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Agent Skills in Claude Code vs Codex vs Cursor
A side-by-side of how Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor handle the same SKILL.md folder — folders, commands, name rules, and cloud use.
The short answer
- 1Folders: Claude Code reads
~/.claude/skills. Codex reads~/.agents/skillsand~/.codex/skills. Cursor reads its own folder plus both of those. - 2Calling by name:
/skill-namein Claude Code and Cursor,$skill-namein Codex. - 3Required fields: Codex and Cursor need
nameanddescription, and Cursor’snamemust match the folder. Claude Code needs neither.
Guides
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Claude Code vs Codex vs Cursor at a glance
All three follow the same Agent Skills format, so a well-formed Skill folder runs in any of them. What changes is where each agent looks, how you call a Skill, and how strict it is about frontmatter.
| Claude Code | Codex | Cursor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal folder | ~/.claude/skills/ | ~/.agents/skills/, older ~/.codex/skills/ | ~/.cursor/skills/ or ~/.agents/skills/ |
| Project folder | .claude/skills/ | .agents/skills/ (cwd → repo root) | .cursor/skills/ or .agents/skills/ |
| See what’s installed | /skills | /skills (CLI, IDE); Skills sidebar in ChatGPT desktop | Customize → Skills |
| Call by name | /skill-name | $skill-name | /skill-name or @skill-name |
| Required fields | None | name, description | name (= folder), description |
| Same name twice | Enterprise → personal → project | Both can appear | Not documented |
| After editing | Picked up in the same session | Picked up; restart if not | Found at startup; new chat or reload |
Switching agents? Your Skills may already be there
Cursor also reads ~/.claude/skills/ and ~/.codex/skills/, so Skills installed for Claude Code or Codex often show up in Cursor without copying. The catch is Cursor’s name rule: name has to match the folder. A Skill that runs fine in Claude Code with no name field may be skipped in Cursor.
| Keep the Skill in | Works in |
|---|---|
| ~/.claude/skills/ | Claude Code and Cursor |
| ~/.agents/skills/ | Codex and Cursor |
| ~/.cursor/skills/ | Cursor, including Cloud Agents when synced |
| ~/.codex/skills/ | Codex (and Cursor compatibility) |
Using Skills in the cloud, on the web, and with a team
A Skill in your personal folder lives on your computer. Cloud sessions, web apps, and teammates won’t see it until you put it somewhere they can reach.
| Agent | Personal Skills don’t reach | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Code | Cloud sessions, routines, and Cowork | Enable on claude.ai; cloud sessions also load Skills committed to .claude/skills/ |
| Codex | ChatGPT on the web and mobile | Standalone Skills work in desktop, CLI, and IDE; ship a plugin for web and mobile |
| Cursor | Cloud Agents, unless synced | Keep it in ~/.cursor/skills/ and turn on Sync Skills for Cloud Agents |
Install a SkillsRadar Skill in each agent
The install command is the same shape for all three agents — only the --agent flag changes.
| Agent | Command |
|---|---|
| Claude Code | npx @skillsradar/cli@latest install <slug> --agent claude-code |
| Codex | npx @skillsradar/cli@latest install <slug> --agent codex |
| Cursor | npx @skillsradar/cli@latest install <slug> --agent cursor |
Each flag writes to the folder that agent (or SkillsRadar’s adapter) expects. Prefer --agent over guessing folders.
Common questions
Can Cursor use Claude Skills?
Yes. Cursor loads ~/.claude/skills/ and .claude/skills/ for compatibility, as long as each Skill’s name matches its folder.
Can I use a Claude Code Skill in Codex?
Yes, as long as SKILL.md has both name and description. Copy the folder to ~/.agents/skills/ or ~/.codex/skills/, or reinstall with --agent codex.
Which agent is best for Skills?
All three read the same Agent Skills format. Use the agent you already work in. These differences matter when you switch agents or share Skills with a team.
Do Codex Skills work in ChatGPT on the web?
Standalone Skills don’t. They work in the ChatGPT desktop app, the Codex CLI, and the IDE extension. Skills bundled in a plugin work on the web, desktop, and mobile.
Also on Learn
Next step
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