diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 04967de..6cc2e99 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -36,6 +36,12 @@ internal/commands/  All CLI commands (42 top-level, 155+ total)
 
 internal/version/   Update checker (GitHub releases API)
 
+internal/skillinstaller/  Detects installed AI agents (12 supported) and
+                    installs the DeployHQ skill into each one's native format.
+                    user-scope targets write to $HOME; project-scope targets
+                    write into the repo (opt-in via --agent). Powers
+                    `dhq skills` and the `dhq hello` onboarding step.
+
 skills/deployhq/    Agent skill guide + per-domain reference docs (8 files)
                     SKILL.md is the entry point for any AI agent.
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index aa7922d..f6fea03 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@ dhq update
 # (Static Hosting or a Managed VPS) and deploy — to a live URL.
 dhq launch
 
-# Guided setup (login or signup, pick a project, optional first deploy)
+# Guided setup (login or signup, pick a project, install the DeployHQ
+# skill into your AI coding agents, optional first deploy)
 dhq hello
 
 # Or step-by-step
@@ -56,6 +57,10 @@ dhq signup
 dhq auth login
 dhq configure
 
+# Teach your detected AI coding agents (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, …) to drive dhq
+# (project-scope agents like Copilot are opt-in — see `dhq skills install --agent`)
+dhq skills install
+
 # Deploy and watch in real-time
 dhq deploy -p my-app --wait
 
@@ -178,6 +183,7 @@ dhq assist        [question] (AI deployment assistant, requires Ollama)
 dhq completion    bash | zsh | fish | powershell
 dhq doctor        (health check)
 dhq update        (self-update to latest version)
+dhq skills        list | install (auto-detect AI agents and install the DeployHQ skill)
 dhq setup         claude | codex | cursor | windsurf (install agent plugins, --project for project-level)
 dhq mcp           (start MCP server in stdio mode)
 ```
@@ -285,12 +291,40 @@ dhq config show --resolved
 
 The CLI is designed for AI agents that can run shell commands.
 
-Agent skill guides are available at `.claude/SKILL.md`, `.codex/SKILL.md`, `.cursor/SKILL.md`, `.windsurf/SKILL.md`, and `docs/SKILL.md`.
+### Install the DeployHQ skill into your agents
+
+`dhq skills install` detects the AI coding agents on your machine and installs
+the DeployHQ skill into each one's native format, so the agent knows how to
+drive `dhq`. It's also offered automatically during `dhq hello`.
 
 ```bash
-# Install agent plugin (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, or Windsurf)
-dhq setup claude
+# Detect installed agents and show their skill status
+dhq skills list
+
+# Install for every detected user-scope agent (Claude Code, Cursor, …)
+dhq skills install
+
+# Install for a specific agent (use the name from `dhq skills list`)
+dhq skills install --agent claude-code
+
+# Project-scope agents write into the current repo, so they're opt-in:
+dhq skills install --agent copilot
+```
 
+Twelve agents are supported — Aider, Antigravity, Claude Code, Cline, Codex CLI,
+Continue.dev, Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot, Kiro CLI, OpenCode, and Windsurf.
+**User-scope** agents install into your home directory and are picked up by the
+bare `dhq skills install`; **project-scope** agents write into the current
+repository and require an explicit `--agent` flag so login never mutates a repo
+as a side effect.
+
+`dhq setup <agent>` is a narrower alternative that installs the agent plugin for
+a single tool (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, or Windsurf), with `--project` for
+project-level installs.
+
+### Other agent helpers
+
+```bash
 # Full command catalog with agent safety metadata
 dhq commands --json
 
@@ -298,6 +332,9 @@ dhq commands --json
 DEPLOYHQ_AGENT=my-bot dhq deploy -p my-app --json
 ```
 
+Standalone skill guides are also available at `.claude/SKILL.md`,
+`.codex/SKILL.md`, `.cursor/SKILL.md`, `.windsurf/SKILL.md`, and `docs/SKILL.md`.
+
 ### Non-Interactive Mode
 
 Use `--non-interactive` to guarantee the CLI never prompts. Auto-enabled when output is piped.
diff --git a/internal/commands/hello.go b/internal/commands/hello.go
index ffaeaf7..46b7c20 100644
--- a/internal/commands/hello.go
+++ b/internal/commands/hello.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ func newHelloCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	return &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "hello",
 		Short: "Get started with DeployHQ CLI",
-		Long:  "Guided setup that walks you through login, account creation, and project configuration.",
+		Long:  "Guided setup that walks you through login, account creation, project configuration, and installing the DeployHQ skill into the user-scope AI coding agents detected on this machine.",
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			env := cliCtx.Envelope