explainx.ainewsletter3.4k
AI/ML

gmail-skill▌

idanbeck/claude-skills · updated Apr 8, 2026

MDX-style export adds YAML metadata + attribution linking explainx.ai and this canonical listing URL.

$npx skills add https://github.com/idanbeck/claude-skills --skill gmail-skill
0 commentsdiscussion
summary

Read, search, and send Gmail emails. Access Google contacts.

skill.md

Gmail Skill - Email & Contacts Access

Read, search, and send Gmail emails. Access Google contacts.

CRITICAL: Email Sending Confirmation Required

Before sending ANY email, you MUST get explicit user confirmation.

When the user asks to send an email:

  1. First, show them the complete email details:
    • From (which account)
    • To
    • CC/BCC (if any)
    • Subject
    • Full body text
  2. Ask: "Do you want me to send this email?"
  3. ONLY run the send command AFTER the user explicitly confirms (e.g., "yes", "send it", "go ahead")
  4. NEVER send an email without this confirmation, even if the user asked you to send it initially

This applies even when:

  • The user says "send an email to X"
  • You are in "dangerously skip permissions" mode
  • The user seems to be in a hurry

Always confirm first. No exceptions.

First-Time Setup (One-Time, ~2 minutes)

On first run, the script will guide you through setup. You need to create a Google Cloud OAuth client once:

  1. Go to Google Cloud Console
  2. Create a project (or select existing)
  3. Enable Gmail API and People API (APIs & Services → Library)
  4. Configure OAuth consent screen:
    • User Type: External
    • App name: Gmail Skill
    • Add yourself as test user
    • Add scopes: gmail.readonly, gmail.send, gmail.modify, contacts.readonly
  5. Create OAuth client ID:
    • Application type: Desktop app
    • Download JSON → save as ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/credentials.json

Then just run any command - browser opens, you approve, done. Works for all your accounts.

Note: If you previously used gmail-reader, you'll need to re-authenticate to grant the new gmail.send scope.

Commands

Search Emails

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py search "query" [--max-results N] [--account EMAIL]

Query examples:

  • from:[email protected] - from specific sender
  • subject:meeting after:2026/01/01 - subject + date
  • has:attachment filename:pdf - with PDF attachments
  • is:unread - unread emails
  • "exact phrase" - exact match

Read Email

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py read EMAIL_ID [--account EMAIL]

List Recent Emails

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py list [--max-results N] [--label LABEL] [--account EMAIL]

Send Email (Requires Confirmation)

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py send --to EMAIL --subject "Subject" --body "Body text" [--cc EMAIL] [--bcc EMAIL] [--account EMAIL]

Required arguments:

  • --to / -t - Recipient email address
  • --subject / -s - Email subject line
  • --body / -b - Email body text

Optional arguments:

  • --cc - CC recipients (comma-separated)
  • --bcc - BCC recipients (comma-separated)
  • --account / -a - Send from specific account

Example:

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py send \
  --to "[email protected]" \
  --subject "Meeting Tomorrow" \
  --body "Hi, just confirming our meeting at 2pm tomorrow." \
  --account [email protected]

Mark as Read

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py mark-read EMAIL_ID [--account EMAIL]

Mark as Unread

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py mark-unread EMAIL_ID [--account EMAIL]

Both mark-read and mark-unread support multiple IDs (comma-separated):

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py mark-read "id1,id2,id3" --account [email protected]

Mark Done (Archive)

Archives email(s) by removing from inbox. Equivalent to Gmail's 'e' keyboard shortcut.

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py mark-done EMAIL_ID [--account EMAIL]

Unarchive

Moves email(s) back to inbox (undo archive).

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py unarchive EMAIL_ID [--account EMAIL]

Star / Unstar

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py star EMAIL_ID [--account EMAIL]
python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py unstar EMAIL_ID [--account EMAIL]

All label commands support multiple IDs (comma-separated):

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py star "id1,id2,id3" --account [email protected]

Create Draft

Creates a draft email. Use --reply-to-id when replying to an existing email to ensure proper threading in email clients like Superhuman.

