["keyword1","keyword2"]'.

error Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, open '...skills/.../SKILL.md' ↓

cause The output directory already exists but is missing required subdirectories, or the tool failed to create them.

fix

Use --force to overwrite or specify a different output directory with --output.

Warnings

gotcha Node.js >=20 is required, older versions may fail silently or throw errors. ↓

fix Upgrade Node.js to version 20 or later.

breaking In v1.3.0, keywords changed from a string to a JSON array. If using --keywords with a comma-separated string, it may cause validation errors. ↓

fix Pass keywords as a JSON array (e.g., --keywords '["ai","agent"]') or upgrade to v1.4.0 which accepts comma-separated strings again.

gotcha The --force flag overwrites existing directories without confirmation, which can lead to data loss. ↓

fix Ensure you have backups or use version control before running with --force.

Install

npm install build-skill

yarn add build-skill

pnpm add build-skill

Imports

build-skill (CLI)
wrong
```
npm install -g build-skill && build-skill
```
correct
```
npx build-skill
```
The recommended way is to use npx without installing globally. The package is a CLI tool, not a library, so it does not export JavaScript symbols.
TypeScript types
wrong
```
const { BuildSkillOptions } = require('build-skill')
```
correct
```
import { BuildSkillOptions } from 'build-skill'
```
TypeScript type definitions are shipped but the package is primarily a CLI. The types are used for programmatic usage (if any) but are minimal.

Quickstart

Quickly scaffold an AI agent skill using npx in quiet mode with explicit parameters.

npx build-skill --name my-skill --description "Helps with X tasks" --quiet --output ./my-skill