Cursor Agent Skills: Complete Setup & Examples [2026]
How to add, configure, and use agent skills in Cursor IDE. Includes 7 ready-to-use skill examples, the difference between skills and rules, and the full setup walkthrough.
Quick Answer
Yes, Cursor supports agent skills. Create a .cursor/skills/[skill-name]/SKILL.md file in your project. Write frontmatter with name and description, then add your task instructions. Type /skill-name in Cursor's chat to invoke it.
Cursor Rules vs Agent Skills: When to Use Each
Many Cursor users confuse rules and skills — they serve different purposes. Here's the breakdown:
| Aspect | Cursor Rules | Agent Skills |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Set persistent coding standards and preferences for the AI | Define reusable task workflows triggered by /commands |
| Format | .cursorrules file or .cursor/rules/*.mdc | .cursor/skills/[name]/SKILL.md or SKILL.md |
| Activation | Always active — applies to every Cursor session | On-demand — you trigger with /skill-name when needed |
| Scope | Shapes all AI responses in the IDE | Executes a specific task workflow on request |
| Best for | Language preferences, style guides, project context | Repeatable tasks: commit, review, test, deploy, document |
| Portability | Cursor-specific (.cursorrules syntax) | Works across Claude Code, Cursor, Antigravity, Windsurf |
For a deeper rules guide, see our .cursorrules complete guide.
How to Set Up Agent Skills in Cursor
Create the skills directory
Create a .cursor/skills/ directory in your project root for project-specific skills, or ~/.cursor/skills/ for global skills.
mkdir -p .cursor/skills/commit # Or for global: mkdir -p ~/.cursor/skills/commit
Create your SKILL.md file
Create the SKILL.md file inside the skill directory with your frontmatter and instructions.
# .cursor/skills/commit/SKILL.md --- name: commit description: > Generate a commit message for staged git changes. Use when user wants to commit or asks for commit message. --- # Commit Skill Analyze the staged diff and write conventional commit: Format: type(scope): description Types: feat, fix, docs, style, refactor, test, chore
Restart Cursor to detect the skill
Cursor scans for SKILL.md files on startup. Restart or reload the window to pick up new skills.
# In Cursor: Cmd+Shift+P → "Reload Window" # Or restart Cursor completely
Trigger the skill in chat
Type /skill-name in Cursor's AI chat panel. Claude will execute your defined workflow.
# In Cursor AI chat: /commit # Claude will analyze your staged changes # and output a conventional commit message
Commit your skill to git
Add .cursor/skills/ to git so all team members get the skills automatically.
git add .cursor/skills/ git commit -m "feat: add team skills for commit, review, and test"
7 Best Cursor Agent Skills Examples
Component Generator
/componentGenerates React components with TypeScript, props interface, and Tailwind styling following your project's conventions.
/component Button — creates a full Button component with variants, props, and Storybook story
API Route Builder
/api-routeScaffolds complete API route handlers with validation, error handling, and response types.
/api-route users/[id] GET — creates a GET handler with Zod validation and typed response
Test Writer
/testWrites Vitest or Jest tests for the current file, covering happy paths, edge cases, and error states.
/test — generates test file for the currently open component or function
Commit Helper
/commitGenerates a conventional commit message from the current diff, with scope detection.
/commit — analyzes staged changes and outputs: feat(auth): add JWT refresh token rotation
Code Reviewer
/reviewReviews the selected code block for bugs, security, and performance with actionable fixes.
/review — scans selection for OWASP issues and style violations with specific line references
Docs Generator
/docsGenerates TSDoc comments for all functions and classes in the selected file.
/docs — adds @param, @returns, and @example to all exported functions in the file
Refactor Helper
/refactorRewrites selected code for clarity using modern patterns, reducing complexity scores.
/refactor — identifies and removes duplication, extracts functions, improves naming
For full SKILL.md templates for all of these, see our 9 best agent skills examples.
Import Agent Skills from GitHub into Cursor
Don't write from scratch — import community skills directly:
# Clone the OpenClaw starter pack git clone https://github.com/openclaw/claude-skills-starter-pack /tmp/skills # Copy skills to your Cursor project cp -r /tmp/skills/commit .cursor/skills/ cp -r /tmp/skills/review-pr .cursor/skills/ cp -r /tmp/skills/test-runner .cursor/skills/ # Or use skills.sh installer curl -fsSL https://skills.sh/install | bash skills install commit review-pr test-runner --dir .cursor/skills/
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Cursor support agent skills?
Yes. Cursor supports agent skills via SKILL.md files stored in your project's .cursor/skills/ directory (or .claude/skills/ for cross-IDE compatibility). When you type /skill-name in Cursor's chat, it loads and executes the skill instructions. Cursor also supports .mdc format for its native rules system.
How do I add agent skills to Cursor?
Create a directory at .cursor/skills/[skill-name]/ in your project root and add a SKILL.md file with your skill instructions. Or use ~/.cursor/skills/ for global skills available in all projects. Type /skill-name in Cursor's AI chat to trigger it.
What is the difference between Cursor rules and agent skills?
Cursor rules (.cursorrules or .cursor/rules/*.mdc) are always-on preferences that shape every AI response — like setting coding standards, language preferences, and project context. Agent skills (SKILL.md) are on-demand workflows you trigger by typing /command. Use rules for persistent context; use skills for repeatable tasks.
Where can I find Cursor agent skills examples?
Browse mcpdirectory.app/skills for a curated catalog. On GitHub, search for 'SKILL.md cursor' or browse the cursor-community/skills repository. The OpenClaw starter pack also includes Cursor-compatible skills that work identically in Claude Code.
How do I import agent skills from GitHub into Cursor?
Clone or download the skills repo, then copy the skill directories to .cursor/skills/ (project) or ~/.cursor/skills/ (global). Example: git clone https://github.com/openclaw/claude-skills && cp -r claude-skills/commit .cursor/skills/commit/. Restart Cursor to detect new skills.
Find More Cursor-Compatible Skills
Browse 50+ verified skills at mcpdirectory.app — all compatible with Cursor, Claude Code, and Antigravity. Install any skill in under 60 seconds.