diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 05fdaaf..040f2a6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -244,6 +244,7 @@ diffity list --json        # machine-readable output
 | `DIFFITY_HOST` | Hostname used in the printed URL (default: `localhost`).                  |
 | `DIFFITY_BIND` | Interface the server listens on (default: `127.0.0.1`).                   |
 | `DIFFITY_DATA_DIR` | Where review notes are kept (default: `~/.diffity/<repo-hash>`).      |
+| `DIFFITY_SYNC_DEV_SKILLS` | Set to `1` to have a build install the `diffity-dev-*` skills into `~/.claude/skills`. |
 
 Useful when running diffity inside a VM or container and opening it from another machine:
 
diff --git a/bin/diffity b/bin/diffity
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..67c6055
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/diffity
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../lib/node_modules/diffity/dist/index.js
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/build-skills.ts b/scripts/build-skills.ts
index 141ec07..7bbf104 100644
--- a/scripts/build-skills.ts
+++ b/scripts/build-skills.ts
@@ -30,8 +30,10 @@ writeFile(
 );
 console.log(`Skills hash: ${skillsHash}`);
 
-if (process.env.DIFFITY_SKIP_DEV_SKILLS || !homeDir) {
-  console.log('Skipped dev skills sync');
+// Opt-in: a build should not write into the user's home directory unless asked. The dev skills
+// exist to drive the `diffity-dev` binary from this checkout, which is not what most builds want.
+if (!process.env.DIFFITY_SYNC_DEV_SKILLS || !homeDir) {
+  console.log('Skipped dev skills sync (set DIFFITY_SYNC_DEV_SKILLS=1 to install them)');
 } else {
   cleanManagedSkills(globalClaudeSkillsDir, DEV_SKILL_PREFIX);
   for (const skill of skills) {