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cowork-guide

CRITICAL: Comprehensive guide for CoWork Skills CLI tool. Triggers on: cowork, Skills.toml, skill management, plugin configuration, cowork init, cowork install, cowork config, cowork generate, cowork audit, cowork verify, cowork test

Packaged view

This page reorganizes the original catalog entry around fit, installability, and workflow context first. The original raw source lives below.

Stars
29
Hot score
89
Updated
March 20, 2026
Overall rating
C3.3
Composite score
3.3
Best-practice grade
B70.4

Install command

npx @skill-hub/cli install zhanghandong-cowork-skills-cowork-guide

Repository

ZhangHanDong/cowork-skills

Skill path: skills/cowork-guide

CRITICAL: Comprehensive guide for CoWork Skills CLI tool. Triggers on: cowork, Skills.toml, skill management, plugin configuration, cowork init, cowork install, cowork config, cowork generate, cowork audit, cowork verify, cowork test

Open repository

Best for

Primary workflow: Ship Full Stack.

Technical facets: Full Stack, Testing, Integration.

Target audience: everyone.

License: Unknown.

Original source

Catalog source: SkillHub Club.

Repository owner: ZhangHanDong.

This is still a mirrored public skill entry. Review the repository before installing into production workflows.

What it helps with

  • Install cowork-guide into Claude Code, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, or OpenCode workflows
  • Review https://github.com/ZhangHanDong/cowork-skills before adding cowork-guide to shared team environments
  • Use cowork-guide for development workflows

Works across

Claude CodeCodex CLIGemini CLIOpenCode

Favorites: 0.

Sub-skills: 0.

Aggregator: No.

Original source / Raw SKILL.md

---
name: cowork-guide
description: "CRITICAL: Comprehensive guide for CoWork Skills CLI tool. Triggers on: cowork, Skills.toml, skill management, plugin configuration, cowork init, cowork install, cowork config, cowork generate, cowork audit, cowork verify, cowork test"
---

# CoWork Guide

> Complete reference for the CoWork Skills CLI tool

## Overview

**CoWork Skills** (`cowork` / `co`) is a CLI tool for managing Claude Code skills and plugins across 16+ AI coding agents:
- Install skills from GitHub repositories
- Generate skills from source code (Rust, TypeScript, Python)
- Manage project-level skill configuration via Skills.toml
- Security auditing and checksum verification
- Search GitHub for skill repositories

## Installation

**First, check if cowork is installed:**
```bash
cowork --version
```

**If not installed, install via one of these methods:**

```bash
# Option 1: From crates.io (recommended)
cargo install cowork

# Option 2: From source
git clone https://github.com/ZhangHanDong/cowork-skills
cd cowork-skills/cli
cargo install --path .
```

**Then initialize built-in skills:**
```bash
cowork init
```

> **Note:** If you installed cowork-skills via `npx @anthropic-ai/claude-code add`,
> you still need to install the `cowork` CLI separately using the commands above.

## Command Alias

```bash
cowork = co   # ็ฎ€ๅ†™ๅˆซๅ
```

## Commands by Category

### ๐Ÿš€ Quick Start (ๅˆๅง‹ๅŒ–)

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `co init` | ๅฎ‰่ฃ…ๅ†…็ฝฎ skills ๅˆฐๅ…จๅฑ€/้กน็›ฎ |
| `co init --list` | ๅˆ—ๅ‡บๅฏ็”จ็š„ๅ†…็ฝฎ skills |
| `co init --local` | ๅฎ‰่ฃ…ๅˆฐ้กน็›ฎ `.claude/skills/` |
| `co init -r <name>` | ๅˆ ้™คๆŒ‡ๅฎš skill |

### ๐Ÿ“ฆ Install & Uninstall (ๅฎ‰่ฃ…)

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `co install user/repo` | ไปŽ GitHub ๅฎ‰่ฃ… |
| `co install user/repo -s skill1` | ๅฎ‰่ฃ…ๆŒ‡ๅฎš skills |
| `co install user/repo --plugin` | ไฝœไธบๆ’ไปถๅฎ‰่ฃ… |
| `co install user/repo -l` | ๅฎ‰่ฃ…ๅˆฐ้กน็›ฎๆœฌๅœฐ |
| `co install user/repo --update` | ๆ›ดๆ–ฐๅˆฐๆœ€ๆ–ฐ็‰ˆๆœฌ |
| `co install --list` | ๅˆ—ๅ‡บๅทฒๅฎ‰่ฃ…ไป“ๅบ“ |
| `co install --uninstall repo` | ๅธ่ฝฝไป“ๅบ“ |

