> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.veadk.xyz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Skills

A skill is a reusable prompt package that injects specific domain knowledge,
procedures, and scripts into an agent. Skills are Google ADK–compatible: load
local skills through ADK's `SkillToolset`, and connect cloud skill spaces
through VeADK's `VeSkillRegistry`.

## Local skills

Load a local skill directory with ADK's `load_skill_from_dir` and pass it as a
standard toolset to the agent:

```python lines theme={null}
from google.adk.skills import load_skill_from_dir
from google.adk.tools.skill_toolset import SkillToolset
from veadk import Agent

skill = load_skill_from_dir("/abs/path/to/skills/kb-skill")
agent = Agent(tools=[SkillToolset(skills=[skill])])
```

Skill loading, prompt injection, and tool exposure are all handled by ADK; the
tools visible to the model include `list_skills`, `load_skill`,
`load_skill_resource`, and `run_skill_script`. If a skill runs scripts from
`scripts/`, configure a suitable `code_executor` on the `SkillToolset` or the
agent — VeADK does not create a local code executor by default.

## Cloud skill spaces

Connect a cloud skill space through `VeSkillRegistry`, then hand it to
`SkillToolset`:

```python lines theme={null}
from google.adk.tools.skill_toolset import SkillToolset
from veadk import Agent
from veadk.skills import VeSkillRegistry

registry = VeSkillRegistry(skill_source_id=skill_space_id)
agent = Agent(tools=[SkillToolset(registry=registry)])
```

This does not download every skill up front: `search_skills` fetches the remote
skill list in real time, and `get_skill` downloads and loads a specific skill on
demand; when the remote version changes, the new version is re-downloaded.

## Harness skills center

Harness can load both Skill Hub skills and AgentKit skills-center spaces. A plain name or slug in `skills` identifies a Skill Hub skill; the `space:` prefix identifies a skills-center space ID.

The skills center requires Volcengine credentials that can read the space and its object-storage content. For local runs, set `VOLCENGINE_ACCESS_KEY` and `VOLCENGINE_SECRET_KEY`, plus `VOLCENGINE_SESSION_TOKEN` for temporary credentials. On VeFaaS, the bound IAM role can provide temporary credentials instead.

```bash lines theme={null}
cd my-harness
veadk harness add \
  --skills "data-visualization-cloud,space:ss-example"
```

The resulting `harness.yaml` stores the sources as a list:

```yaml lines theme={null}
skills:
  - data-visualization-cloud
  - space:ss-example
```

Harness downloads and loads the base skills during startup. `space:ss-example` loads every skill in that space and combines them with Skill Hub skills in one `SkillToolset`. You can also add a space for one invocation:

```bash lines theme={null}
veadk harness invoke \
  --name research-agent \
  --message "Prepare a research report" \
  --skills "space:ss-example"
```

Invocation-level `--skills` adds skills on top of the base Harness configuration without changing `harness.yaml`. If any skill cannot be downloaded, lacks a valid `SKILL.md`, or violates the ADK skill format, Harness stops that load instead of continuing with a partial skill set.

## Skill directory layout

A local skill is a directory containing a `SKILL.md` file, and may include
`references/`, `assets/`, and `scripts/` subdirectories:

```text lines theme={null}
skills/
└── kb-skill/
    ├── SKILL.md
    ├── references/
    ├── assets/
    └── scripts/
```

`SKILL.md` must declare `name` and `description` in frontmatter, and the
directory name must match `name`:

```markdown SKILL.md lines theme={null}
---
name: kb-skill
description: A skill that queries the knowledge base and composes an answer.
---

Body...
```

## Legacy local entry (deprecated)

VeADK's old `Agent(skills=..., skills_mode="local")` local entry still works but
is deprecated; migrate to `SkillToolset` above. The `skills_sandbox` and
`aio_sandbox` modes are unaffected and used as before:

| Mode | Description |
| - | - |
| `local` | Deprecated. Loads local skills via VeADK's old path; migrate to ADK `SkillToolset`. |
| `skills_sandbox` | Skill hosted in a cloud skill space, executed in a sandbox via the `execute_skills` tool. |
| `aio_sandbox` | All-in-one sandbox mode, for AgentKit-hosted tool runtimes. |

Sandbox mode example:

```python lines theme={null}
from veadk import Agent
from veadk.tools.builtin_tools.execute_skills import execute_skills

agent = Agent(
    skills=[skill_space_id],
    skills_mode="skills_sandbox",
    tools=[execute_skills],
)
```