Environment Setup
Norman-bury/research-writing-skill
A skill your agent uses when Python environment setup is needed for data visualization or conda installation is required
A skill your agent uses for agent tasks in native Windows that need file edits, text conversion, JSON processing, or shell commands with quoting or encoding problems.
MITAuto-check passed
Install Windows Python First
$ npx skills add Ancienttwo/repo-harness --skill windows-python-first -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install Ancienttwo/repo-harness windows-python-first --agent claude-codeProject scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Ancienttwo/repo-harness.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/assets/skills/windows-python-first .claude/skills/windows-python-first && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.
Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/
Install the "windows-python-first" agent skill from https://github.com/Ancienttwo/repo-harness/tree/main/assets/skills/windows-python-first into .claude/skills/windows-python-first/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "windows-python-first", then confirm the skill loads.Claude Code copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$skill-installer install https://github.com/Ancienttwo/repo-harness/tree/main/assets/skills/windows-python-firstType this inside Codex. $skill-installer <name> installs a curated skill from openai/skills. The installer writes to $CODEX_HOME/skills (default ~/.codex/skills). Restart Codex if the skill does not show up.
$ npx skills add Ancienttwo/repo-harness --skill windows-python-first -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install Ancienttwo/repo-harness windows-python-first --agent codexProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Ancienttwo/repo-harness.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/assets/skills/windows-python-first .agents/skills/windows-python-first && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "windows-python-first" agent skill from https://github.com/Ancienttwo/repo-harness/tree/main/assets/skills/windows-python-first into .agents/skills/windows-python-first/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "windows-python-first", then confirm the skill loads.Codex copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add Ancienttwo/repo-harness --skill windows-python-first -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install Ancienttwo/repo-harness windows-python-first --agent cursorProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Ancienttwo/repo-harness.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/assets/skills/windows-python-first .cursor/skills/windows-python-first && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.
Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/
Install the "windows-python-first" agent skill from https://github.com/Ancienttwo/repo-harness/tree/main/assets/skills/windows-python-first into .cursor/skills/windows-python-first/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "windows-python-first", then confirm the skill loads.Cursor copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gemini skills install https://github.com/Ancienttwo/repo-harness.git --path assets/skills/windows-python-first--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.
$ npx skills add Ancienttwo/repo-harness --skill windows-python-first -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install Ancienttwo/repo-harness windows-python-first --agent gemini-cliProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Ancienttwo/repo-harness.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/assets/skills/windows-python-first .gemini/skills/windows-python-first && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.gemini/skills/ instead of .gemini/skills for a personal install, then run /skills reload.
Gemini CLI skills documentation · loads skills from .gemini/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "windows-python-first" agent skill from https://github.com/Ancienttwo/repo-harness/tree/main/assets/skills/windows-python-first into .gemini/skills/windows-python-first/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "windows-python-first", then confirm the skill loads.Gemini CLI copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gh skill install Ancienttwo/repo-harness windows-python-firstInstalls for Copilot at project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Preview a skill first with gh skill preview. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ npx skills add Ancienttwo/repo-harness --skill windows-python-first -a github-copilotProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Ancienttwo/repo-harness.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/assets/skills/windows-python-first .github/skills/windows-python-first && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.copilot/skills/ instead of .github/skills for a personal install. Commit .github/skills so cloud agent and code review can use it.
GitHub Copilot skills documentation · loads skills from .github/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "windows-python-first" agent skill from https://github.com/Ancienttwo/repo-harness/tree/main/assets/skills/windows-python-first into .github/skills/windows-python-first/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "windows-python-first", then confirm the skill loads.GitHub Copilot copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add Ancienttwo/repo-harness --skill windows-python-first -a opencodeOpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.
$ gh skill install Ancienttwo/repo-harness windows-python-first --agent opencodeProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Ancienttwo/repo-harness.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/assets/skills/windows-python-first .opencode/skills/windows-python-first && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.
OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "windows-python-first" agent skill from https://github.com/Ancienttwo/repo-harness/tree/main/assets/skills/windows-python-first into .opencode/skills/windows-python-first/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "windows-python-first", then confirm the skill loads.OpenCode copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
Facts
- Skill name
windows-python-first- GitHub stars
- 435
- Token cost
- ~1.4k tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 728 words
- Files
- 2
- Skills in repo
- 12
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- MIT
At a glance
A skill your agent uses for agent tasks in native Windows that need file edits, text conversion, JSON processing, or shell commands with quoting or encoding problems.