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py draft --to EMAIL --subject "Subject" --body "Body text" [--reply-to-id EMAIL_ID] [--cc EMAIL] [--bcc EMAIL] [--account EMAIL]

Required arguments:

  • --to / -t - Recipient email address
  • --subject / -s - Email subject line
  • --body / -b - Email body text

Optional arguments:

  • --reply-to-id / -r - Message ID to reply to (adds proper In-Reply-To and References headers for threading)
  • --cc - CC recipients (comma-separated)
  • --bcc - BCC recipients (comma-separated)
  • --account / -a - Create draft in specific account

Example (new email):

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py draft \
  --to "[email protected]" \
  --subject "Draft for Review" \
  --body "Here's my draft message."

Example (reply to existing email):

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py draft \
  --to "[email protected]" \
  --subject "Re: Original Subject" \
  --body "Thanks for your email..." \
  --reply-to-id 19b99b3127793843 \
  --account [email protected]

List Labels

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py labels [--account EMAIL]

List Contacts

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py contacts [--max-results N] [--account EMAIL]

Search Contacts

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py search-contacts "query" [--account EMAIL]

Manage Accounts

# List all authenticated accounts
python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py accounts

# Remove an account
python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py logout --account [email protected]

Multi-Account Support

Add accounts by using --account with a new email - browser opens for that account:

# First account (auto-authenticates)
python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py list

# Add work account
python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py list --account [email protected]

# Add personal account
python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py list --account [email protected]

# Use specific account
python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py search "from:boss" --account [email protected]

Tokens are stored per-account in ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/tokens/

Examples

Find unread emails from this week

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py search "is:unread after:2026/01/01"

Read a specific email

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py read 18d5a3b2c1f4e5d6

Send a quick email

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py send \
  --to "[email protected]" \
  --subject "Hello!" \
  --body "Just wanted to say hi."

Find someone's contact info

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py search-contacts "John Smith"

Check work email from personal machine

python3 ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/gmail_skill.py list --account [email protected] --max-results 5

Output

All commands output JSON for easy parsing.

Requirements

  • Python 3.9+
  • pip install google-auth google-auth-oauthlib google-auth-httplib2 google-api-python-client requests

Security Notes

  • Send confirmation required - Claude must always confirm with the user before sending emails
  • Tokens stored locally in ~/.claude/skills/gmail-skill/tokens/
  • Revoke access anytime: https://myaccount.google.com/permissions
  • Apps in "testing" mode may require re-auth every 7 days (publish app to avoid)
how to use gmail-skill

How to use gmail-skill on Cursor

AI-first code editor with Composer

1

Prerequisites

Before installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:

  • ›Cursor installed and configured on your development machine
  • ›Node.js version 16.0+ with npm package manager (verify with node --version)
  • ›Active project directory or workspace where you want to add gmail-skill
2

Execute installation command

Execute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation:

$npx skills add https://github.com/idanbeck/claude-skills --skill gmail-skill

The skills CLI fetches gmail-skill from GitHub repository idanbeck/claude-skills and configures it for Cursor.

3

Select Cursor when prompted

The CLI will show a list of available agents. Use arrow keys to navigate and space to select Cursor:

◆ Which agents do you want to install to?
│
│ ── Universal (.agents/skills) ── always included ────
│ • Amp
│ • Antigravity
│ • Cline
│ • Codex
│ ●Cursor(selected)
│ • Cursor
│ • Windsurf
4

Verify installation

Confirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location:

.cursor/skills/gmail-skill

Reload or restart Cursor to activate gmail-skill. Access the skill through slash commands (e.g., /gmail-skill) or your agent's skill management interface.

⚠

Security & Verification Notice

We perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use.

Skills execute code in your development environment. Always verify the publisher's identity, review recent commits, and test in isolated environments before production deployment.

Additional Resources

›View source code on GitHub›Skills CLI documentation›Learn more about Cursor›What are agent skills?

