A skill is a set of instructions packaged as a SKILL.md file that an AI agent reads to learn a new workflow. Codex CLI stores skills in a directory structure that mirrors Claude Code and OpenClaw.
> Quick Answer: Codex CLI stores personal skills at `~/.codex/skills/` and project skills at `.codex/skills/` relative to your repo root. Both directories are scanned at session startup. The same SKILL.md files work across Codex CLI, Claude Code, OpenClaw, and other compatible agents.
Where does Codex CLI store personal skills?
Personal skills live at `~/.codex/skills/`. Every skill you put here is available across all your projects.
```
~/.codex/skills/
├── code-reviewer/
│ └── SKILL.md
├── git-commit-writer/
│ └── SKILL.md
└── env-doctor/
├── SKILL.md
└── references/
└── common-issues.md
```
On macOS, the full path expands to `/Users/yourname/.codex/skills/`. On Linux, it's `/home/yourname/.codex/skills/`. On Windows via WSL, it's `/home/yourname/.codex/skills/` inside your WSL distribution.
Where does Codex CLI store project skills?
Project skills live at `.codex/skills/` inside a specific repository. These are shared with anyone who clones the repo.
```
your-project/
├── .codex/
│ └── skills/
│ └── team-code-review/
│ └── SKILL.md
├── src/
└── package.json
```
Teams use project skills to standardize workflows. Commit a code review skill to the project, and every developer on the team gets it automatically when they clone.
How does Codex CLI differ from Claude Code and OpenClaw?
The directory structure is the same pattern, just with a different prefix:
| Agent | Personal skills | Project skills |
|---|---|---|
| Codex CLI | `~/.codex/skills/` | `.codex/skills/` |
| Claude Code | `~/.claude/skills/` | `.claude/skills/` |
| OpenClaw | `~/.openclaw/skills/` | `.openclaw/skills/` |
| Cursor | N/A | `.cursor/skills/` |
Codex CLI also uses an `openai.yaml` file alongside SKILL.md for additional metadata (UI hints, MCP tool dependencies). This file is optional and Codex-specific — other agents ignore it.
How do I install a skill in Codex CLI?
```bash
# Create the directory if needed
mkdir -p ~/.codex/skills
# Download from Agensi and unzip
unzip code-reviewer.zip -d ~/.codex/skills/
# Verify the structure
ls ~/.codex/skills/code-reviewer/SKILL.md
```
Start a new Codex CLI session. The skill loads automatically.
What are the most common installation mistakes?
Wrong directory name. It's `.codex/skills/`, not `.openai/skills/` or `.codex-cli/skills/`.
Double-nested folders. After unzipping, check that the path is `~/.codex/skills/skill-name/SKILL.md`, not `~/.codex/skills/skill-name/skill-name/SKILL.md`.
Confusing personal and project paths. Personal skills use `~/` (home directory). Project skills use a relative path from the repo root. Don't mix them up — putting a personal skill at `.codex/skills/` in a project makes it project-scoped.
Can I use the same skills across agents?
Yes. SKILL.md is a cross-agent standard. Copy the same skill folder between `~/.codex/skills/`, `~/.claude/skills/`, and `~/.openclaw/skills/` and it works in all three agents without modification.
The only Codex-specific file is `openai.yaml`, which other agents simply ignore. The SKILL.md file itself is fully portable.
For a complete path reference across all agents, read Where Are Claude Skills Stored?.
---
*Find and install security-scanned skills for Codex CLI, Claude Code, OpenClaw, and more on Agensi.*
