How to Build a Plugin Strategy for Cursor

Build a Cursor plugin strategy with SKILL.md capabilities: write the Skill, place it in .cursor/skills, preserve plugin identity, and measure it with Telvine.

This guide shows how to build a plugin strategy for Cursor, the AI code editor. Cursor's agent loads agent Skills defined in a SKILL.md, so treat each Skill as a capability inside a plugin product that you version and measure.

Skills vs. Cursor Rules

Cursor Rules — always-on guidance about your codebase and conventions.
Skills (SKILL.md) — on-demand capabilities the agent loads when a task matches.

Use rules for "always know this"; use a Skill for "do this job when asked."

Step 1 — Write the SKILL.md

---
name: component-scaffolder
description: >
  Use this skill when the user asks to "scaffold a component",
  "create a new component", or "add a UI component". Generates a
  component plus its test and story in the project's conventions.
---
 
# Component scaffolder
## Steps
1. Read an existing component to match structure and style.
2. Generate the component, its test, and its story.
3. Wire up exports. Don't modify unrelated files.

The description, written in the third person with the phrases users say, is what makes the Skill trigger.

Step 2 — Place it in .cursor/skills

Create a .cursor/skills/ directory in your project and add a folder per Skill:

your-project/
└── .cursor/skills/
    └── component-scaffolder/
        └── SKILL.md

A note on coverage: Cursor supports SKILL.md with partial support compared to Claude Code's full implementation — keep Skills straightforward (clear steps, optional scripts) and they port cleanly.

Step 3 — Trigger and refine

Use Cursor's agent and describe the task. When it matches the Skill's description, the agent loads the SKILL.md. If it doesn't, tighten the description. Put deterministic logic in bundled scripts/.

Step 4 — Measure it with Telvine

Telvine measures your Cursor Skills like software — installs, invocations, errors, latency, and version-over-version impact with significance testing — through a closed event envelope that never carries prompts or code. Wrap the SKILL.md and you'll know whether your latest change improved things.

Write once, run in any harness

The same SKILL.md runs in Claude Code, Codex, Copilot, Windsurf, and Gemini CLI. Maintain a single Skill and measure it in one place.

Frequently asked questions

Where do Cursor Skills live? In the .cursor/skills/ directory of your project.

Is Cursor's SKILL.md support complete? Cursor offers partial support relative to Claude Code; simple, well-structured Skills port without changes.