Nori Skillsets Documentation

A CLI extension for managing agent Skills and Skillsets.

Key Concepts

Skillsets

A Skillset is a complete, self-contained configuration that defines how your coding agent behaves. Each Skillset includes:

CLAUDE.md - Custom instructions and workflow preferences
skills/ - Directory of skill files that define agent behaviors
subagents/ - Specialized sub-agents for specific tasks
slashcommands/ - Custom slash commands for quick actions

Skillsets are stored in ~/.claude/profiles/ and represent distinct modes of work. You can switch between Skillsets instantly to tune your agent for different tasks.

Skills

Skills are step-by-step instructions that encode specific agent behaviors. Each skill is defined in a SKILL.md file with frontmatter metadata (name, description) and detailed instructions.

Examples: test-driven development, systematic debugging, code review, git workflows, architecture decisions.

Mixins

Mixins are reusable configuration bundles that can be linked into your Skillset. Available mixins:

_swe - Engineering workflows and development patterns
_pm - Product management focused workflows
_docs - Documentation generation and maintenance
_paid - Paid tier features (knowledge management, noridocs)

Subagents

Specialized agents that handle specific tasks autonomously:

codebase-locator - Finds files and components relevant to a task
codebase-analyzer - Analyzes implementation details
codebase-pattern-finder - Finds similar implementations and usage examples
web-search-researcher - Researches information from the web
change-documenter - Updates documentation after code changes
initial-documenter - Creates initial documentation for codebases

Getting Started

Installation

Install Nori globally:

npm install -g nori-ai

Run the installer for Claude Code:

nori-ai install

During installation, you'll be prompted to select a sample skillset:

senior-swe - High-confirmation co-pilot mode
product-manager - Autonomous execution with technical guidance
documenter - Documentation-focused workflows

Creating Your First Skillset

Option 1: Interactive Creation

Launch Claude Code and run:

/nori-create-skillset

Claude will guide you through understanding your role, identifying repeating instructions, and setting up your custom skillset structure.

Option 2: Manual Creation

Create a skillset directory:

mkdir -p ~/.claude/profiles/my-skillset

Add a CLAUDE.md file with your custom instructions:

# My Custom Skillset

Add your workflow preferences here:
- Testing requirements
- Git automation rules
- Code style guidelines
- Any repeating instructions

Link to mixins (optional):

# Link to the SWE mixin for engineering workflows
ln -s ~/.claude/_mixins/_swe ~/.claude/profiles/my-skillset/_swe

Activate your skillset:

nori-ai switch-skillset my-skillset

Switching Skillsets

Switch skillsets from the command line:

nori-ai switch-skillset <skillset-name>

Or during a conversation:

/nori-switch-skillset

Note: Skillset changes take effect in new conversations. Exit and re-enter Claude Code to load the new skillset.

Common Commands

Installation & Setup

Command	Description
`nori-ai install`	Install Nori for Claude Code
`nori-ai uninstall`	Uninstall all Nori features
`nori-ai check`	Run configuration validation
`nori-ai help`	Show help message

Skillset Management

Command	Description
`nori-ai switch-skillset <name>`	Switch to a different skillset
`/nori-switch-skillset`	Switch skillsets during a conversation
`/nori-create-skillset`	Interactive skillset creation wizard
`/nori-info`	Display Nori features and capabilities

Documentation Commands

Command	Description
`/nori-init-docs`	Initialize docs.md files throughout the codebase
`/nori-sync-docs`	Sync all docs.md files to server-side noridocs

Debugging & Validation

Command	Description
`/nori-debug`	Validate Nori installation and configuration

Skillset Structure

Skillsets live in ~/.claude/profiles/ with the following structure:

~/.claude/profiles/my-skillset/
├── CLAUDE.md              # Custom instructions
├── skills/                # Skill definitions
│   ├── my-skill/
│   │   └── SKILL.md
│   └── another-skill/
│       └── SKILL.md
├── subagents/             # Subagent configurations
├── slashcommands/         # Custom slash commands
└── _swe/                  # Linked mixin (optional)

Built-in Skillsets

senior-swe

High-confirmation co-pilot mode for senior engineers. Focuses on:

Thoughtful code review and validation
Test-driven development
Systematic debugging
Architecture decision documentation

product-manager

Autonomous execution with technical guidance. Optimized for:

Feature planning and implementation
User story validation
Technical feasibility analysis
Documentation and release notes

documenter

Documentation-focused workflows including:

Automatic documentation generation
Change documentation after code updates
Technical writing assistance
API documentation

Additional Features

6-Checkpoint Development Workflow

Nori provides a structured development workflow with six checkpoints:

Setup verification
Research
Plan approval
TDD cycle
Implementation
Verification

Real-Time Status Line

The status line displays:

Current git branch
Active skillset name
Token usage
Conversation cost