# uip skills

> Syntax and options for `uip skills`, which installs, updates, and removes UiPath coding-agent skill packs.

`uip skills` installs, updates, and removes UiPath **skills** for supported AI coding agents. Skills are curated prompt packs that teach an agent how to use UiPath's CLI tools to build automations, agents, flows, and orchestrations. See [Skills](./concepts-skills.md) for the concept, install model, and the agent-by-agent install locations.

This page documents the commands. For what skills *are* and why to install them, read the concept page first.

## Synopsis

```
uip skills install   [--agent <agent>] [--local]
uip skills update    [--agent <agent>] [--local]
uip skills uninstall [--agent <agent>] [--local]
```

All `uip skills` subcommands honor the [global options](./global-options.md) (`--output`, `--output-filter`, `--log-level`, `--log-file`). Exit codes follow the [standard contract](./exit-codes.md).

**Supported agents**: `claude`, `cursor`, `copilot`, `gemini`, `codex`, `opencode`. Some agents have only a global install path; others support both local (per-project) and global. Run `uip skills install --help` for the per-agent destination table generated from the live registry.

## uip skills install

Download skills from UiPath and install them into the selected agent's configuration. Writes to the user's home directory by default; pass `--local` to install under the current project instead.

### Arguments

None.

### Options

- `--agent <agent>` — Target a single agent (`claude`, `cursor`, `copilot`, `gemini`, `codex`, `opencode`). Without it, the CLI prompts interactively with a checkbox picker. Agents not supported for the current scope are hidden from the picker.
- `--local` — Install to the current project directory instead of the user home. Rejected for agents that only support a global path.

### Examples

```bash
# Install for Claude Code (global)
uip skills install --agent claude

# Install for Cursor, scoped to the current project
uip skills install --agent cursor --local

# Interactive picker
uip skills install
```

### Data shape (`--output json`)

```json
{
  "Code": "SkillsInstall",
  "Data": {
    "RootDir": "/Users/alice",
    "Skills": ["uipath-agents", "uipath-rpa"],
    "Agents": ["claude"],
    "Installed": 2
  }
}
```

- `RootDir` — base directory the skills were written under (user home for global, project directory for `--local`).
- `Skills` — slugs of the skills fetched from the UiPath skills repository.
- `Agents` — agents targeted in this run.
- `Installed` — number of (agent, skill) pairs successfully installed.

### Prerequisites

Network access plus `git`. On Windows, skill unpacking uses PowerShell; on macOS/Linux, it uses `unzip`. If these are missing, the command fails with a `Failure` result pointing at the offending prerequisite. 

## uip skills update

Re-fetch skills from UiPath and re-install them. After installing the fresh set, the CLI prunes any skills that are no longer in the registry — so `update` also cleans up deprecated skills on disk.

### Arguments

None.

### Options

- `--agent <agent>` — See `install`.
- `--local` — See `install`.

### Example

```bash
uip skills update --agent claude
```

### Data shape (`--output json`)

```json
{
  "Code": "SkillsUpdate",
  "Data": {
    "RootDir": "/Users/alice",
    "Skills": ["uipath-agents", "uipath-rpa"],
    "Agents": ["claude"],
    "Updated": 2
  }
}
```

`Updated` is the number of (agent, skill) pairs re-installed; stale entries are removed separately and silently.

## uip skills uninstall

Remove previously installed skills from an agent's configuration and update the local manifest. `uninstall` does not perform any network calls — it relies on the manifest written by `install` / `update` to know which skills exist.

### Arguments

None.

### Options

- `--agent <agent>` — See `install`. Without it, the CLI prompts interactively. Passing an unknown agent fails with `ValidationError`.
- `--local` — Remove from the current project instead of the user home.

### Example

```bash
uip skills uninstall --agent claude
```

### Data shape (`--output json`)

```json
{
  "Code": "SkillsUninstall",
  "Data": {
    "RootDir": "/Users/alice",
    "Skills": ["uipath-agents", "uipath-rpa"],
    "Agents": ["claude"],
    "Uninstalled": 2
  }
}
```

### Failure modes

- No manifest found (nothing ever installed, or it was deleted manually): `ConfigError` with instructions to run `uipath skills install`.
- Write permissions on the agent's configuration directory: `Failure` with a file-permissions hint. The CLI exits with code 1.
- User cancels the interactive agent picker: the CLI exits with code 130 (SIGINT), per the [standard contract](./exit-codes.md).

## Related

- [Skills](./concepts-skills.md) — what skills are, agent support matrix, and how they differ from tools.
- [Authentication](./authentication.md) — not required for `skills`; the registry is public.
- [`uip mcp`](./uip-mcp.md) — a secondary path for MCP-aware agents that do not support skills.