### โš™๏ธ Configuration (้…็ฝฎ)

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `co config init` | ๅˆ›ๅปบ Skills.toml |
| `co config show` | ๆ˜พ็คบๅฝ“ๅ‰้…็ฝฎ |
| `co config add name repo` | ๆทปๅŠ ไพ่ต– |
| `co config add name path --dev` | ๆทปๅŠ ๅผ€ๅ‘้“พๆŽฅ |
| `co config install` | ๅฎ‰่ฃ… Skills.toml ไธญ็š„ไพ่ต– |
| `co config sync` | ๅŒๆญฅ้”ๆ–‡ไปถ็Šถๆ€ |
| `co config enable/disable` | ๅฏ็”จ/็ฆ็”จ skills |
| `co config priority` | ่ฎพ็ฝฎ่งฆๅ‘ไผ˜ๅ…ˆ็บง |
| `co config router` | ็”ŸๆˆๅŠจๆ€่ทฏ็”ฑ |
| `co config router --analyze` | AI ๅˆ†ๆž็”Ÿๆˆๆ™บ่ƒฝ่ทฏ็”ฑ |

### ๐Ÿ” Discovery (ๅ‘็Žฐ)

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `co list` | ๅˆ—ๅ‡บๆ‰€ๆœ‰ๅฏ็”จ skills |
| `co search query` | ๆœ็ดข GitHub ไป“ๅบ“ |
| `co search topic --topic` | ๆŒ‰ topic ๆœ็ดข |
| `co generate user/repo` | ไปŽๆบ็ ็”Ÿๆˆ skills |

### ๐Ÿ”Œ Plugin Management (ๆ’ไปถ)

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `co plugins list` | ๅˆ—ๅ‡บๅทฒๅฎ‰่ฃ…ๆ’ไปถ |
| `co plugins status` | ๆ’ไปถ็ณป็ปŸ็Šถๆ€ |
| `co plugins enable/disable` | ๅฏ็”จ/็ฆ็”จๆ’ไปถ |
| `co plugins uninstall` | ๅธ่ฝฝๆ’ไปถ |

### ๐Ÿ›ก๏ธ Security & Testing (ๅฎ‰ๅ…จ)

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `co audit` | ๅฎ‰ๅ…จๅฎก่ฎก |
| `co verify` | ๆ ก้ชŒ checksums |
| `co test` | ็”Ÿๆˆ่งฆๅ‘ๆต‹่ฏ• |
| `co test --run` | ่ฟ่กŒๅฎž้™…ๆต‹่ฏ• |
| `co test --check-conflicts` | ๆฃ€ๆŸฅ่งฆๅ‘ๅ†ฒ็ช |

### ๐Ÿ“Š Status & Debug (็Šถๆ€)

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `co status` | ๆ˜พ็คบๅฝ“ๅ‰็Šถๆ€ |
| `co doctor` | ๆฃ€ๆŸฅ้…็ฝฎ้—ฎ้ข˜ |

## Workflow ๅทฅไฝœๆต

```
โ”Œโ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”
โ”‚                        CoWork ๅทฅไฝœๆต                              โ”‚
โ””โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”˜

1. ๅˆๅง‹ๅŒ–
   co init                          # ๅฎ‰่ฃ…ๅ†…็ฝฎ skills

2. ๅฎ‰่ฃ…ๅค–้ƒจ skills
   co install user/repo             # ไปŽ GitHub ๅฎ‰่ฃ…
   co install user/repo --plugin    # ไฝœไธบๆ’ไปถๅฎ‰่ฃ…

3. ้กน็›ฎ้…็ฝฎ (ๅฏ้€‰)
   co config init                   # ๅˆ›ๅปบ Skills.toml
   co config add rust ZhangHanDong/rust-skills
   co config install                # ๅฎ‰่ฃ…ไพ่ต–

4. ็”Ÿๆˆ่ทฏ็”ฑ
   co config router --analyze       # AI ๅˆ†ๆž็”Ÿๆˆๆ™บ่ƒฝ่ทฏ็”ฑ

5. ๆต‹่ฏ• & ้ชŒ่ฏ
   co test --check-conflicts        # ๆฃ€ๆŸฅ่งฆๅ‘ๅ†ฒ็ช
   co audit                         # ๅฎ‰ๅ…จๅฎก่ฎก

6. ๆ—ฅๅธธไฝฟ็”จ
   co list                          # ๆŸฅ็œ‹ๆ‰€ๆœ‰ skills
   co status                        # ๆŸฅ็œ‹็Šถๆ€
   co doctor                        # ่ฏŠๆ–ญ้—ฎ้ข˜
```

