Docs / Agents and API

Agent skill

Teach a coding agent the Volley syntax once, so it writes good diagrams without a network call.

The Volley agent skill is a small folder of instructions that teaches a coding agent, such as Claude Code, Codex or Cursor, to write Volley diagrams well and to build share links for them. After it is installed, the agent writes diagrams on its own, with no API key and no network calls.

#What is in it

volley/
  SKILL.md                 when to use Volley, the syntax, payload rules, a worked example and authoring rules
  references/syntax.md     the full syntax reference
  scripts/volley_link.py   builds a share link from a diagram (Python, standard library only)
  scripts/volley_link.mjs  the same in JavaScript, for Node

With the skill, an agent asked to "diagram this flow" writes the source, runs one of the scripts to turn it into a volley.sh share link, and gives you both. If the link would be very long, it also gives you the source in a code block.

#Install it

1. Sign in on Pro, and choose Agent skill in the sidebar under Agents.
2. Click Create install prompt.
3. Click Copy prompt and paste it into your agent.

The prompt tells the agent where to download the skill and where to put it. For Claude Code it installs into ~/.claude/skills; other agents put the folder wherever they keep skills. The agent then reads the skill and confirms in one sentence.

The download link in the prompt works for 15 minutes, and anyone with the prompt can use it until then, so do not share it. If it expires before you use it, click Create a new prompt.

#Use the scripts yourself

The scripts are useful on their own. Each reads a diagram from a file or standard input and prints a share link:

python3 ~/.claude/skills/volley/scripts/volley_link.py flow.volley
node ~/.claude/skills/volley/scripts/volley_link.mjs flow.volley
cat flow.volley | python3 ~/.claude/skills/volley/scripts/volley_link.py -

#Updating

The skill does not update itself. To get a newer version, create a new install prompt and run it again. Cancelling Pro does not remove a skill you have installed.

#Skill, MCP server or both?

The skill teaches the agent the language, so it writes better diagrams and never needs a key. The MCP server gives the agent tools: checking, rendering, saving to your account and reading your collections. They work well together.