- Agent tasks in native Windows that need file edits
- SKILL.md covers Select the runtime, Choose the smallest operation, Keep shell commands simple and Preserve file contents, plus 2 more sections
- Calls python
- Text conversion
What it does
Windows Python First is an agent skill from Ancienttwo/repo-harness. Use for agent tasks in native Windows that need file edits, text conversion, JSON processing, or shell commands with quoting or encoding problems. Prefer Python for these operations. Do not apply Windows shell rules to macOS, Linux, or WSL.
Its SKILL.md is about 1.4k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 2 other files (for example `agents/openai.yaml`).
It works with Python, Linux, macOS and PowerShell. The repository describes itself as: File-backed workflow harness for reliable Claude Code and Codex sessions. The licence is MIT.
When your agent uses it
- Agent tasks in native Windows that need file edits
- Text conversion
- JSON processing
- Shell commands with quoting
Example prompts
- “/windows-python-first”
Requirements
- Python 3
What it can do on your machine
Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit ad7b579. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.
Tool permissions
Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.
From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.
Runs code
Shell commands in SKILL.md call:
python
From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.
Network
Links to these hosts (documentation or services it may open):
docs.python.orgx.comlearn.microsoft.com
From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.
Credentials
Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.
From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.
Context cost
Windows Python First loads about 1.4k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 65 tokens; SKILL.md has 728 words of instructions outside code blocks.
Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.
Safety
Auto-check passed
The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.
Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.
SKILL.md
The full file from Ancienttwo/repo-harness at commit ad7b579, republished under its MIT licence (© Ancienttwo). 728 words, ~1,375 tokens.
Download SKILL.mdSave it as
.claude/skills/windows-python-first/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 1 other file; get the full folder from GitHub.- name
- windows-python-first
- description
- Use for agent tasks in native Windows that need file edits, text conversion, JSON processing, or shell commands with quoting or encoding problems. Prefer Python for these operations. Do not apply Windows shell rules to macOS, Linux, or WSL.
Windows Python First
Worker entrypoint. Confirm that the task runs in native Windows before using these rules.
Use Python for file and text operations in native Windows. Use PowerShell to launch programs and for Windows APIs that require it. Keep direct Git, build, and test commands when they already work.
Select the runtime
Confirm the OS and the shell from the tool context. If needed, use $PSVersionTable.PSVersion to identify the PowerShell version. A Windows host can run a WSL shell. Use Linux rules inside WSL.
Use the project's Python interpreter when it has one. Otherwise, check py -3 --version. If that command is unavailable, check python --version. Confirm Python 3 and its executable path before use. A command name alone does not prove that an interpreter is installed.
For file and text work, launch the selected interpreter with -X utf8. This enables Python UTF-8 mode. It does not change the encoding of other programs or prove that PowerShell will decode their output correctly.
If Python is unavailable, use an existing file-edit tool. Use a short PowerShell command only when its behavior is clear. Report a missing runtime when it blocks the task. Do not install software or change system settings without task authorization.
Choose the smallest operation
- Use an available file-edit tool for a small source patch.
- Use Python for file reads and writes, text replacement, JSON, CSV, and batch file operations. Prefer its standard library.
- Use direct commands for Git, package managers, builds, and tests. Do not add a Python wrapper without a reason.
- Use PowerShell for Windows services, registry operations, and PowerShell modules when the task requires them.
Keep shell commands simple
Put multi-line Python code in a UTF-8 .py file with the file-edit tool. Store temporary helpers in the task's scratch directory. Do not put them in tracked source without a project reason.
Pass paths and data as arguments. Read them through sys.argv or argparse. Do not insert user text, JSON, regexes, or Windows paths into generated source code.
Use a one-line launch command. These examples assume the task script already exists:
py -3 -X utf8 "C:\work\task\edit_text.py" "C:\work\project\file.txt"When using a quoted executable path, use the PowerShell call operator:
& "C:\work\project\.venv\Scripts\python.exe" -X utf8 "C:\work\task\edit_text.py" "C:\work\project\file.txt"Avoid long python -c strings, nested shell commands, and piping multi-line source through PowerShell. Do not use Bash heredocs in PowerShell. Do not use PowerShell > or Out-File to create source files with an assumed encoding. Windows PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell 7 have different encoding defaults.
When Python starts a native executable, pass an argument list to subprocess.run. Use shell=False and an explicit cwd. Inspect the return code. For .cmd or .bat tools, account for Windows shell parsing; do not assume an argument list removes that boundary.
Show full SKILL.md (286 more words)Show less
Preserve file contents
Set the encoding for each text file operation. Use UTF-8 without a BOM for new source files unless the project requires another format. Preserve the encoding, BOM, and line endings of existing files.
