Apply a condensed version of the ISO C++ Core Guidelines to C++ design, implementation, refactoring, modernization, and code review.
$ npx skills add SpecterOps/skills --skill cpp-core-guidelines -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install SpecterOps/skills cpp-core-guidelines --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/SpecterOps/skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/plugins/code-review-and-qa/skills/cpp-core-guidelines .claude/skills/cpp-core-guidelines && 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 "cpp-core-guidelines" agent skill from https://github.com/SpecterOps/skills/tree/main/plugins/code-review-and-qa/skills/cpp-core-guidelines into .claude/skills/cpp-core-guidelines/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "cpp-core-guidelines", 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/SpecterOps/skills/tree/main/plugins/code-review-and-qa/skills/cpp-core-guidelinesType 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 SpecterOps/skills --skill cpp-core-guidelines -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install SpecterOps/skills cpp-core-guidelines --agent codexProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/SpecterOps/skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/plugins/code-review-and-qa/skills/cpp-core-guidelines .agents/skills/cpp-core-guidelines && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "cpp-core-guidelines" agent skill from https://github.com/SpecterOps/skills/tree/main/plugins/code-review-and-qa/skills/cpp-core-guidelines into .agents/skills/cpp-core-guidelines/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "cpp-core-guidelines", 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 SpecterOps/skills --skill cpp-core-guidelines -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install SpecterOps/skills cpp-core-guidelines --agent cursorProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/SpecterOps/skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/plugins/code-review-and-qa/skills/cpp-core-guidelines .cursor/skills/cpp-core-guidelines && 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 "cpp-core-guidelines" agent skill from https://github.com/SpecterOps/skills/tree/main/plugins/code-review-and-qa/skills/cpp-core-guidelines into .cursor/skills/cpp-core-guidelines/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "cpp-core-guidelines", 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/SpecterOps/skills.git --path plugins/code-review-and-qa/skills/cpp-core-guidelines--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 SpecterOps/skills --skill cpp-core-guidelines -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install SpecterOps/skills cpp-core-guidelines --agent gemini-cliProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/SpecterOps/skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/plugins/code-review-and-qa/skills/cpp-core-guidelines .gemini/skills/cpp-core-guidelines && 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 "cpp-core-guidelines" agent skill from https://github.com/SpecterOps/skills/tree/main/plugins/code-review-and-qa/skills/cpp-core-guidelines into .gemini/skills/cpp-core-guidelines/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "cpp-core-guidelines", 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 SpecterOps/skills cpp-core-guidelinesInstalls 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 SpecterOps/skills --skill cpp-core-guidelines -a github-copilotProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/SpecterOps/skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/plugins/code-review-and-qa/skills/cpp-core-guidelines .github/skills/cpp-core-guidelines && 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 "cpp-core-guidelines" agent skill from https://github.com/SpecterOps/skills/tree/main/plugins/code-review-and-qa/skills/cpp-core-guidelines into .github/skills/cpp-core-guidelines/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "cpp-core-guidelines", 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 SpecterOps/skills --skill cpp-core-guidelines -a opencodeOpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.
$ gh skill install SpecterOps/skills cpp-core-guidelines --agent opencodeProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/SpecterOps/skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/plugins/code-review-and-qa/skills/cpp-core-guidelines .opencode/skills/cpp-core-guidelines && 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 "cpp-core-guidelines" agent skill from https://github.com/SpecterOps/skills/tree/main/plugins/code-review-and-qa/skills/cpp-core-guidelines into .opencode/skills/cpp-core-guidelines/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "cpp-core-guidelines", 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.
cpp-core-guidelinesApply a condensed version of the ISO C++ Core Guidelines to C++ design, implementation, refactoring, modernization, and code review.
Cpp Core Guidelines is an agent skill from SpecterOps/skills. Apply a condensed version of the ISO C++ Core Guidelines to C++ design, implementation, refactoring, modernization, and code review. Use for .cpp, .cc, .cxx, .h, .hpp, CMake-backed C++ projects, API design, ownership/lifetime decisions, RAII, const-correctness, templates, concurrency, error handling, performance, C interop, and standard-library usage.
Its SKILL.md is about 500 tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 7 other files, including reference files and assets (for example `agents/openai.yaml` and `references/core-guidelines-condensed.md`).