---

## cowork init

Initialize built-in skills to ~/.claude/skills/.

```bash
# Install all built-in skills
cowork init

# List available built-in skills
cowork init --list

# Install specific skills only
cowork init -s memory-skills -s cowork-guide

# Force overwrite existing
cowork init --force

# Install to project local (.claude/skills/)
cowork init --local

# Remove specific skills
cowork init --remove memory-skills
```

**Built-in Skills:**
- `memory-skills` - CoALA-based memory system (remember, recall, reflect)
- `cowork-guide` - Complete CoWork CLI usage guide
- `cowork-router` - Unified router for installed plugins/skills
- `code-review` - Code review assistant with best practices
- `github-generate` - Generate skills from GitHub repositories
- `github-search` - Search GitHub for skill repositories

---

## cowork install

Install skills from GitHub or local repositories.

### Basic Usage

```bash
# Install from GitHub (user/repo format)
cowork install ZhangHanDong/rust-skills

# Install from full URL
cowork install https://github.com/user/repo

# Install current project to global
cowork install

# List installed repositories
cowork install --list
```

### Installation Options

```bash
# Install specific skills only
cowork install user/repo -s skill1 -s skill2

# Install to specific agents
cowork install user/repo -a claude-code -a cursor

# Install as plugin (preserves full repo structure)
cowork install user/repo --plugin

# Install to project local (.claude/skills/)
cowork install user/repo --local

# Force reinstall
cowork install user/repo --reinstall

# Update to latest version
cowork install user/repo --update

# Include additional directories
cowork install user/repo --include-dir docs --include-dir examples

# Copy files instead of symlinks
cowork install user/repo --no-symlink

# Use npx add-skill backend
cowork install user/repo --use-add-skill

# Skip confirmation prompts
cowork install user/repo -y
```

### Uninstall

```bash
cowork install --uninstall repo-name
```

### Supported Agents

Install skills to 16+ coding agents:

| Agent | Flag | Agent | Flag |
|-------|------|-------|------|
| Claude Code | `-a claude-code` | Amp | `-a amp` |
| Cursor | `-a cursor` | Antigravity | `-a antigravity` |
| Codex | `-a codex` | Clawdbot | `-a clawdbot` |
| GitHub Copilot | `-a github-copilot` | Droid | `-a droid` |
| Windsurf | `-a windsurf` | Gemini CLI | `-a gemini-cli` |
| Goose | `-a goose` | Kilo | `-a kilo` |
| Kiro CLI | `-a kiro-cli` | OpenCode | `-a opencode` |
| Roo | `-a roo` | Trae | `-a trae` |

---

## cowork config

Manage project-level skill configuration via Skills.toml.

### Initialize Configuration

```bash
# Initialize with auto-detection of installed plugins/skills
cowork config init

# Skip auto-detection
cowork config init --no-detect

# Force overwrite existing
cowork config init --force
```

Auto-detection scans:
- `~/.claude/` for global plugins
- `~/.claude/skills/` for global skills
- `.claude/` for project plugins
- `.claude/skills/` for project skills

### View Configuration

```bash
# Show current config
cowork config show

# List available skill groups
cowork config groups
```

### Add Dependencies

```bash
# Add from GitHub (global)
cowork config add rust-skills ZhangHanDong/rust-skills

# Add to project local
cowork config add my-skills user/skills --local

# Add specific skills
cowork config add tokio user/tokio-skills -s tokio-runtime -s tokio-sync

# Add as plugin
cowork config add makepad user/makepad-skills --plugin

# Add as disabled
cowork config add old-lib user/old --disabled

# Add with git ref
cowork config add pinned user/repo --ref v1.0.0

# Add development link (symlink for testing)
cowork config add dora-dev /path/to/dora-skills --dev
```