List & Monetize Your Skill

Submit your Claude Code skill and start earning

GET_STARTED →

Use Cases▌

Task Automation & Efficiency

Automate repetitive workflows and reduce manual effort

Example

Generate reports, summarize documents, draft communications

✓

Save 3-5 hours per week on routine tasks

Knowledge Enhancement

Learn new skills, understand complex topics, get expert guidance

Example

Explain concepts, provide examples, suggest learning resources

✓

Accelerate learning and skill development by 2x

Quality Improvement

Enhance output quality through reviews, suggestions, and refinements

Example

Review drafts, suggest improvements, catch errors

✓

Improve work quality by 30-40% with less effort

Implementation Guide▌

Prerequisites

  • ›Claude Desktop or compatible AI client with skill support
  • ›Clear understanding of task or problem to solve
  • ›Willingness to iterate and refine outputs

Time Estimate

15-45 minutes depending on use case complexity

Installation Steps

  1. 1.Install skill using provided installation command
  2. 2.Test with simple use case relevant to your work
  3. 3.Evaluate output quality and relevance
  4. 4.Iterate on prompts to improve results
  5. 5.Integrate into regular workflow if valuable

Common Pitfalls

  • ⚠Expecting perfect results without iteration
  • ⚠Not providing enough context in prompts
  • ⚠Using skill for tasks outside its intended scope
  • ⚠Accepting outputs without review and validation

Best Practices▌

✓ Do

  • +Start with clear, specific prompts
  • +Provide relevant context and constraints
  • +Review and refine all outputs before using
  • +Iterate to improve output quality
  • +Document successful prompt patterns

✗ Don't

  • −Don't use without understanding skill limitations
  • −Don't skip validation of outputs
  • −Don't share sensitive information in prompts
  • −Don't expect skill to replace human judgment

💡 Pro Tips

  • ★Be specific about desired format and style
  • ★Ask for multiple options to choose from
  • ★Request explanations to understand reasoning
  • ★Combine AI efficiency with human expertise

When to Use This▌

✓ Use When

Use when skill capabilities match your task, clear ROI on time saved, and you can validate outputs. Best for repetitive tasks, learning, and quality improvement.

✗ Avoid When

Avoid when task requires deep expertise you can't validate, involves sensitive decisions, or when learning process is more valuable than speed of completion.

Learning Path▌

  1. 1Familiarize yourself with skill capabilities and limitations
  2. 2Start with low-risk, non-critical tasks
  3. 3Progress to more complex and valuable use cases
  4. 4Build expertise through regular use and experimentation

Discussion

Product Hunt–style comments (not star reviews)
  • No comments yet — start the thread.
general reviews

Ratings

4.6★★★★★54 reviews
  • ★★★★★Ganesh Mohane· Dec 20, 2024

    Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: gmail-skill is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.

  • ★★★★★Noah Thomas· Dec 16, 2024

    Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: gmail-skill is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.

  • ★★★★★Charlotte Srinivasan· Dec 16, 2024

    Keeps context tight: gmail-skill is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.

  • ★★★★★Arya Patel· Nov 23, 2024

    Keeps context tight: gmail-skill is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.

  • ★★★★★Rahul Santra· Nov 11, 2024

    We added gmail-skill from the explainx registry; install was straightforward and the SKILL.md answered most questions upfront.

  • ★★★★★Daniel Thomas· Nov 7, 2024

    We added gmail-skill from the explainx registry; install was straightforward and the SKILL.md answered most questions upfront.

  • ★★★★★Daniel White· Oct 26, 2024

    gmail-skill fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.

  • ★★★★★Arya Khanna· Oct 14, 2024

    gmail-skill is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.

  • ★★★★★Pratham Ware· Oct 2, 2024

    gmail-skill fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.

  • ★★★★★Olivia Thompson· Sep 21, 2024

    Useful defaults in gmail-skill — fewer surprises than typical one-off scripts, and it plays nicely with `npx skills` flows.

showing 1-10 of 54

1 / 6