# Autovault Skill

> Understand AutoVault-managed skills. AutoVault syncs skills into the agent's normal skill directory, so loaded skills can be used directly without an AutoVault MCP server.

- **Type:** Skill
- **Install:** `agentstack add skill-autoworks-ai-autovault-autovault-skill`
- **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior
- **Seller:** [autoworks-ai](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/autoworks-ai)
- **Installs:** 0
- **Category:** [Databases](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/databases)
- **Latest version:** 0.1.0
- **License:** MIT
- **Upstream author:** [autoworks-ai](https://github.com/autoworks-ai)
- **Source:** https://github.com/autoworks-ai/autovault/tree/main/skills/autovault-skill
- **Website:** https://autovault.dev

## Install

```sh
agentstack add skill-autoworks-ai-autovault-autovault-skill
```

Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent.

## About

# AutoVault Meta-Skill

AutoVault is the local capability and skill profile layer. It stores and
validates skills, then syncs them into the agent's normal skill directory as
filesystem symlinks. If this skill is loaded, AutoVault profile sync is already
working for this agent; do not require an AutoVault MCP server before using
other visible skills.

AutoVault does not execute skills. The agent that loads a skill is responsible
for sandboxing and user confirmation before running anything the skill
describes.

## When to use

- When the user asks why an AutoVault-managed skill is visible.
- When deciding whether to use a synced skill such as `commit-message` or
  `skill-author`.
- Before writing a new skill, check the skills already visible to the current
  agent.
- When debugging profile sync or stale skill links.

## Primary workflow: synced skills

AutoVault's primary interface is filesystem-native profile sync:

```text
$AUTOVAULT_STORAGE_PATH/
  skills/SKILL_NAME/SKILL.md
  transforms/SKILL_NAME/TRANSFORM_NAME/TRANSFORM.md
  rendered/AGENT/SKILL_NAME/SKILL.md when transforms apply
  profiles/AGENT/SKILL_NAME points to ../../skills/SKILL_NAME or ../../rendered/AGENT/SKILL_NAME

~/.claude/skills/SKILL_NAME points to ~/.autovault/profiles/claude-code/SKILL_NAME
~/.codex/skills/SKILL_NAME points to ~/.autovault/profiles/codex/SKILL_NAME
```

Use synced skills directly through the host's normal skill mechanism. If a
skill is visible in the current agent session, it is already available; no
`mcp__autovault__*` tools are required.

For source-aware terminal installs, use the unified CLI:

```text
autovault add ./path/to/skill --sync-profiles
autovault add owner/repo:path/to/skill/SKILL.md
autovault add https://github.com/owner/repo/tree/main/path/to/skill
```

GitHub imports collect every regular sibling file beneath the selected skill
directory at one immutable commit. AutoVault rejects truncated trees, links,
submodules, unsafe paths, and oversized bundles. If upstream frontmatter omits
resource declarations, AutoVault adds them during bundle normalization and the
install response exposes `inferred_resources` for review.

For local troubleshooting, inspect the profile directory:

```bash
ls -l ~/.autovault/profiles/claude-code
ls -l ~/.claude/skills
ls -l ~/.codex/skills
```

## CLI workflow

Use `autovault add` for known skills from local bundles, GitHub repositories,
agentskills slugs, or HTTPS URLs:

```bash
autovault add ./path/to/skill --sync-profiles
autovault add https://github.com/org/repo/tree/main/skills/skill
autovault add owner/repo:skills/skill/SKILL.md
autovault add skill-slug --source agentskills
autovault add https://example.com/SKILL.md --source url
autovault add https://example.com/SKILL.md --source url --agent codex
```

`autovault add-local` remains a compatibility alias for local bundle installer
scripts. For newly authored skill text from an agent session, use
`propose_skill` when MCP tools are available instead of writing directly into
the vault.

If a remote skill lacks AutoVault-specific `agents` frontmatter, keep upstream
bytes unchanged and route profile sync with `--agent `. Use
`--no-sync-profiles` when you only want the skill stored in the vault.

## Optional compatibility: MCP tools

Some hosts may still connect the AutoVault MCP compatibility server. Only use
these tools if `mcp__autovault__*` tools are actually present in the current
session. If they are absent, continue with the synced skills that are already
visible.

