Configuration

skl reads config.toml from its config directory. On Linux the default is ~/.config/skl/config.toml. SKL_CONFIG_DIR overrides the directory. skl doctor prints the path used on this machine.

A complete file with every default:

api_base = "https://api.tryskl.fyi"

[sync]
auto = true
frequency_secs = 900

[targets]
extra = []

[project]
projection = "copy"

Every field is optional. A missing field uses the default shown.

Fields

api_base

API origin without a trailing slash. Release builds default to https://api.tryskl.fyi. Debug builds default to http://localhost:8787. --api-base and API_BASE override this field. skl login writes the origin it used here.

[sync] auto

When true, login, init, use, unuse, status, create, capture, and list run a sync in the background when one is due. A failed background sync does not fail the command. A conflict during a background sync keeps the server copy. Default true.

[sync] frequency_secs

Minimum seconds between background syncs. A failed attempt also resets the timer. Default 900.

[targets] extra

Agent ids whose project directory every skl use on this machine also writes. Empty means .agents/skills only. claude is stored as claude-code. Ids such as cursor and codex are dropped on load with a warning because those agents already read .agents/skills. Edit with skl targets. Default [].

[targets] prompted

Set to true by skl after it shows the extras checklist once. Do not set it by hand.

[project] projection

The mode skl use writes when --link is absent. copy or materialize writes a directory copy. link or symlink writes a symlink. Any other value is an error on every command that loads the config. Default copy.

Environment variables

Variable	Effect
API_BASE	API origin. Same as --api-base. Wins over config.toml
SKL_CONFIG_DIR	Directory that holds config.toml
SKL_DATA_DIR	Directory that holds state.db and skills/
SKL_TOKEN	Device token. Wins over SKL_TOKEN_FILE and state.db
SKL_TOKEN_FILE	File whose first non-empty line is the device token. Wins over state.db
SKL_NO_TUI	1, true, or yes makes skl with no subcommand print help
SKL_NO_PROMPT	Skip the setup prompts and the extras checklist
SKL_YES	Same as SKL_NO_PROMPT
CI	Same as SKL_NO_PROMPT. Also makes the installer binary-only
VISUAL, EDITOR	Editor for skl create and the TUI e key. VISUAL wins. Fallback is vi

The installer reads SKL_INSTALL_DIR, SKL_DOWNLOAD_BASE, SKL_NON_INTERACTIVE, and API_BASE. See Installer. skl update reads SKL_DOWNLOAD_BASE.

Directories

Path	Contents
{SKL_DATA_DIR}/skills/<name>/	The library. One directory per skill
{SKL_DATA_DIR}/state.db	SQLite index of the library, the device token, and sync metadata
{SKL_CONFIG_DIR}/config.toml	This file

Defaults by platform:

Platform	SKL_DATA_DIR	SKL_CONFIG_DIR
Linux	$XDG_DATA_HOME/skl, usually ~/.local/share/skl	$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/skl, usually ~/.config/skl
macOS	~/Library/Application Support/skl	~/Library/Application Support/skl
Windows	%APPDATA%\skl	%APPDATA%\skl

On Unix, skl creates the data directory with mode 0700 and state.db with mode 0600.