FAQs
Find quick answers to the most common questions about Tessl.
The following lists a set of questions that we have been asked about Tessl in the past. If you have a different question which isn’t answered here, talk to the community on the Discord Server.
Getting Started
How can I install a skill with Tessl?
You can install skills using the Tessl CLI. Search for available skills with tessl search <skill-name> and install them with tessl install <skill-name>. Tessl automatically evaluates skills to ensure they improve agent behavior.
For detailed instructions, see Improve your first skill.
Core Concepts
What is a Plugin?
Plugins are Tessl packages, which are bundles of reusable context that capture knowledge you want to use across your team and projects. Common plugin content includes:
Agent skills
Usage documentation for libraries, APIs, tools, etc.
Common, repeatable workflows
Styleguides
Policies
...
What is the difference between a plugin and a skill?
A plugin is a bundle of agent context. A plugin is a container for context - it's what you install and manage via the package manager.
A skill is one type of context that can be included inside a Tessl package (along with docs and rules).
A helpful analogy is:
Tessl package/plugin = the npm package
Skills, rules = different types of files inside that package
Just like npm packages, plugins are versioned and can be updated safely as libraries and dependencies evolve.
For detailed definitions, see our Glossary.
What is a Tessl project?
A Tessl project is the stable home for Tessl in a Git repository.
It identifies that repository and acts as the anchor for the eval runs and other repository-connected data attached to it.
See Projects overview.
What is the difference between a repository and a Tessl project?
A repository is your Git repo.
A Tessl project is the stable home for Tessl in that repository.
Platform
What agents does Tessl support?
Skills are agent and model-agnostic, allowing teams to maintain consistent behavior across tools without locking into a single ecosystem.
Tessl installs skills to the appropriate agent-specific directory:
Claude Code:
.claude/skills/Cursor:
.cursor/skills/Codex:
.codex/skills/Gemini:
.gemini/skills/Copilot CLI:
.copilot/skills/Copilot in VSCode:
.copilot-vscode/skills/
Docs: full support for Claude Code, Cursor, Gemini, Codex, Copilot CLI, and Copilot in VSCode.
See the Supported platforms reference for the most up-to-date list of supported agents.
How does Tessl compare to other marketplaces like skills.sh?
skills.sh is a directory and an easy way to browse and copy individual skills. Tessl is a fully fledged package manager and registry for agent context: you install, version, and update skills as dependencies rather than duplicating them to your codebase.
Comparing the two:
skills.sh – Browse and copy skills from a catalog; no built-in versioning or dependency management. You manually keep skills in sync.
Tessl – Install skills with
tessl install <skill-name>; skills are versioned, tracked in a manifest, and updates are controlled and repeatable across your team.
Tessl also adds:
Evaluation – Measure whether skills are structured well and if they improve agent behavior
Lifecycle managemenet – Ensure skills stay correct and up to date as systems change
So Tessl treats skills as software with a full lifecycle (build, evaluate, distribute, optimize), which helps teams move from ad‑hoc agent usage to long-lived, production systems where agent behavior can be inspected, measured, and reasoned about.
Evaluations
Why do I need a Tessl project to run an eval?
Evals need a Tessl project so Tessl knows which repository the eval belongs to.
Without that link, the run is just a one-off local action. With a Tessl project, Tessl can keep the run attached to the right repository, find it later, and compare it with future runs.
See Projects for evals.
How does Tessl evaluate skills?
Tessl evaluates skills using both task evaluations and conformance reviews:
Task evaluation: Measure whether agents can successfully complete real-world coding tasks when using the skill.
Creates a representative set of coding tasks that require using the skill
Runs each task with the agent both with and without the skill installed
Scores each task using task-specific success criteria
Compares baseline performance against performance with the skill over all tasks
Reports improvement as a multiplier (e.g., 2× improvement)
Conformance review: Assess whether the skill conforms to the Agent Skills specification created by Anthropic.
Validates that the skill conforms to the official specification at agentskills.io/specification
Checks proper file structure and formatting
Verifies required frontmatter fields (name, description)
Ensures the skill follows best practices defined in the specification
Publishing & Sharing
How can I publish a skill?
To publish a skill:
Create an account and workspace on Tessl
Define visibility (public or private) at the Tessl package level
Use the Tessl CLI to publish:
tessl skill publish- If you have a standaloneSKILL.mdfile (skill-first workflow)tessl plugin publish- If you've created a plugin structure with.tessl-plugin/plugin.jsonthat contains a skill (plugin-first workflow)
Published skills are evaluated and versioned, so users can see quality metrics and choose versions that match their dependencies. See Creating skills for a complete tutorial.
Can I share these with my team?
Yes! The Tessl Registry has workspaces which let you share Tessl packages for your own libraries with your team members. Skills and context can be kept private to your workspace or published publicly.
This allows teams to onboard agents the same way they onboard developers: with shared assumptions, behavior, and clear expectations about how internal systems should be used.
Advanced
Does Tessl support monorepos?
Yes! Tessl supports monorepo workflows. Run tessl init at the monorepo root to create tessl.json and configure your coding agent. From there, use tessl search to find plugins and tessl install to add them. You can run tessl install from any subfolder to add plugins relevant to that part of the repo — all installed plugins are tracked in the single tessl.json at the root.
Example:
Support & Help
How can I check if Tessl services are experiencing issues?
Visit the Tessl Status Page to check the current status of all Tessl services, view any ongoing incidents, and see historical uptime data.
For other support options, see Giving feedback.
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