### Install Dependencies

```bash
# Install all dependencies from Skills.toml
cowork config install
```

### Sync Configuration

```bash
# Sync enabled/disabled status with lock file
cowork config sync

# Also update remote repos (git pull)
cowork config sync --update
```

### Enable/Disable

```bash
# Enable skill groups
cowork config enable rust-core makepad

# Enable individual skills
cowork config enable memory-filesystem

# Disable skills or groups
cowork config disable rust-domains
```

### Trigger Configuration

```bash
# Set priority order
cowork config priority dora-router rust-router makepad-router

# Override specific trigger
cowork config override "async" rust-router
cowork config override "widget" makepad-router
```

### Generate Output

```bash
# Generate SKILLS.md from config
cowork config apply

# Generate to custom path
cowork config apply -o ./docs/SKILLS.md

# Generate dynamic router based on installed plugins
cowork config router

# Generate router with hooks for auto-triggering
cowork config router --hooks

# Analyze trigger conflicts
cowork config router --analyze

# Skip cache
cowork config router --no-cache
```

---

## Skills.toml

Project-level configuration file stored at `.cowork/Skills.toml`.

### Basic Structure

```toml
[project]
name = "my-project"
description = "Project description"

[skills.global]
enabled = ["memory-filesystem"]
disabled = []

[skills.install]
rust-skills = "ZhangHanDong/rust-skills"

[skills.groups]
enabled = ["rust-core"]
disabled = []

[triggers]
priority = ["dora-router", "rust-router"]

[triggers.overrides]
"async" = "rust-router"
```

### Dependency Forms

**Simple form:**
```toml
[skills.install]
rust-skills = "ZhangHanDong/rust-skills"
```

**Detailed form:**
```toml
[skills.install]
tokio = { repo = "user/tokio-skills", skills = ["tokio-runtime", "tokio-sync"] }
local = { path = "../my-local-skills" }
pinned = { repo = "user/repo", ref = "v1.0.0" }
makepad = { repo = "user/makepad-skills", plugin = true }
my-project = { repo = "user/skills", local = true }
old-lib = { repo = "user/old", enabled = false }
```

### Dev Links

Development symlinks for testing local skills:

```toml
[skills.dev]
my-skill = "/path/to/my-skill-project"
dora-dev = { path = "/path/to/dora-skills" }
dora-plugin = { path = "/path/to/dora-skills", plugin = true }
```

### Skill Groups

| Group | Skills | Description |
|-------|--------|-------------|
| `rust-core` | 8 | Basic Rust (ownership, concurrency, error handling) |
| `rust-patterns` | 7 | Design patterns (domain modeling, performance) |
| `rust-domains` | 7 | Domain-specific (web, CLI, fintech, embedded) |
| `makepad` | 11 | Makepad UI framework |
| `dora` | 8 | Dora-rs robotics framework |
| `dora-hubs` | 9 | Dora hub integrations |

---

## cowork generate

Generate skills from source code of any GitHub repository.

```bash
# Generate from GitHub repo
cowork generate user/repo

# Specify language(s)
cowork generate tokio-rs/tokio --lang rust
cowork generate vercel/next.js --lang typescript

# Only generate llms.txt
cowork generate user/repo --llms-only -o ./output

# Generate from existing llms.txt
cowork generate --from-llms ./llms.txt

# Specify git ref
cowork generate user/repo --ref v1.0.0
```

### Supported Languages

| Language | Parser | Extracts |
|----------|--------|----------|
| Rust | `syn` | pub fn, struct, enum, trait, impl |
| TypeScript | `tree-sitter` | export function, class, interface, type |
| Python | `tree-sitter` | def, class (excluding `_` private items) |

### Output

1. **llms.txt** - API documentation following llms.txt specification
2. **SKILL.md** - Generated skill files with triggers and references

---

## cowork search

Search GitHub for skill repositories.

```bash
# Search by keyword
cowork search tokio

# Search by GitHub topic
cowork search agent-skill --topic

# Limit results
cowork search rust-skills --limit 5

# Show detailed results
cowork search rust-skills --verbose
```

---

## cowork plugins

Manage Claude Code marketplace plugins.

```bash
# List marketplace plugins
cowork plugins list

# Show plugin status
cowork plugins status

# Uninstall a plugin
cowork plugins uninstall rust-skills

# Enable/disable plugins
cowork plugins enable rust-skills
cowork plugins disable rust-skills

# List marketplaces
cowork plugins marketplaces

# Remove a marketplace
cowork plugins remove-marketplace rust-skills
```

---

## cowork test

Generate and run trigger tests for skills.

