{"version":"2.1.292","anchor":"claude-code-host-skill-catalog-new-env-var-restricting-host","canonical_anchor":"claude-code-host-skill-catalog-new-env-var-restricting-host","heading":"Remote sessions can load skills from a host skill catalog via CLAUDE_CODE_HOST_SKILL_CATALOG","tier":"use","area":"Skills","scope":"both","heads_up":false,"url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.292\/e\/claude-code-host-skill-catalog-new-env-var-restricting-host","release_url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.292","markdown":"### Remote sessions can load skills from a host skill catalog via CLAUDE_CODE_HOST_SKILL_CATALOG\n\nA new `CLAUDE_CODE_HOST_SKILL_CATALOG` variable lets a remote session's host name which skills to load, from a new host catalog at `\/mnt\/skills\/public`\n\n**What**\n\nSkills are packaged instructions Claude can load for particular tasks. Claude Code gains a new place to get them from: a catalog supplied by the host, the program or service running the session.\n\n- `CLAUDE_CODE_HOST_SKILL_CATALOG`: a new environment variable (a setting passed in from outside the program), absent from the previous build. Its value must be JSON of the form `{\"skills\": [...]}` with 1 to 64 folder names made of ASCII letters, digits, `.`, `_` or `-`. An invalid value is ignored with a warning. The result is a set of allowed skill names that the skill list is filtered against.\n\n- It is picked up only in a remote session (when `CLAUDE_CODE_REMOTE_SESSION_ID` is set) that is not a child session, and the variable is then removed from the environment.\n\n- A path constant changed from a bundled file to `\/mnt\/skills\/public`, so skills may now come from a folder mounted by the host.\n\n- Skill loading includes the host catalog as an extra source, active only when a new check passes. When the check fails and a catalog is present, the catalog is recorded as held back.\n\n- A host skill is skipped if your account already syncs a skill with the same name, or if another skills folder links to the same file.\n\n**Why**\n\nA host running Claude Code remotely can decide which skills are offered. The skip rules mean a skill your account already syncs wins over a host copy of the same name. None of this applies unless the host sets the variable.\n\n- Area: Skills\n- Names: `CLAUDE_CODE_HOST_SKILL_CATALOG`, `CLAUDE_CODE_REMOTE_SESSION_ID`\n- Tier: Use it now\n- Useful: 5\/5\n- Signal: 4\/5\n- Scope: both\n- Heads-up: no"}