Official agent skill

Semantic Kernel

Create, update, refactor, explain, or review Semantic Kernel solutions using shared guidance plus language-specific references for .NET and Python.

OfficialMITAuto-check passedDevelopment

Install Semantic Kernel

skills CLI

$ npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill semantic-kernel -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install github/awesome-copilot semantic-kernel --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/semantic-kernel .claude/skills/semantic-kernel && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.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/

Paste into Claude Code

Install the "semantic-kernel" agent skill from https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/tree/main/skills/semantic-kernel into .claude/skills/semantic-kernel/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "semantic-kernel", 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

$skill-installer install https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/tree/main/skills/semantic-kernel

Type 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.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill semantic-kernel -a codex

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install github/awesome-copilot semantic-kernel --agent codex

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/semantic-kernel .agents/skills/semantic-kernel && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.

Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/

Paste into Codex

Install the "semantic-kernel" agent skill from https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/tree/main/skills/semantic-kernel into .agents/skills/semantic-kernel/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "semantic-kernel", 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.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill semantic-kernel -a cursor

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install github/awesome-copilot semantic-kernel --agent cursor

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/semantic-kernel .cursor/skills/semantic-kernel && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.

Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/

Paste into Cursor

Install the "semantic-kernel" agent skill from https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/tree/main/skills/semantic-kernel into .cursor/skills/semantic-kernel/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "semantic-kernel", 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

$ gemini skills install https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot.git --path skills/semantic-kernel

--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill semantic-kernel -a gemini-cli

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install github/awesome-copilot semantic-kernel --agent gemini-cli

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/semantic-kernel .gemini/skills/semantic-kernel && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.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/

Paste into Gemini CLI

Install the "semantic-kernel" agent skill from https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/tree/main/skills/semantic-kernel into .gemini/skills/semantic-kernel/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "semantic-kernel", 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.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install github/awesome-copilot semantic-kernel

Installs 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).

skills CLI

$ npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill semantic-kernel -a github-copilot

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/semantic-kernel .github/skills/semantic-kernel && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.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/

Paste into GitHub Copilot

Install the "semantic-kernel" agent skill from https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/tree/main/skills/semantic-kernel into .github/skills/semantic-kernel/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "semantic-kernel", 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.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill semantic-kernel -a opencode

OpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install github/awesome-copilot semantic-kernel --agent opencode

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/semantic-kernel .opencode/skills/semantic-kernel && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.

OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/

Paste into OpenCode

Install the "semantic-kernel" agent skill from https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/tree/main/skills/semantic-kernel into .opencode/skills/semantic-kernel/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "semantic-kernel", 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: semantic-kernel
GitHub stars: 40k
Used in: 2 other repos
Token cost: ~756 tokens
SKILL.md length: 362 words
Files: 3 (incl. references)
Skills in repo: 417
Repo updated: Oct 8, 2026
First seen: Oct 7, 2026
Licence: MIT

At a glance

Create, update, refactor, explain, or review Semantic Kernel solutions using shared guidance plus language-specific references for .NET and Python.

Works in 4 steps: Use the .NET workflow when the… → Use the Python workflow when the… → If the repository contains both… → …
Development work in your project
SKILL.md covers Determine the target language…, Always consult live…, Shared guidance and Workflow, plus 2 more sections
Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md

What it does

Semantic Kernel is an agent skill from github/awesome-copilot, published by the product's own GitHub organization. Create, update, refactor, explain, or review Semantic Kernel solutions using shared guidance plus language-specific references for .NET and Python.

Its SKILL.md is about 760 tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 3 other files, including reference files (for example `references/dotnet.md` and `references/python.md`).

It sits in Development. It works with .NET and Python. The repository describes itself as: Community-contributed instructions, agents, skills, and configurations to help you make the most of GitHub Copilot. The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

Development work in your project

Example prompts

“/semantic-kernel”

Requirements

Python 3

Workflow steps

4 steps, taken from the first numbered list in SKILL.md.

Use the .NET workflow when the repository contains .cs, .csproj, .sln, or other .NET project files, or when the user explicitly asks for…
Use the Python workflow when the repository contains .py, pyproject.toml, requirements.txt, or the user explicitly asks for Python…
If the repository contains both ecosystems, match the language used by the files being edited or the user's stated target.
If the language is ambiguous, inspect the current workspace first and then choose the closest language-specific reference.

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 7cce7cf. 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
No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md.
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):
- learn.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

Semantic Kernel loads about 756 tokens when it runs, and up to ~1.1k if it reads all its reference files. Until then it costs about 41 tokens; SKILL.md has 362 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it: ~41
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches: ~756
With references · SKILL.md plus every file in references/, read only if the agent opens them: ~1.1k

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 github/awesome-copilot at commit 7cce7cf, republished under its MIT licence (© github). 362 words, ~756 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/semantic-kernel/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 2 other files; get the full folder from GitHub.

name: semantic-kernel
description: Create, update, refactor, explain, or review Semantic Kernel solutions using shared guidance plus language-specific references for .NET and Python.

Semantic Kernel

Use this skill when working with applications, plugins, function-calling flows, or AI integrations built on Semantic Kernel.

Always ground implementation advice in the latest Semantic Kernel documentation and samples rather than memory alone.

