Skill Keys
Simple authentication for catalog-connected skills
A Skill Key is your personal token for using skills that connect to the SkillMill API. Create one key, save it once, and you're set.
How It Works
First time using a connected skill
When you first run a skill that needs catalog access (like publishing or searching), it will ask for your Skill Key.
Create your Skill Key
Go to Settings → Skill Keys and click "Create Skill Key". Give it a name like "My MacBook" or "Work Computer".
Paste it when prompted
Copy your key and paste it when the skill asks. The key is saved locally and remembered for all future uses.
That's it!
From now on, all catalog-connected skills will work automatically. No more prompts, no more setup.
Example
First-time publish experience
Key Format
Security
Keys are stored safely
Your Skill Key is saved to ~/.agentskills/key with restricted permissions. Only you can read it.
Keys are hashed server-side
We never store your actual key. Only a cryptographic hash is kept, so even a database breach can't expose your key.
Revoke anytime
If a key is compromised, revoke it instantly from your settings. The key stops working immediately.
Managing Your Keys
View, create, and revoke keys from your account settings:
Manage Skill KeysTroubleshooting
"Invalid or revoked Skill Key"
Your key may have been revoked or expired. Create a new key and paste it when prompted, or delete ~/.agentskills/key to be prompted again.
"Key format invalid"
Make sure you copied the entire key, starting with sk-.
Using multiple machines
Create a separate key for each machine. This makes it easy to revoke access to one machine without affecting others.
Advanced: Environment Variable
For CI/CD or scripts, you can set the key as an environment variable instead:
The environment variable takes precedence over the saved key file.