feat: all tools use dir-level symlink — no per-skill fallback

- SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE defaults to True in BaseApplier: all tools with
  a SKILL_DIR now get a single symlink → ~/.apc/skills/ on apc sync
- Remove explicit SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE=True from claude.py and openclaw.py
  (now inherited from base)
- CursorApplier: inherits True; ~/.cursor/rules/ → ~/.apc/skills/
- CopilotApplier: SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE=False (no dedicated skills dir)
- sync_helpers: remove link_skills() fallback entirely from sync path;
  prune() only called for MCP orphans, not skills
- tests: update Cursor assertions from .mdc files to SKILL.md subdirs;
  update mock appliers to default SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE=True

src/appliers/base.py

@@ -66,10 +66,11 @@ class BaseApplier(ABC):
     SKILL_DIR: Optional[Path] = None
     TOOL_NAME: str = ""
 
-    # Set True when SKILL_DIR is exclusively apc-managed (no user files mixed in).
-    # apc sync will replace the entire dir with a single symlink → ~/.apc/skills/
-    # so that any future `apc install` is immediately live without re-running sync.
-    SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE = False
+    # When True, apc sync replaces the entire SKILL_DIR with a single symlink
+    # → ~/.apc/skills/ so any future `apc install` is immediately live.
+    # All tools default to True. Set False only for tools that cannot use a
+    # dir-level symlink (e.g. Copilot, which has no dedicated skills dir).
+    SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE = True
 
     # Subclasses that support LLM-based memory sync should override this
     # with a description of how the tool expects its memory files.

src/appliers/claude.py

@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ def SKILL_DIR(self, value):
         self._skill_dir_override = value
 
     TOOL_NAME = "claude-code"
-    SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE = True  # ~/.claude/skills/ is entirely apc-managed
     MEMORY_SCHEMA = CLAUDE_MEMORY_SCHEMA
 
     @property  # type: ignore[override]

src/appliers/copilot.py

@@ -87,6 +87,9 @@ def _vscode_mcp_json() -> Path:
 
 class CopilotApplier(BaseApplier):
     TOOL_NAME = "github-copilot"
+    # Copilot has no dedicated skills dir — it uses a single instructions file.
+    # Dir-level symlink is not applicable.
+    SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE = False
     MEMORY_SCHEMA = COPILOT_MEMORY_SCHEMA
 
     @property  # type: ignore[override]

src/appliers/cursor.py

@@ -76,6 +76,9 @@ def _cursor_mcp_json() -> Path:
 
 class CursorApplier(BaseApplier):
     TOOL_NAME = "cursor"
+    # ~/.cursor/rules/ is symlinked → ~/.apc/skills/ (SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE=True default).
+    # Cursor reads skill dirs directly from ~/.cursor/rules/<name>/SKILL.md.
+    # Note: .mdc per-file format is superseded by this dir-level approach.
     MEMORY_SCHEMA = CURSOR_MEMORY_SCHEMA
 
     @property  # type: ignore[override]

src/appliers/openclaw.py

@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ def SKILL_DIR(self, value):
         self._skill_dir_override = value
 
     TOOL_NAME = "openclaw"
-    SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE = True  # ~/.openclaw/skills/ is entirely apc-managed
     MEMORY_SCHEMA = OPENCLAW_MEMORY_SCHEMA
 
     @property  # type: ignore[override]

src/sync_helpers.py

@@ -79,36 +79,26 @@ def sync_skills(tool_list: List[str]) -> Tuple[int, int]:
       the tool's mixed dir. Re-run sync after new installs to pick them up.
     """
     skills_dir = get_skills_dir()
-    installed_skills = _discover_installed_skills()
-    all_skill_names = [s.get("name", "unnamed") for s in installed_skills]
 
     total_dir = 0
-    total_link = 0
 
     for tool_name in tool_list:
         try:
             applier = get_applier(tool_name)
             manifest = applier.get_manifest()
 
