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/install-duckdb

Install or update DuckDB extensions. Each argument is either a plain extension name (installs from core) or name@repo (e.g. magic@community). Pass --update to update extensions instead of installing.

From plugin
duckdb-skills
5419 skills
Install
$ npx -y skills add duckdb/duckdb-skills --skill install-duckdb --agent claude-code

How it fires

How this skill gets triggered: by you, by Claude, or both.

  • Fires itselfAuto-invocation. Claude auto-loads it when your prompt matches the work.Auto-invocation is when the right skill fires by itself at the right moment, driven by a FLOW.md router and a hook, instead of you invoking it by name. It is the difference between a skill being installed and a skill actually getting used.Read the full definition →
  • You can call itInvoke it directly when you want it.
  • Slash command/install-duckdb

Context preview

The summary Claude sees to decide when to auto-load this skill.

Install or update DuckDB extensions. Each argument is either a plain extension name (installs from core) or name@repo (e.g. magic@community). Pass --update to update extensions instead of installing.

SKILL.md

install-duckdb.SKILL.md
name: install-duckdb
description: >
  Install or update DuckDB extensions. Each argument is either a plain
  extension name (installs from core) or name@repo (e.g. magic@community).
  Pass --update to update extensions instead of installing.
argument-hint: "[--update] [ext1 ext2@repo ext3 ...]"
allowed-tools: Bash

Arguments: `$@`

Each extension argument has the form `name` or `name@repo`.

  • `name` → `INSTALL name;`
  • `name@repo` → `INSTALL name FROM repo;`

Step 1 — Locate DuckDB

DUCKDB=$(command -v duckdb)

If not found, tell the user:

> **DuckDB is not installed.** Install it first with one of: > - macOS: `brew install duckdb` > - Linux: `curl -fsSL https://install.duckdb.org | sh` > - Windows: `winget install DuckDB.cli` > > Then re-run `/duckdb-skills:install-duckdb`.

Stop if DuckDB is not found.

Step 2 — Check for --update flag

If `--update` is present in `$@`, remove it from the argument list and set mode to **update**. Otherwise mode is **install**.

Step 3 — Build and run statements

**Install mode:**

Parse each remaining argument:

  • If it contains `@`, split on `@` → `INSTALL <name> FROM <repo>;`
  • Otherwise → `INSTALL <name>;`

Run all in a single DuckDB call:

"$DUCKDB" :memory: -c "INSTALL <ext1>; INSTALL <ext2> FROM <repo2>; ..."

**Update mode:**

First, check if the DuckDB CLI itself is up to date:

CURRENT=$(duckdb --version | grep -oE '[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+')
LATEST=$(curl -fsSL https://duckdb.org/data/latest_stable_version.txt)
  • If `CURRENT` == `LATEST` → report DuckDB CLI is up to date.
  • If `CURRENT` != `LATEST` → ask the user:

> **DuckDB CLI is outdated** (installed: `CURRENT`, latest: `LATEST`). Upgrade now?

If the user agrees, detect the platform and run the appropriate upgrade command:

  • macOS (`brew` available): `brew upgrade duckdb`
  • Linux: `curl -fsSL https://install.duckdb.org | sh`
  • Windows: `winget upgrade DuckDB.cli`

Then update extensions:

  • No extension names → update all: `UPDATE EXTENSIONS;`
  • With extension names → update in a single call (ignore `@repo`):

`UPDATE EXTENSIONS (<name1>, <name2>, ...);`

"$DUCKDB" :memory: -c "UPDATE EXTENSIONS;"
# or
"$DUCKDB" :memory: -c "UPDATE EXTENSIONS (<ext1>, <ext2>, ...);"

Report success or failure after the call completes.

Read more
Ships withduckdb-skills

A Claude Code plugin that adds DuckDB-powered skills for data exploration and session memory.

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Repo: duckdb/duckdb-skills

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