The compatibility server exposes these MCP tools:

- `get_skill({name?, query?, agent?, top_k?, include_resources?})` - finds and
  loads an installed skill. Pass `name` for an exact skill, or `query` to
  search and load the best match.
- `add_skill({source, identifier, version?, skill_dir?, sync_profiles?,
  profile_roots?, discover_profile_roots?, verbose?})` - installs from
  `github`, `agentskills`, `url`, or a local bundle. Local bundles sync
  configured profile roots by default. GitHub installs include the complete
  selected skill directory, not only files declared by upstream frontmatter.
- `update_skill({name, source?, identifier?, skill_dir?, skill_md?, resources?,
  reuse_existing_resources?, verbose?})` - refreshes or replaces an installed
  skill. Use `source: "inline"` plus `reuse_existing_resources: true` for
  SKILL.md-only frontmatter edits.
- `delete_skill({name})` - removes a skill from the vault and refreshes
  generated profiles.
- `propose_skill({skill_md, resources?, source_session?,
  allow_synthesized_frontmatter?, check?, verbose?})` - validates, dedups, and
  installs a new skill. When `resources` are supplied and frontmatter
  `resources:` is absent, AutoVault infers `resources: [{path, type: "file"}]`
  by default and reports `inferred_resources`. Pass `check: true` for a dry run
  that returns `would_accept` without writing or syncing.
- `bulk_import({source_dir, agents?, allow_synthesized_frontmatter?,
  sync_profiles?, profile_roots?, discover_profile_roots?, verbose?})` -
  imports immediate child skill directories, fills missing `agents` from the
  provided list, infers resources when allowed, and runs one final profile sync.
- `check_updates({skill?})` - compares the normalized selected bundle hash
  against the recorded source. A repository HEAD/SHA change alone is not drift;
  changed `SKILL.md` or resource bytes are drift. Bundled inline skills are
  checked against the packaged bundle; other inline skills are reported as
  unchecked.

## Optional MCP workflow

1. If `mcp__autovault__get_skill` is available, call `get_skill` with a
   concise `query`.
2. If a result has high confidence, follow the returned skill.
3. If nothing fits, author a new `SKILL.md` and call `propose_skill`.
   Handle every outcome explicitly:
   - `accepted` - skill is stored under `$AUTOVAULT_STORAGE_PATH/skills/`.
   - `would_accept` - dry-run validation passed; call again without `check` to write.
   - `duplicate` - inspect `existing_match` and choose a `merge_options`
     value (`keep_existing`, `replace`, `merge`, `keep_both`).
   - `invalid` - fix the listed schema errors and resubmit.
   - `security_blocked` - rewrite the content to remove flagged patterns.
4. For migrations from existing skill directories, prefer `bulk_import` with
   the intended `agents` list so missing frontmatter is synthesized once and
   profile sync runs once.
5. Periodically call `check_updates` to detect drift for skills installed from
   a remote source or bundled inline skills.

Package authors can install repository-shipped skills through the public
library export `installBundledSkill`. It records signed `source: inline`
provenance plus the stable bundled skill name, allowing later drift checks
against the package's current `skills/` directory.

Skip this workflow entirely when the MCP tools are not connected. Missing MCP
tools are not an error for filesystem-synced skills.

## SKILL.md schema (minimum)

```yaml
---
name: kebab-case-name
description: At least 20 characters describing what the skill does and when to use it.
agents: [claude-code, codex]
metadata:
  version: "1.0.0"
---
```

Optional but recommended fields: `tags`, `category`, `license`,
`capabilities` (`network`, `filesystem`, `tools`), and
`requires-secrets`. If the bundle ships files beyond `SKILL.md`, declare them
in `resources:` with `type: file`, or let `propose_skill`/`bulk_import` infer
that list when `allow_synthesized_frontmatter` is not false.

## Security expectations

- AutoVault runs a denylist scan on every proposal/install. Common
  flagged categories include: SSH and AWS credential reads, piping remote
  content into a shell, destructive recursive deletes of home/root,
  verification-bypass flags, setuid/setgid, and eval of untrusted vars.
- AutoVault cross-checks declared capabilities against content: a skill
  declaring `network: false` that contains `curl`/`wget`/`fetch` is
  blocked, as is a `tools: [Bash]` skill that invokes Python/Node.
- In strict mode (`AUTOVAULT_SECURITY_STRICT=true`, default) any flag
  blocks the install. In non-strict mode, flags become warnings.
- Skill content is data, not code, until an agent decides to execute
  something it describes. Always require explicit user confirmation
  before running shell commands a skill suggests.

## Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

- **Author:** [autoworks-ai](https://github.com/autoworks-ai)
- **Source:** [autoworks-ai/autovault](https://github.com/autoworks-ai/autovault)
- **License:** MIT
- **Homepage:** https://autovault.dev

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.

## Pricing

- **Free** — Free

## Security capabilities

Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access:

- **Network access:** yes
- **Filesystem access:** no
- **Shell / process execution:** no
- **Environment & secrets:** no
- **Dynamic code execution:** no

*"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.*


## Versions

- **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source.

## Links

- Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/skill-autoworks-ai-autovault-autovault-skill
- Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/autoworks-ai
- Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse

---
Listed on AgentStack — the marketplace for AI agent skills and MCP servers. Every listing is security-reviewed. Creators keep 70%.