             if applier.sync_skills_dir():
-                # Dir-level symlink established — entire ~/.apc/skills/ is live
                 manifest.record_dir_sync(str(applier.SKILL_DIR), str(skills_dir))
+                manifest.save()
                 total_dir += 1
                 success(f"{tool_name}: skills dir symlinked → ~/.apc/skills/")
-            elif installed_skills:
-                # Per-skill symlinks for mixed dirs
-                tool_link = applier.link_skills(installed_skills, skills_dir, manifest)
-                total_link += tool_link
-                applier.prune(all_skill_names, [], manifest)
-                manifest.save()
-                success(f"{tool_name}: {tool_link} skill(s) linked")
             else:
-                success(f"{tool_name}: no skills to link")
+                success(f"{tool_name}: no skills dir to sync (SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE=False)")
 
         except Exception as e:
             error(f"Failed to sync skills to {tool_name}: {e}")
 
-    return total_dir, total_link
+    return total_dir, 0
 
 
 def sync_mcp(tool_list: List[str], override: bool = False) -> int:
@@ -187,8 +177,6 @@ def sync_all(tool_list: List[str], no_memory: bool = False, override_mcp: bool =
     memory_entries = bundle["memory"] if not no_memory else []
 
     skills_dir = get_skills_dir()
-    installed_skills = _discover_installed_skills()
-    all_skill_names = [s.get("name", "unnamed") for s in installed_skills]
     current_mcp_names = [s.get("name", "unnamed") for s in mcp_servers]
 
     total_skills = 0
@@ -201,13 +189,10 @@ def sync_all(tool_list: List[str], no_memory: bool = False, override_mcp: bool =
             applier = get_applier(tool_name)
             manifest = applier.get_manifest()
 
-            # Establish skill link (dir-level or per-skill depending on tool)
+            # Establish dir-level symlink: SKILL_DIR → ~/.apc/skills/
             if applier.sync_skills_dir():
                 manifest.record_dir_sync(str(applier.SKILL_DIR), str(skills_dir))
-                s, lk = 1, 0  # dir symlink counts as 1
-            else:
-                s = 0
-                lk = applier.link_skills(installed_skills, skills_dir, manifest)
+            s, lk = (1, 0) if applier.SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE and applier.SKILL_DIR else (0, 0)
 
             # MCP servers
             secrets = _resolve_all_mcp_secrets(mcp_servers)
@@ -218,8 +203,8 @@ def sync_all(tool_list: List[str], no_memory: bool = False, override_mcp: bool =
             if memory_entries:
                 mem = applier.apply_memory_via_llm(memory_entries, manifest)
 
-            # Prune orphans
-            applier.prune(all_skill_names, current_mcp_names, manifest)
+            # Prune MCP orphans (skills are managed via dir symlink — no pruning needed)
+            applier.prune([], current_mcp_names, manifest)
             manifest.save()
 
             total_skills += s + lk

tests/test_docker_integration.py

@@ -725,8 +725,8 @@ def test_sync_to_cursor_exits_zero(self, runner, cli):
         assert "mcpServers" in data
         assert len(data["mcpServers"]) > 0
         rules_dir = HOME / ".cursor" / "rules"
-        assert rules_dir.is_dir()
-        assert len(list(rules_dir.glob("*.mdc"))) > 0, "No .mdc skill files written to cursor"
+        # rules_dir is now a symlink → ~/.apc/skills/ (dir-level sync)
+        assert rules_dir.is_symlink() or rules_dir.is_dir(), f"rules dir missing: {rules_dir}"
 
     def test_sync_writes_cursor_mcp(self, runner, cli):
         runner.invoke(cli, ["sync", "--tools", "cursor", "--yes", "--no-memory", "--override-mcp"])
@@ -1040,8 +1040,12 @@ def test_install_then_sync_symlinks_skill_to_tool(self, runner, cli, tmp_path, m
         r2 = runner.invoke(cli, ["sync", "--tools", "cursor", "--yes"])
         assert r2.exit_code == 0, r2.output
 
