Installing Skills
From the Marketplace
- Open the Skills panel (puzzle piece icon in the sidebar).
- Scroll to the Marketplace section — these are skills available from your configured repositories.
- Find the skill you want and click Install.
The AI agent takes over from here. You'll see a progress bar showing each step:
| Step | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Compatibility check | Verifies your OS, GPU, and Python version meet requirements |
| Download | Pulls the skill package from the source repository |
| Environment setup | Creates an isolated Python environment with required dependencies |
| Model download | Downloads the ML model (may be 1–8 GB depending on the skill) |
| Validation | Runs a quick test to verify the skill works on your system |
If a skill needs a model that requires explicit confirmation (large download), the agent will prompt you before proceeding.
Model Confirmation Dialog
Some skills require downloading large models. When this happens:
→ The agent shows you the model name, size, and where it will be stored → It may suggest alternative models if your hardware is limited → You confirm or cancel before the download starts
This keeps you in control of disk usage — no surprise multi-gigabyte downloads.
After Installation
Once installed, the skill appears in the Installed section of the Skills panel. It starts in the Stopped state.
→ Click Start to launch it — the skill loads its model and begins processing → The console opens automatically so you can watch the startup output → Once running, a green pulsing indicator appears next to the skill name
Skill Repositories
By default, the marketplace pulls skills from the official SharpAI repository. You can add custom repositories:
- Click the gear icon in the Skills panel header
- The Skill Source Browser opens
- Add a new repository URL (any Git repository that follows the skill format)
- The marketplace refreshes to include skills from the new source
Click Refresh (the circular arrow icon) to force-update the marketplace catalog from all configured repositories.
Troubleshooting Installation
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Install hangs on "Model download" | Check your internet connection. Large models can take several minutes. |
| "Incompatible" shows on a skill | Your system doesn't meet the requirements (e.g., needs a GPU you don't have). |
| Install fails with Python error | The skill may need a specific Python version. Check the console output for details. |
| Marketplace is empty | Click the refresh button. If still empty, check your repository configuration. |