### Generate Test Reports

```bash
# Generate trigger test report
cowork test

# List all triggers with their skills
cowork test triggers

# Check for trigger conflicts
cowork test --check-conflicts

# Output formats
cowork test -o triggers.json --format json
cowork test -o triggers.yaml --format yaml
cowork test -o triggers.md --format markdown
```

### Run Actual Tests

```bash
# Run trigger tests using Claude
cowork test --run

# Test specific skills by pattern
cowork test --filter "rust-*" --run

# Limit triggers per skill
cowork test --run -n 5

# Scan specific locations
cowork test --global          # ~/.claude/skills/
cowork test --path ./skills   # Custom directory
cowork test --plugins         # Installed plugins
cowork test --all             # Project + global + plugins
```

---

## cowork audit

Security audit of installed skills.

### Basic Usage

```bash
# Scan all installed skills
cowork audit

# Verbose output with details
cowork audit --verbose

# Auto-fix issues where possible
cowork audit --fix
```

### Scan Locations

```bash
cowork audit --global    # Scan ~/.claude/skills/
cowork audit --project   # Scan .claude/skills/
cowork audit --plugins   # Scan installed plugins
```

### Output Formats

```bash
cowork audit -o report.txt --format text
cowork audit -o report.json --format json
cowork audit -o report.md --format markdown
```

### Detection Capabilities

- **Dangerous patterns**: `rm -rf`, `eval()`, `curl|sh`, `sudo`
- **Prompt injection**: Attempts to override system prompts
- **Credential leaks**: `API_KEY`, `PRIVATE KEY`, `password`
- **Risk levels**: SAFE, LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH, CRITICAL

---

## cowork verify

Verify checksums of installed skills against Skills.lock.

```bash
# Verify all skills
cowork verify

# Verify specific skill
cowork verify rust-skills

# Update checksums in lockfile
cowork verify --update

# Verbose output
cowork verify --verbose
```

---

## Security Configuration

Add to `Skills.toml`:

```toml
[security]
# Trusted authors
trusted_authors = ["ZhangHanDong", "anthropics"]

# Custom blocked patterns (regex)
blocked_patterns = ["dangerous-pattern"]

# Paths to skip during scanning (glob patterns)
skip_paths = [
    "**/docs/**",
    "**/examples/**",
    "**/tests/**",
]

# Trusted marketplace plugins (skip scanning)
trusted_marketplaces = ["hookify", "rust-skills"]

# Auto-reject high risk skills
auto_reject_high_risk = false
```

---

## Storage Locations

| Location | Purpose |
|----------|---------|
| `~/.cowork/repos/` | Cloned GitHub repositories |
| `~/.claude/skills/` | Global skills directory |
| `~/.claude/<plugin>/` | Global plugins |
| `.claude/skills/` | Project-local skills |
| `.claude/<plugin>/` | Project-local plugins |
| `.cowork/Skills.toml` | Project configuration |
| `.cowork/Skills.lock` | Installed packages lock |

---

## Environment Variables

| Variable | Description |
|----------|-------------|
| `GITHUB_TOKEN` | Required for generate/search commands |

---

## Troubleshooting

### Check Configuration

```bash
cowork doctor
cowork status
```

### Common Issues

**Skills not loading:**
1. Check if skill exists: `cowork list`
2. Verify enabled status: `cowork config show`
3. Ensure triggers match: `cowork test triggers`

**Installation fails:**
1. Check GitHub token: `echo $GITHUB_TOKEN`
2. Verify repo exists: `gh repo view user/repo`
3. Try with verbose: `cowork install user/repo --reinstall`

**Plugin conflicts:**
1. Set trigger priority: `cowork config priority router1 router2`
2. Override specific triggers: `cowork config override "keyword" skill-name`
3. Check for conflicts: `cowork test --check-conflicts`
cowork-guide | SkillHub