Does this skill support Windows and macOS?

Yes, the skill includes implementation patterns using the platformdirs library, which maps XDG concepts to native Windows and macOS directories like AppData and Library/Application Support.

How does it handle invalid environment variables?

Per the specification, this skill includes logic to ignore relative paths in XDG environment variables and fall back to specification-defined defaults.

What is the XDG Base Directory Specification?

It is a standard for defining where configuration, data, and cache files should be stored on Unix-like operating systems to avoid cluttering the user's home directory.

Why should I use this skill instead of hardcoding ~/.appname?

Hardcoding paths in the home directory is a legacy practice that clutters user space. Using XDG standards allows users to customize storage locations and simplifies system backups.

What is the difference between XDG_DATA_HOME and XDG_STATE_HOME?

Data Home is for persistent files like databases and assets, while State Home is for files that describe the current state of the app, such as logs, history, or undo buffers.

XDG Base Directory Support

Name: XDG Base Directory Support
Author: Jamie-BitFlight

byJamie-BitFlight

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Developer Tools

Implements standardized directory paths for application configuration, data, cache, and state files following the XDG Base Directory Specification.

This skill enables Claude to correctly implement and migrate to the XDG Base Directory Specification, ensuring that user-specific files are stored in professional, standardized locations rather than cluttering the root home directory. It provides robust patterns for Python applications using both standard library and platformdirs approaches, helping developers avoid common anti-patterns like hardcoding legacy paths or ignoring environment variables. This skill is essential for CLI tool developers and cross-platform application designers who want to respect system-wide user preferences and maintain modern filesystem standards.

Key Features

01Precedence-based search path handling for system-wide and user-specific directories

02Migration strategies for moving legacy ~/.appname folders to XDG-compliant paths

0310 GitHub stars

04Standardized path resolution for configuration, data, cache, and state files

05Validation logic to ensure environment variables use absolute paths per specification

06Cross-platform implementation patterns using Python's platformdirs library

Use Cases

01Refactoring legacy codebases to follow modern Linux/Unix filesystem standards

02Developing CLI tools that store user preferences and persistent application state

03Building cross-platform Python packages that require native file storage locations

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add jamie-bitflight/claude_skills xdg-base-directory

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT

Download Skill