feat(skills): add skills.create_dir to separate creation from upstream sync

agent/skill_utils.py

@@ -228,9 +228,24 @@ def get_all_skills_dirs() -> List[Path]:
     """Return all skill directories: local ``~/.hermes/skills/`` first, then external.
 
     The local dir is always first (and always included even if it doesn't exist
-    yet — callers handle that).  External dirs follow in config order.
+    yet — callers handle that).  If ``skills.create_dir`` is configured and
+    differs from the default, it is inserted second so created skills are found.
+    External dirs follow in config order.
     """
-    dirs = [get_skills_dir()]
+    default = get_skills_dir()
+    dirs: List[Path] = [default]
+
+    # Include create_dir in the read path if it differs from the default
+    try:
+        from hermes_cli.config import load_config
+        raw = load_config().get("skills", {}).get("create_dir", "")
+        if raw:
+            create_dir = Path(raw).expanduser().resolve()
+            if create_dir != default.resolve() and create_dir not in dirs:
+                dirs.insert(1, create_dir)
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+
     dirs.extend(get_external_skills_dirs())
     return dirs
 

hermes_cli/config.py

@@ -560,9 +560,10 @@ def _ensure_hermes_home_managed(home: Path):
 
     # Skills — external skill directories for sharing skills across tools/agents.
     # Each path is expanded (~, ${VAR}) and resolved.  Read-only — skill creation
-    # always goes to ~/.hermes/skills/.
+    # goes to ``skills.create_dir`` (default: ``~/.hermes/skills/``).
     "skills": {
         "external_dirs": [],   # e.g. ["~/.agents/skills", "/shared/team-skills"]
+        "create_dir": "",      # where new skills are written; empty = ~/.hermes/skills/
     },
 
     # Honcho AI-native memory -- reads ~/.honcho/config.json as single source of truth.

tools/skill_manager_tool.py

@@ -76,9 +76,28 @@ def _security_scan_skill(skill_dir: Path) -> Optional[str]:
 import yaml
 
 
-# All skills live in ~/.hermes/skills/ (single source of truth)
+# Default write location for new skills.  Override via skills.create_dir in config.yaml.
 HERMES_HOME = get_hermes_home()
-SKILLS_DIR = HERMES_HOME / "skills"
+_DEFAULT_SKILLS_DIR = HERMES_HOME / "skills"
+
+
+def _get_skills_create_dir() -> Path:
+    """Return the directory where new skills are written.
+
+    Reads ``skills.create_dir`` from config.yaml.  Falls back to the default
+    ``~/.hermes/skills/`` when unset, so existing setups are unaffected.
+    """
+    try:
+        from hermes_cli.config import load_config
+        raw = load_config().get("skills", {}).get("create_dir", "")
+        if raw:
+            return Path(raw).expanduser().resolve()
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+    return _DEFAULT_SKILLS_DIR
+
+
+SKILLS_DIR = _get_skills_create_dir()
 
 MAX_NAME_LENGTH = 64
 MAX_DESCRIPTION_LENGTH = 1024