Definition
Skill drift is when copies of the same agent skill in different folders stop matching, so Claude Code, Codex or different projects load different versions of its instructions.
Also called: drifted skills, skill version drift, duplicate skills.
A skill is a folder with a SKILL.md that teaches an agent how to do something. Claude Code and Codex look for skills in different places (Claude in ~/.claude/skills and a repo's .claude/skills; Codex in ~/.agents/skills and a repo's .agents/skills), so people copy a skill into each. Edit one copy and forget the other, and the two agents quietly follow different instructions.
| Symptom | What's going on |
|---|---|
| Claude and Codex handle the same task differently | their copies of the skill differ |
| A skill works in one app but not the other | only one app can see it |
$name doesn't resolve in Codex | Codex sees two skills with the same name |
| A scheduled job changes behaviour overnight | someone edited a skill it uses |
Common ways to avoid it: keep one copy and link it into the other app's folder when the skill uses only syntax both apps understand, keep team skills in one repository, and pin the version an unattended job uses.
In Pairbar
Pairbar's Skills tab lists every skill both apps load. Turn on Keep skills the same in Claude and Codex and it keeps your copies in step in the background: the copy that changed since they last agreed (or the clearly newest) is kept and the others get its files, each backed up to ~/.pairbar/backups/skills/ first. When copies changed in both apps it writes nothing and shows one line, 1 skill changed in both apps · Review, where you keep the version you want, with Undo. A name Codex lists twice is under the tab's problems, with Remove duplicate. Workflow steps can Pin these versions so drift never reaches a scheduled run. See fix skill drift.
Frequently asked questions
- Can one skill folder serve both Claude Code and Codex?
- Yes, when the skill uses only what both apps understand: link one copy into the other app's skills folder. A skill with Claude-only syntax such as
$ARGUMENTSneeds a translated copy for Codex. - Is a linked copy drift?
- No. A folder both apps load through a link is one skill with two paths, so it can't drift.
- How do I stop a scheduled workflow picking up skill edits?
- Pin the skill's version for that workflow. In Pairbar, Pin these versions saves a snapshot the step keeps using until you pin again.
Related
- GuideFix skill drift between Claude Code and CodexUse Pairbar's Skills tab to find drifted, missing and duplicate skills, approve a plan that fixes them, and undo it if needed.
- Use caseShare one skill between Claude Code and Codex without copying it by handMake available to Codex (or Claude): a link when the skill works in both apps, a generated copy when it uses Claude-only syntax, approved first and undoable.
- Use caseSee and manage every Claude Code and Codex skill across all your projectsThe Skills tab lists every skill both apps load, from your folders, repos and plugins, with who can see each one, where it's installed and what to fix.
- DocsSkillsEvery Claude and Codex skill in one library: which app sees which, duplicates and drifted copies, making a skill available to the other app, using skills in workflows and chats