# ae-kb

A skill that teaches the agent the ae-cli kb commands: page retrieval, LLM ask, source uploads and compiling.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 845 installs · ★ 21
- Author: ThinkingAIAgenticEngine
- License: not stated · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/ThinkingAIAgenticEngine/ae-cli/tree/HEAD/skills/ae-kb/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-22
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/ae-kb

## What it does

This skill is a manual for `ae-cli kb`. Answering a question from a knowledge base is the everyday case, and for that it points the agent at `+index`, `+grep` and `+read`. Those three run server-side and involve no LLM, so a plain factual lookup stays cheap. Reach for `+ask` when the answer has to be assembled from several pages or needs a chain of steps.

Management is covered too. `+new` creates a base, `+import` takes a compiled Markdown ZIP as a read-only snapshot, `+add` and `+url` bring in local files, a directory or web pages, and `source create-text` writes an ordinary text source. Edits are revision-aware: `source read-text` hands back the text with its revision, while `replace`, `restore`, `commit` and `cancel` operate on drafts. `+schema`, `+compile` and `+list-sources` round it out.

The skill forbids guessing base names, scopes, page paths, source IDs and JSON shapes — pull them from `+list` or ask. Writes need explicit intent, and `high-risk-write` commands carry a CLI confirmation, so `--yes` belongs only after the user authorises it. `--dry-run` is the suggested first move before a broad or destructive write. Picking which base deserves a search is a separate job: `ae-kb-discovery` runs first, and this skill does the retrieval once a target exists.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add ThinkingAIAgenticEngine/ae-cli --skill ae-kb -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/ae-kb/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/ae-kb/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add ThinkingAIAgenticEngine/ae-cli --skill ae-kb -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/ae-kb/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add ThinkingAIAgenticEngine/ae-cli --skill ae-kb -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/ae-kb/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install ThinkingAIAgenticEngine/ae-cli ae-kb
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/ae-kb/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add ThinkingAIAgenticEngine/ae-cli --skill ae-kb -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/ThinkingAIAgenticEngine/ae-cli --path skills/ae-kb
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/ae-kb/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add ThinkingAIAgenticEngine/ae-cli --skill ae-kb -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/ThinkingAIAgenticEngine/ae-cli/tree/HEAD/skills/ae-kb/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- pull an answer out of knowledge base pages without browsing them by hand
- upload documents and URLs into an AE knowledge base
- ask several knowledge bases at once and get a combined answer
- inspect indexes and source metadata before touching anything
- swap a source draft and roll it back if the edit goes wrong

## Example prompts
- Search the knowledge base for what we wrote about rate limits
- Upload `spec.md` to the knowledge base and list its sources
- Ask the knowledge base how staging differs from production

## Similar
- [setup-matt-pocock-skills](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/setup-matt-pocock-skills.md) — skill · 1052851 installs
- [ask-matt](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/ask-matt.md) — skill · 766587 installs
- [to-tickets](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/to-tickets.md) — skill · 711230 installs
- [writing-plans](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/writing-plans.md) — skill · 282859 installs
- [caveman-review](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/caveman-review.md) — skill · 411800 installs
- [caveman-compress](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/caveman-compress.md) — skill · 411500 installs

From the same set: [thinkingaiagenticengine/ae-cli](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/thinkingaiagenticengine/ae-cli.md) — 5 cards

---
NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md