-        cursor_skill = tmp_path / ".cursor" / "rules" / f"{self.KNOWN_SKILL}.mdc"
-        assert cursor_skill.exists(), f"Skill not found at {cursor_skill} after sync"
+        # rules dir is a symlink → ~/.apc/skills/; skill appears as a subdir
+        rules_dir = tmp_path / ".cursor" / "rules"
+        assert rules_dir.is_symlink(), f"rules dir should be a symlink after sync: {rules_dir}"
+        skill_dir = rules_dir / self.KNOWN_SKILL
+        assert skill_dir.is_dir(), f"Skill dir {skill_dir} not found after sync"
+        assert (skill_dir / "SKILL.md").exists(), f"SKILL.md missing in {skill_dir}"
 
     def test_installed_skill_appears_in_skill_list(self, runner, cli, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
         """Installed skill appears in apc skill list immediately after install."""
@@ -1085,10 +1089,12 @@ def test_install_multiple_then_sync_all_land_in_tool(self, runner, cli, tmp_path
         r_sync = runner.invoke(cli, ["sync", "--tools", "cursor", "--yes"])
         assert r_sync.exit_code == 0, r_sync.output
 
+        # rules dir is a symlink → ~/.apc/skills/; each skill is a subdir with SKILL.md
         rules_dir = tmp_path / ".cursor" / "rules"
+        assert rules_dir.is_symlink(), f"rules dir should be a symlink after sync: {rules_dir}"
         for name in skills:
-            assert (rules_dir / f"{name}.mdc").exists(), (
-                f"Skill {name} missing from cursor after sync"
+            assert (rules_dir / name / "SKILL.md").exists(), (
+                f"Skill {name}/SKILL.md missing from cursor after sync"
             )
 
     def test_install_all_then_sync_dry_run(self, runner, cli, tmp_path, monkeypatch):

tests/test_sync_helpers.py

@@ -17,9 +17,9 @@ def _mock_applier(tmpdir: Path, tool: str = "cursor"):
     """Return a MagicMock that satisfies the applier interface."""
     applier = MagicMock()
     applier.get_manifest.return_value = _make_manifest(tmpdir, tool)
-    applier.SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE = False  # default: per-skill symlinks
+    applier.SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE = True  # all tools use dir-level symlink by default
     applier.SKILL_DIR = tmpdir / "skills"
-    applier.sync_skills_dir.return_value = False  # per-skill tool by default
+    applier.sync_skills_dir.return_value = True  # dir-level symlink succeeds
     applier.apply_skills.return_value = 3
     applier.link_skills.return_value = 1
     applier.apply_mcp_servers.return_value = 2
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ def factory(tmpdir, name):
         self._run_sync_all(["cursor"], factory)
 
         appliers["cursor"].sync_skills_dir.assert_called_once()
-        appliers["cursor"].link_skills.assert_called_once()
+        appliers["cursor"].link_skills.assert_not_called()
         appliers["cursor"].apply_skills.assert_not_called()
         appliers["cursor"].apply_mcp_servers.assert_called_once()
         appliers["cursor"].apply_memory_via_llm.assert_called_once()
@@ -175,8 +175,7 @@ def test_per_tool_count_not_cumulative(self):
 
         def factory(tmpdir_inner, name):
             a = _mock_applier(tmpdir_inner, name)
-            a.sync_skills_dir.return_value = False  # per-skill tool
-            a.link_skills.return_value = 3
+            a.sync_skills_dir.return_value = True  # dir-level sync
             return a
 
         with (
@@ -193,9 +192,9 @@ def factory(tmpdir_inner, name):
 
             sync_skills(["cursor", "claude-code"])
 
-        # Each message should say 3 skill(s) linked, not cumulative 6
+        # Each message should say symlinked, not cumulative counts
         for msg in success_messages:
-            self.assertIn("3 skill(s) linked", msg, f"Expected '3 skill(s) linked' in: {msg}")
+            self.assertIn("symlinked", msg, f"Expected 'symlinked' in: {msg}")
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":