# emerging-techniques-model-merging

A Claude skill that walks through merging fine-tuned models with mergekit, so you can blend capabilities without retraining.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code · 80 installs
- Author: Orchestra Research
- License: MIT · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/davila7/claude-code-templates/tree/HEAD/cli-tool/components/skills/ai-research/emerging-techniques-model-merging
- Updated: 2026-10-24
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/emerging-techniques-model-merging

## What it does

This skill covers combining several fine-tuned models into one using mergekit. The usual case: you have separate models for math, code and chat, and want a single one that handles all three. No retraining is involved, since the weights are simply combined.

It goes through the merge methods: linear averaging, SLERP for a pair of models, Task Arithmetic built on task vectors, TIES-Merging for sign conflicts, and DARE for dropping redundant deltas. Each comes with a YAML config example and its parameters, such as `weight`, `density` and `t`.

You need `mergekit`, `transformers` and `torch` installed. mergekit can be cloned from arcee-ai or pulled with `pip install mergekit`. Merges run on CPU, so a GPU is not required and trying out variants stays cheap.

## Requirements
- Works with: Linear

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **claude-code-templates**
```bash
npx claude-code-templates@latest --skill ai-research/emerging-techniques-model-merging
```

2. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add davila7/claude-code-templates --skill emerging-techniques-model-merging -a claude-code
```

3. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/emerging-techniques-model-merging/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/emerging-techniques-model-merging/

### Codex

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/emerging-techniques-model-merging/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/emerging-techniques-model-merging/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install davila7/claude-code-templates emerging-techniques-model-merging
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/emerging-techniques-model-merging/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

**Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/davila7/claude-code-templates --path cli-tool/components/skills/ai-research/emerging-techniques-model-merging
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

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

### 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/davila7/claude-code-templates/tree/HEAD/cli-tool/components/skills/ai-research/emerging-techniques-model-merging

## When to use it
- blend a math model, a coding model and a chat model into one
- produce a new model variant without GPU training
- resolve weight sign conflicts when merging several models
- drop redundant deltas to cut down on noise
- test a few merge configs in a row

## Example prompts
- Write a mergekit config for a linear merge of two models with equal weights
- Set up a SLERP merge of Mistral and OpenHermes with t at 0.5
- Configure TIES-Merging for three models with density 0.5

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From the same set: [davila7/claude-code-templates](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/davila7/claude-code-templates.md) — 495 cards

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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