It sits in Development, covering Legacy modernization, API design and Refactoring. It works with C++. The repository describes itself as: A marketplace for LLM skills. The licence is Apache-2.0.
5 steps, taken from the first numbered list in SKILL.md.
Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit e655f93. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.
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.
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.
No URLs in SKILL.md.
From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.
Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.
From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.
Cpp Core Guidelines loads about 500 tokens when it runs, and up to ~5.8k if it reads all its reference files. Until then it costs about 93 tokens; SKILL.md has 191 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.
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.
The full file from SpecterOps/skills at commit e655f93, republished under its Apache-2.0 licence (© SpecterOps). 191 words, ~500 tokens.
.claude/skills/cpp-core-guidelines/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 4 other files; get the full folder from GitHub.Use this skill to apply modern C++ guidance derived from the ISO C++ Core Guidelines. Prefer safer, clearer, statically checkable C++ without sacrificing zero-overhead design.
references/core-guidelines-condensed.md when the task touches C++ behavior, APIs, ownership, templates, concurrency, performance, or code review.R for resources, F for functions, or CP for concurrency.references/core-guidelines-condensed.md: condensed concept map and review checklist covering the guideline families: philosophy, interfaces, functions, classes, enums, resources, expressions/statements, performance, concurrency, errors, constants, templates, C interop, source files, standard library, architecture, profiles, GSL, and naming/layout.© SpecterOps, Apache-2.0. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file
SKILL.md and 4 other files (references, assets) in plugins/code-review-and-qa/skills/cpp-core-guidelines of SpecterOps/skills.
Open the folder on GitHubat commit e655f93
Cpp Core Guidelines 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cpp Core Guidelines this skillSpecterOps/skills | 704 | — | ~500 | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 | |
| Software Design Philosophyluoling8192/software-design-philosophy-skill | 346 | — | ~3.4k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Code Revieweralirezarezvani/claude-skills | 28k | 1 repos | ~1.6k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Dignified Python Standardsdocling-project/docling | 69k | — | ~1.5k | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 | |
| Clean Code GuardamElnagdy/guard-skills | 1.3k | 2 repos | ~4.3k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Code Refactoring Workflowluongnv89/claude-howto | 42k | — | ~3.1k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT |
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Works with
Categories
Apply a condensed version of the ISO C++ Core Guidelines to C++ design, implementation, refactoring, modernization, and code review. Cpp Core Guidelines is an agent skill from SpecterOps/skills. Apply a condensed version of the ISO C++ Core Guidelines to C++ design, implementation, refactoring, modernization, and code review.
Cpp Core Guidelines fits situations like: CMake-backed C++ projects; ownership/lifetime decisions; const-correctness; standard-library usage.
Run `npx skills add SpecterOps/skills --skill cpp-core-guidelines -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (plugins/code-review-and-qa/skills/cpp-core-guidelines in SpecterOps/skills) into .claude/skills/cpp-core-guidelines in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
Run `npx skills add SpecterOps/skills --skill cpp-core-guidelines -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (plugins/code-review-and-qa/skills/cpp-core-guidelines in SpecterOps/skills) into .agents/skills/cpp-core-guidelines in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add SpecterOps/skills --skill cpp-core-guidelines -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/cpp-core-guidelines, .gemini/skills/cpp-core-guidelines, .github/skills/cpp-core-guidelines and .opencode/skills/cpp-core-guidelines in your project.
SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Cpp Core Guidelines is instructions for the agent only.
SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.
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.
Cpp Core Guidelines is published under the Apache-2.0 licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.
About 500 tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 2k 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 5.3k tokens, read only when the agent opens those files.
Skills that share tags, products or a category with Cpp Core Guidelines: Software Design Philosophy (luoling8192/software-design-philosophy-skill, 346 stars), Code Reviewer (alirezarezvani/claude-skills, 28k stars), Dignified Python Standards (docling-project/docling, 69k stars) and Clean Code Guard (amElnagdy/guard-skills, 1.3k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
SpecterOps (a GitHub organization) maintains it in SpecterOps/skills, which has 704 GitHub stars. The repository holds 38 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on September 23, 2026.
Source: SpecterOps/skills on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.
