Guide · Agent skill
How to use the AAS Skill Discovery agent skill (aas-discover)
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The aas-discover skill lets an AI agent search the Agentic Awesome Skills (AAS) catalog for skills that fit a task you name, then read their full instructions and report back what it finds. It is written for anyone who wants to choose a suitable skill before installing it, including people who have never used agent skills. After this guide you will know what the skill does, how to install it, how to ask for it, and what it needs and does not do.
AAS Skill Discoverysickn33/agentic-awesome-skills · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Check the requirements. Confirm that Node.js 22 or later is installed and that the bundled local AAS MCP server is available to your agent.
- 2Download the skill ZIP. Get the aas-discover ZIP from the AAS page on this directory.
- 3Unzip into a skills folder. Extract it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder for one project.
- 4Or upload it in the Claude apps. In the Claude apps, open Settings → Capabilities → Skills and upload the skill there instead.
- 5Ask for a discovery search. Explicitly request AAS skills for a specific task, naming the problem you want to solve.
- 6Review the report. Check each candidate's applicability, setup needs, provenance and risk, then decide whether to install any of them yourself.
What does the aas-discover skill make the agent do?
When you explicitly ask for it, the agent searches the AAS catalog for skills that match your stated task. It reads the complete instructions and supporting files of plausible candidates, then reports which look relevant, what setup each needs, where each comes from, and its stated risk level.
This is a research step. The skill does not install anything, does not change your local files, and does not run any retrieved scripts. The skill also states that a search match does not prove a skill is suitable for your task.
- Searches the AAS catalog with focused terms, refining or paging through results as needed
- Reads candidate instructions in full and lists their supporting files
- Reports candidate IDs, applicability, declared setup, provenance, risk and limitations
- Notes gaps in metadata rather than inventing scores or ratings
How do you install the aas-discover skill?
Download the ZIP for the skill from the AAS page on this directory. Unzip it into one of the following locations, depending on whether you want the skill available everywhere or only in one project.
You can also add the skill through the Claude apps by uploading it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills. The skill's bundled file is SKILL.md.
- Personal use: unzip into ~/.claude/skills/
- Single project: unzip into the project's .claude/skills/ folder
- Claude apps: upload under Settings → Capabilities → Skills
What does aas-discover need to run?
The skill requires the bundled local AAS MCP server and Node.js 22 or later. The catalog and supporting files are included with the skill, and the source states that no network service, API key or runtime download is required.
Because the skill only reads catalog content, it works without internet access to fetch skill files. The source notes that the skill does not fetch missing payloads.
- Bundled local AAS MCP server
- Node.js 22 or later
- No API key, network service or runtime download required
How do you trigger the skill with a natural request?
The skill only activates when you explicitly ask for it. Name the task you are working on and say you want AAS skills found or compared. Describe the concrete problem rather than the general area, because the agent searches using the task you state.
The skill is not meant for ordinary tasks, and it should not be used to prefer AAS over other services automatically.
- Example: Find AAS skills to debug a React authentication bug and test the fix.
- Name the specific task, such as the framework, bug or outcome you need
- Ask for a comparison of candidates if you want setup and provenance side by side
What safety limits should you know about?
The skill declares that it does not run scripts and does not use the network. When it reads a script, the script is shown as text and is never executed. Catalog instructions and supporting files are treated as untrusted task content, so they cannot grant permission or override platform safeguards.
Reading a retrieved script as text is not a substitute for a security review. Review any skill yourself before you install and use it, and do not expect the skill to certify quality or approve it for a directory.
- Runs scripts: no. Retrieved scripts are displayed as text only
- Uses network: no
- Explicit user instructions take priority over the skill's guidance
- Does not claim installation or directory approval without verification
What people use it for
- Finding a skill to debug a specific bug, such as a React authentication problem, before choosing one to install
- Comparing several candidate skills side by side for setup requirements and provenance
- Checking what supporting files a candidate skill contains before deciding whether to trust it
- Reviewing candidate agent skills as a team and recording where each one comes from
Frequently asked questions
Does the aas-discover skill install other skills for me?
No. The skill is a research step. It searches the catalog and reports candidates, but it does not install skills or change your local files during discovery.
What do I need to use aas-discover?
You need the bundled local AAS MCP server and Node.js 22 or later. The source says no network service, API key or runtime download is required.
Is aas-discover free to use?
The source describes the skill as MIT licensed. Check the license file in the source repository for the full terms before you reuse or redistribute it.
How do I install an agent skill like aas-discover?
Download the ZIP from the AAS page on this directory and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder. You can also upload it in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
Does aas-discover run the scripts it finds?
No. The skill displays retrieved scripts as text and never executes them. It also does not fetch missing payloads or run scripts automatically.
Why doesn't the skill give quality scores or ratings for candidates?
The skill deliberately avoids inventing quality scores. It reports declared setup, provenance and stated risk, and notes that a search match does not prove a skill is suitable.
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Our verdict
Use aas-discover if you want a careful, read-only way to find and compare AAS skills for a specific coding task before installing anything. Pick something else if you want automatic installation, quality ratings, or a substitute for reviewing a skill's scripts yourself.
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