Agent skill · OpenAI

Image Generation skill for Claude Code, Codex and Cursor

Generates or edits raster images such as illustrations, sprites, mockups and transparent cutouts.

Officialname: imagegen★ 28k (repo)pushed 2026-09-08Apache-2.0SKILL.md on GitHubchecked 2026-11-07

What it does, in the publisher's words

Generate or edit raster images when the task benefits from AI-created bitmap visuals such as photos, illustrations, textures, sprites, mockups, or transparent-background cutouts. Use when Codex should create a brand-new image, transform an existing image, or derive visual variants from references, and the output should be a bitmap asset rather than repo-native code or vector.

The description field of the SKILL.md. The agent reads only this at startup and decides from it when to load the full skill.

Install Image Generation

The skills CLI copies the skill into the folder of each agent you pick (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode, Windsurf...). Add -g for all projects. Needs Node.js 22.20+. docs

npx skills add openai/skills --skill imagegen

Copy the skill folder into ~/.claude/skills (all projects) or .claude/skills (this repo). Claude Code picks it up without a restart. docs

npx skills add openai/skills --skill imagegen -a claude-code

# or by hand:
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/openai/skills.git /tmp/imagegen-src
cp -r /tmp/imagegen-src/skills/.system/imagegen ~/.claude/skills/imagegen

Download the skill folder, zip it, then Customize > Skills > + > Create skill > Upload a skill. Code execution must be on (Settings > Capabilities). docs

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/openai/skills.git /tmp/imagegen-src
cp -r /tmp/imagegen-src/skills/.system/imagegen ./imagegen
zip -r imagegen.zip imagegen

It's in OpenAI's own catalog: ask Codex for $skill-installer imagegen, or use the skills CLI. docs

$skill-installer imagegen

gh skill (GitHub CLI 2.90+, preview) installs it for Copilot in VS Code, the CLI and the cloud agent. Copilot also reads .github/skills and ~/.copilot/skills. docs

gh skill install openai/skills imagegen

Cursor reads .cursor/skills, .agents/skills and ~/.cursor/skills (and .claude/skills). It does not install loose skills from a GitHub URL, so copy it in. docs

npx skills add openai/skills --skill imagegen -a cursor

Installs from the GitHub repo; --path picks this skill out of the repo. Default scope is user (all projects). docs

gemini skills install https://github.com/openai/skills.git --path skills/.system/imagegen

OpenCode reads .opencode/skills, ~/.config/opencode/skills and the Claude and .agents folders. docs

npx skills add openai/skills --skill imagegen -a opencode

Windsurf (now Devin Desktop) reads .devin/skills, .windsurf/skills and ~/.codeium/windsurf/skills. docs

npx skills add openai/skills --skill imagegen -a windsurf

Works with

Claude Code, Claude.ai and Claude Desktop, Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, OpenCode, Windsurf and other agents that read the open Agent Skills format.

Bundles 1 Python script the agent can run, so it needs Python on the machine. In the Claude apps, code execution must be on.

What's in the SKILL.md

20 sections

Top-level modes and rules
When to use
When not to use
Decision tree
Workflow
Prompt augmentation
Specificity policy
Use-case taxonomy (exact slugs)
Shared prompt schema
Examples
Generation example (hero image)
Edit example (invariants)
Prompting best practices
Guidance by asset type
Fallback CLI mode only
Temp and output conventions
Dependencies
Environment
Script-mode notes
Reference map

Bundled files

LICENSE.txt
agents/openai.yaml
assets/imagegen-small.svg
assets/imagegen.png
references/cli.md
references/codex-network.md
references/image-api.md
references/prompting.md
references/sample-prompts.md
scripts/image_gen.py

Loaded only when the instructions point to them.

Facts

Skill name: imagegen
Publisher: OpenAI (official)
Repo: openai/skills
License: Apache-2.0
SKILL.md size: 2,094 words, 275 lines
Bundled files: 10, 1 scripts (Python), 5 docs
Repo stars: 28k (as of 2026-10-24)
SKILL.md checked: 2026-11-07

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FAQ

What does the imagegen skill do?+

Generates or edits raster images such as illustrations, sprites, mockups and transparent cutouts. In its own SKILL.md, OpenAI describes it as: "Generate or edit raster images when the task benefits from AI-created bitmap visuals such as photos, illustrations, textures, sprites, mockups, or transparent-background cutouts."

How do I install the imagegen skill?+

Run npx skills add openai/skills --skill imagegen and pick your agents, or use the tab for your agent above. In Claude Code the skill ends up in ~/.claude/skills/imagegen/SKILL.md; in Codex and Cursor in .agents/skills/imagegen/.

Does Image Generation work in Codex, Cursor and Copilot, or only Claude?+

It's a standard SKILL.md, so any agent that reads the Agent Skills format can use it: Claude Code, the Claude apps, Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, OpenCode, Windsurf and more.

Who maintains Image Generation?+

OpenAI, the company or project behind it, in the openai/skills repo on GitHub, last pushed 2026-09-08. License: Apache-2.0.

Read a skill's SKILL.md and scripts before you install it: skills aren't verified by any agent vendor. Claude skills marketplace · How to install skills · MCP servers