How to Use AI Skills in Cursor, Windsurf & VS Code

AI Code Editors: The Playground for Skills

In 2026, AI-assisted code editors dominate the software development landscape. Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code (with GitHub Copilot or Continue) integrate powerful AI assistants. AI skills extend these capabilities by adding specialized, reusable behaviors. Here is how to use them in each editor.

Understanding the SKILL.md Format

Before diving into editors, let us recall how skills work. An AI skill is defined by a SKILL.md file — a structured Markdown document containing instructions, context, and rules that the AI assistant should follow for a specific task.

The SKILL.md file is typically placed:

• At your project root for project-specific skills
• In a .skills/ folder to organize multiple skills
• In your home directory for global skills

AI Skills in Cursor

Installation and Configuration

Cursor natively uses .cursorrules files and project rules. To integrate a skill:

1. Create a .cursorrules file at your project root
2. Copy your SKILL.md content into this file
3. Cursor will automatically load these instructions into every conversation context

To use multiple skills, you can reference them in a main .cursorrules file that acts as an aggregator.

Advanced Usage with Cursor

Cursor also supports "Notepads" — reference documents you can invoke on demand with @Notepad. Create one Notepad per skill and invoke it when needed:

• Save your skill as a Notepad in Cursor settings
• In the chat, type @MySkill to activate the skill
• Combine multiple skills by invoking multiple Notepads

Cursor Best Practices

• Keep your .cursorrules concise — Cursor has a limited context window
• Use Notepads for large skills
• Test your skills with Composer mode for complex tasks
• Take advantage of Cursor's Agent mode for multi-step skills

AI Skills in Windsurf

Configuration with Cascade

Windsurf uses Cascade, its built-in AI agent. To configure a skill:

1. Create a .windsurfrules file at your project root
2. Integrate your SKILL.md content
3. Cascade will automatically incorporate these instructions into its responses

Flows and Combined Skills

Windsurf excels at "Flows" — multi-file action sequences. Skills are particularly effective in this context:

• Define a skill that describes a complete workflow (e.g., "create a React component with tests and stories")
• Cascade will execute each step following the skill's instructions
• The result is consistent and reproducible

Windsurf Best Practices

• Use Memories to store persistent skills
• Leverage Windsurf's automatic project context
• Refactoring skills work particularly well with Cascade
• Test with realistically-sized projects

AI Skills in VS Code

With GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot in VS Code supports custom instruction files:

1. Create a .github/copilot-instructions.md file at the project root
2. Copy your SKILL.md into this file
3. Copilot will use these instructions to customize its suggestions

For multiple skills, structure your instructions file with clearly delimited sections.

With Continue.dev

Continue is an open source alternative that natively supports skills:

1. Configure your .continue/config.json file
2. Add your skills as "context providers" or "slash commands"
3. Invoke your skills with slash commands in the chat

With Claude Code (CLI)

Claude Code automatically reads CLAUDE.md files and referenced skill files. It is the most natural environment for skills:

1. Place your SKILL.md in the project
2. Reference it in your CLAUDE.md with @skills/my-skill.md
3. Claude Code automatically integrates it into its context

Editor Comparison for Skills

| Feature | Cursor | Windsurf | VS Code + Copilot | Claude Code | |---|---|---|---|---| | Auto-loading | Yes (.cursorrules) | Yes (.windsurfrules) | Yes (.github/) | Yes (CLAUDE.md) | | Multiple skills | Notepads | Memory | Sections | Separate files | | Agent mode | Yes | Yes (Cascade) | Limited | Native | | Customization | Medium | Good | Variable | Excellent |

Creating a Multi-Editor Compatible Skill

For a skill to work across all editors, follow these principles:

1. Standard Markdown format: no proprietary syntax
2. Clear, contextual instructions: avoid references to a specific editor
3. Modular structure: break into sections each editor can load
4. Reasonable size: stay under 2000 tokens for maximum compatibility

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Skill does not load

• Verify the file name and location
• Restart the editor or conversation
• Check that the file is not in .gitignore

Instructions are ignored

• Reduce the skill size — context is limited
• Place the most important instructions first
• Use clear imperative phrasing

Conflicts between skills

• Prioritize skills by specificity
• Avoid contradictory instructions
• Use prefixes for commands

Find our complete catalog of multi-editor compatible skills on Skills Guides.