Getting Started

Quick Start for Consumers

Get started using Intent to help your agent discover and load package skills.

1. Run install

The install command guides your agent through the setup process:

sh
npx @tanstack/intent@latest install
npx @tanstack/intent@latest install

This creates or updates an intent-skills guidance block. It:

  1. Checks for existing intent-skills guidance in your config files (AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, .cursorrules, etc.)
  2. Writes lightweight instructions for skill discovery and loading
  3. Preserves content outside the managed block
  4. Verifies the managed block before reporting success

If an intent-skills block already exists, Intent updates that file in place. If no block exists, AGENTS.md is the default target.

Intent creates guidance like:

markdown
<!-- intent-skills:start -->
## Skill Loading

Before substantial work:
- Skill check: run `npx @tanstack/intent@latest list`, or use skills already listed in context.
- Skill guidance: if one local skill clearly matches the task, run `npx @tanstack/intent@latest load <package>#<skill>` and follow the returned `SKILL.md`.
- Monorepos: when working across packages, run the skill check from the workspace root and prefer the local skill for the package being changed.
- Multiple matches: prefer the most specific local skill for the package or concern you are changing; load additional skills only when the task spans multiple packages or concerns.
<!-- intent-skills:end -->
<!-- intent-skills:start -->
## Skill Loading

Before substantial work:
- Skill check: run `npx @tanstack/intent@latest list`, or use skills already listed in context.
- Skill guidance: if one local skill clearly matches the task, run `npx @tanstack/intent@latest load <package>#<skill>` and follow the returned `SKILL.md`.
- Monorepos: when working across packages, run the skill check from the workspace root and prefer the local skill for the package being changed.
- Multiple matches: prefer the most specific local skill for the package or concern you are changing; load additional skills only when the task spans multiple packages or concerns.
<!-- intent-skills:end -->

2. Use skills in your workflow

When your agent works on a task that matches an available skill, it loads the matching SKILL.md into context.

Load a skill manually:

sh
npx @tanstack/intent@latest load @tanstack/react-query#core
npx @tanstack/intent@latest load @tanstack/react-query#core

This prints the skill content for the installed package version.

If you want explicit task-to-skill mappings in your agent config, opt in:

sh
npx @tanstack/intent@latest install --map
npx @tanstack/intent@latest install --map

3. Keep skills up-to-date

Skills version with library releases. When you update a library:

sh
npm update @tanstack/react-query
npm update @tanstack/react-query

The new version brings updated skills automatically. The skills are shipped with the library, so you get the version that matches your installed code. If a package is installed both locally and globally and global scanning is enabled, Intent prefers the local version.

If you need to see what skills have changed, run:

sh
npx @tanstack/intent@latest list
npx @tanstack/intent@latest list

Use --json for machine-readable output:

sh
npx @tanstack/intent@latest list --json
npx @tanstack/intent@latest list --json

Global package scanning is opt-in:

sh
npx @tanstack/intent@latest list --global
npx @tanstack/intent@latest list --global

You can also check if any skills reference outdated source documentation:

sh
npx @tanstack/intent@latest stale
npx @tanstack/intent@latest stale

4. Submit feedback (optional)

After using a skill, you can submit feedback to help maintainers improve it:

sh
npx @tanstack/intent@latest meta feedback-collection
npx @tanstack/intent@latest meta feedback-collection

This prints a skill that guides your agent to collect structured feedback about gaps, errors, and improvements.