---
title: always-typst.skill
related:
  - "[cesga-ft3-skill](cesga-ft3-skill.md)"
  - "[wired-ieee](wired-ieee.md)"
categories:
  - Claude skills
---

**always-typst** is a skill for Claude, because generating PDFs with Python is
like digging a tunnel with a teaspoon.

Whenever Claude is asked to create a PDF (a report, letter, invoice, resume,
poster, paper...), the skill makes it use [Typst](https://typst.app) instead
of a Python library like `reportlab` or `weasyprint`. It teaches Claude to:

- Compile with the real Typst CLI, falling back to the `typst` Python binding
  only if the CLI can't be downloaded.
- Reach for an established template first: `ilm` for reports,
  `charged-ieee` for papers, `modern-cv` for resumes, and more.
- Check the current package versions live, instead of trusting ones baked
  into the skill.
- Catch silent failures, like a missing font being substituted.
- Verify the output by rendering it to an image and looking at it.

## Installation

- **claude.ai:** Settings → Customize → Skills → + → Create skill, and upload
  `always-typst.skill`.
- **Claude Code:** unzip it into `~/.claude/skills/always-typst/`, or into
  `.claude/skills/always-typst/` in a project.

## See also

- [Source code](https://github.com/hugoocoto/always-typst.skill)