Determine the target language first

Choose the language workflow before making recommendations or code changes:

Use the .NET workflow when the repository contains .cs, .csproj, .sln, or other .NET project files, or when the user explicitly asks for C# or .NET guidance. Follow references/dotnet.md.
Use the Python workflow when the repository contains .py, pyproject.toml, requirements.txt, or the user explicitly asks for Python guidance. Follow references/python.md.
If the repository contains both ecosystems, match the language used by the files being edited or the user's stated target.
If the language is ambiguous, inspect the current workspace first and then choose the closest language-specific reference.

Always consult live documentation

Read the Semantic Kernel overview first: https://learn.microsoft.com/semantic-kernel/overview/
Prefer official docs and samples for the current API surface.
Use the Microsoft Docs MCP tooling when available to fetch up-to-date framework guidance and examples.

Show full SKILL.md (185 more words)Show less

Shared guidance

When working with Semantic Kernel in any language:

Use async patterns for kernel operations.
Follow official plugin and function-calling patterns.
Implement explicit error handling and logging.
Prefer strong typing, clear abstractions, and maintainable composition patterns.
Use built-in connectors for Azure AI Foundry, Azure OpenAI, OpenAI, and other AI services, while preferring Azure AI Foundry services for new projects when that fits the task.
Use the kernel's memory and context-management capabilities when they simplify the solution.
Use DefaultAzureCredential when Azure authentication is appropriate.

Workflow

Determine the target language and read the matching reference file.
Fetch the latest official docs and samples before making implementation choices.
Apply the shared Semantic Kernel guidance from this skill.
Use the language-specific package, repository, sample paths, and coding practices from the chosen reference.
When examples in the repo differ from current docs, explain the difference and follow the current supported pattern.

References

Completion criteria

Recommendations match the target language.
Package names, repository paths, and sample locations match the selected ecosystem.
Guidance reflects current Semantic Kernel documentation rather than stale assumptions.

Files

SKILL.md and 2 other files (references) in skills/semantic-kernel of github/awesome-copilot.

SKILL.md
references/dotnet.md
references/python.md

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 7cce7cf

Used in 2 other repositories

We found 2 copies of this SKILL.md (exact, near-identical or edited) in other folders, from 2 other GitHub owners. This page covers the copy in github/awesome-copilot, which our catalogue first saw on October 7, 2026.

Compare with similar skills

Semantic Kernel 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.

Semantic Kernel compared with similar skills
Skill	Stars	Used in	Tokens	Auto-check	Licence	Repo updated
Semantic Kernel this skillgithub/awesome-copilot	40k	2 repos	~756	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	today
Generate Readmemicrosoft/Agent365-Samples	112	—	~2.6k	Automated safety check: Notes	MIT	7 days ago
Git HooksProrise-cool/Claude-Code-Multi-Agent	305	—	~3.6k	Automated safety check: Notes	None	22 days ago
Release Coherencemacalbert/envilder	138	—	~1.3k	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	3 days ago
Precheckayutaz/piper-plus	220	—	~647	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	today
SDK Release Checklistmacalbert/envilder	138	—	~1.5k	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	3 days ago

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Questions about Semantic Kernel

What does Semantic Kernel do?

Create, update, refactor, explain, or review Semantic Kernel solutions using shared guidance plus language-specific references for .NET and Python. Semantic Kernel is an agent skill from github/awesome-copilot, published by the product's own GitHub organization.NET and Python.

When should I use Semantic Kernel?

Semantic Kernel fits situations like: development work in your project.

How do I install Semantic Kernel in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill semantic-kernel -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/semantic-kernel in github/awesome-copilot) into .claude/skills/semantic-kernel in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Semantic Kernel in Codex?

Run `npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill semantic-kernel -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/semantic-kernel in github/awesome-copilot) into .agents/skills/semantic-kernel in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Semantic Kernel 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 github/awesome-copilot --skill semantic-kernel -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/semantic-kernel, .gemini/skills/semantic-kernel, .github/skills/semantic-kernel and .opencode/skills/semantic-kernel in your project.

What does Semantic Kernel need to run?

SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Semantic Kernel is instructions for the agent only. Our summary lists: Python 3.

Does Semantic Kernel access the network?

SKILL.md names 1 domain. As links in the text: learn.microsoft.com. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Semantic Kernel 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 Semantic Kernel use?

Semantic Kernel 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 Semantic Kernel use?

About 756 tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 3k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full. Its references folder adds about 325 tokens, read only when the agent opens those files.

What are the alternatives to Semantic Kernel?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Semantic Kernel: Generate Readme (microsoft/Agent365-Samples, 112 stars), Git Hooks (Prorise-cool/Claude-Code-Multi-Agent, 305 stars), Release Coherence (macalbert/envilder, 138 stars) and Precheck (ayutaz/piper-plus, 220 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Semantic Kernel?

github (a GitHub organization, an official publisher) maintains it in github/awesome-copilot, which has 39,792 GitHub stars. The repository holds 417 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 8, 2026.

Source: github/awesome-copilot on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.

Install Semantic Kernel

Facts

At a glance

What it does

When your agent uses it

Example prompts

Requirements

Workflow steps

What it can do on your machine

Tool permissions

Runs code

Network

Credentials

Context cost

Safety

SKILL.md

Semantic Kernel

Determine the target language first

Always consult live documentation

Shared guidance

Workflow

References

Completion criteria

Files

Used in 2 other repositories

Compare with similar skills

Similar skills

More from github/awesome-copilot

Related

Questions about Semantic Kernel