For a targeted edit, read bytes first. Identify the BOM and the expected encoding. Decode with strict error handling. Do not use errors="ignore" or errors="replace" for source edits. If the encoding is unknown, obtain evidence before writing.
Byte reads and writes can preserve CRLF without implicit newline conversion. Make only the requested replacement. Check the expected match count before writing. A missing or extra match must fail before the write. Preserve unrelated text and the final newline.
Use pathlib.Path for paths. Use json and csv for their formats. Avoid whole-file reserialization when it would change unrelated content.
Resolve failures and verify
After a quoting, pipe, or encoding failure, identify the failing boundary. Move file or text logic into a Python file instead of repeatedly changing a long shell expression. Do not change the terminal code page, PowerShell profile, execution policy, or global environment as a routine fix.
Read back the output. Check the changed content and file format. Inspect the diff when the task is in Git. Run the relevant project checks and record their exit codes. Do not treat a successful launch as proof that the requested change is correct.
Report Windows validation only when checks ran on Windows. A check on macOS or Linux is partial evidence for this skill.
Sources
This skill adapts the post's Python-first recommendation. It does not reproduce the unavailable comment prompt.
- Vincent's post.
- Python command-line options:
-X utf8. - Python pathlib: text and byte file operations.
- PowerShell character encoding: version differences and file redirection.
© Ancienttwo, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file
Files
SKILL.md and 1 other file in assets/skills/windows-python-first of Ancienttwo/repo-harness.
- SKILL.md
- agents/openai.yaml
Open the folder on GitHubat commit ad7b579
Compare with similar skills
Windows Python First next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.
| Skill | Stars | Used in | Tokens | Auto-check | Licence | Repo updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Python First this skillAncienttwo/repo-harness | 435 | — | ~1.4k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Environment SetupNorman-bury/research-writing-skill | 3.4k | — | ~840 | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Remote Hostslibnativeapi/nativeapi | 166 | — | ~1.3k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Local Asrysyecust/lecture-to-notes | 273 | — | ~1.6k | Automated safety check: Pass | Custom licence | |
| UvBiFangKNT/mtga | 1.2k | — | ~541 | Automated safety check: Pass | AGPL-3.0 | |
| Sino Drug Instructions Searchinfometa/workbuddyskills | 348 | — | ~1.1k | Automated safety check: Notes | None |
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Questions about Windows Python First
What does Windows Python First do?
A skill your agent uses for agent tasks in native Windows that need file edits, text conversion, JSON processing, or shell commands with quoting or encoding problems. Windows Python First is an agent skill from Ancienttwo/repo-harness. Use for agent tasks in native Windows that need file edits, text conversion, JSON processing, or shell commands with quoting or encoding problems.
When should I use Windows Python First?
Windows Python First fits situations like: agent tasks in native Windows that need file edits; text conversion; JSON processing; shell commands with quoting.
How do I install Windows Python First in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add Ancienttwo/repo-harness --skill windows-python-first -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (assets/skills/windows-python-first in Ancienttwo/repo-harness) into .claude/skills/windows-python-first in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install Windows Python First in Codex?
Run `npx skills add Ancienttwo/repo-harness --skill windows-python-first -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (assets/skills/windows-python-first in Ancienttwo/repo-harness) into .agents/skills/windows-python-first in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use Windows Python First in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?
Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add Ancienttwo/repo-harness --skill windows-python-first -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/windows-python-first, .gemini/skills/windows-python-first, .github/skills/windows-python-first and .opencode/skills/windows-python-first in your project.
What does Windows Python First need to run?
Going by SKILL.md and its folder, Windows Python First needs the command-line tools its instructions call (python). Our summary lists: Python 3.
Does Windows Python First access the network?
SKILL.md names 3 domains. As links in the text: docs.python.org, x.com and learn.microsoft.com. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.
Is Windows Python First safe to install?
Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.
What licence does Windows Python First use?
Windows Python First is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.
How many tokens does Windows Python First use?
About 1.4k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 5.5k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.
What are the alternatives to Windows Python First?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with Windows Python First: Environment Setup (Norman-bury/research-writing-skill, 3.4k stars), Remote Hosts (libnativeapi/nativeapi, 166 stars), Local Asr (ysyecust/lecture-to-notes, 273 stars) and Uv (BiFangKNT/mtga, 1.2k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
Who maintains Windows Python First?
Ancienttwo (a GitHub user) maintains it in Ancienttwo/repo-harness, which has 435 GitHub stars. The repository holds 12 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 10, 2026.
Source: Ancienttwo/repo-harness on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.