An industrial-grade skill file that turns any AI coding agent into a Senior WHMCS Developer & Architect.
Quick Install • What It Covers • IDE Setup • Compatible Agents • Contributing
npx ai-agent-skills install whmcs-dev-skillsThat's it. The skill installs to the right location for your agent automatically.
# Claude Code (default)
npx ai-agent-skills install whmcs-dev-skills
# Cursor IDE
npx ai-agent-skills install whmcs-dev-skills --agent cursor
# VS Code / GitHub Copilot
npx ai-agent-skills install whmcs-dev-skills --agent vscode
# Windsurf
npx ai-agent-skills install whmcs-dev-skills --agent windsurf
# Amp
npx ai-agent-skills install whmcs-dev-skills --agent amp
# Goose
npx ai-agent-skills install whmcs-dev-skills --agent goose
# OpenCode
npx ai-agent-skills install whmcs-dev-skills --agent opencode
# Any project (generic)
npx ai-agent-skills install whmcs-dev-skills --agent project# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/waqasahmedwaseer/whmcs-dev-skills.git
# Then copy to your agent's skills directory (see IDE Setup below)This repository contains a SKILL.md file — a comprehensive instruction set
designed for AI coding agents. When loaded, it transforms the AI into a WHMCS
expert that writes production-ready, secure, and maintainable code following
WHMCS 8.x / 9.x best practices.
The skill follows the Agent Skills Specification — the universal open standard for AI agent skills — making it compatible with every major AI coding agent.
| Area | Details |
|---|---|
| 🔌 Addon Modules | Config, activate, deactivate, upgrade, admin & client area output |
| 🖥️ Provisioning Modules | Create, suspend, unsuspend, terminate, renew, change package, usage updates |
| 🌐 Domain Registrars | Register, transfer, renew, sync, nameservers, WHOIS, DNS, EPP codes |
| 💳 Payment Gateways | Third-party, merchant, tokenised gateways, callbacks, refunds |
| 🪝 Action Hooks | All hook categories with 25+ quick-reference hook points |
| 🔗 API Integration | Internal API (localAPI) + External API (GuzzleHTTP) patterns |
| 🗄️ Database Operations | Laravel Capsule ORM patterns, schema creation, migrations |
| 🎨 Templating & UI | Smarty v4, native Bootstrap classes, admin & client templates |
| 🔒 Security | 13-point checklist: CSRF, binding, encryption, scrubbing, logging |
| 🐛 Error Handling | logModuleCall, logActivity, error return patterns |
| 16+ documented anti-patterns with fixes | |
| 📁 Project Structures | Templates for all 4 module types |
| 📝 Code Snippets | Production-ready snippets for security guards, hooks, language files |
- 🔒 Security-first — Forces Capsule ORM, CSRF protection, credential scrubbing
- 🆕 WHMCS 9.x ready — Covers Smarty v4, Illuminate v9, PHP 8.2+ breaking changes
- 📋 Production-ready code — Every template is battle-tested, not hello-world
⚠️ Anti-pattern protection — 16+ real-world failures developers actually make- 📁 Proper structure — Directory templates matching official WHMCS samples
This skill works with every major AI coding agent that supports the Agent Skills specification:
| Agent | Skills Directory | Install Flag |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Code | ~/.claude/skills/ |
--agent claude (default) |
| GitHub Copilot | .github/skills/ |
--agent vscode |
| Cursor | .cursor/skills/ |
--agent cursor |
| Windsurf | .windsurf/skills/ |
--agent windsurf |
| Amp | ~/.amp/skills/ |
--agent amp |
| Goose | ~/.config/goose/skills/ |
--agent goose |
| OpenCode | ~/.opencode/skills/ |
--agent opencode |
| Any Project | .skills/ |
--agent project |
# Option 1: npx (recommended)
npx ai-agent-skills install whmcs-dev-skills
# Option 2: Manual
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills/whmcs-dev-skills
cp SKILL.md ~/.claude/skills/whmcs-dev-skills/The skill is automatically available in all Claude Code sessions.
GitHub Copilot uses .github/copilot-instructions.md for repository-level
instructions, and .github/skills/ for skill files.
# Option 1: npx
npx ai-agent-skills install whmcs-dev-skills --agent vscode
# Option 2: Manual — As a skill file
mkdir -p .github/skills/whmcs-dev-skills
cp SKILL.md .github/skills/whmcs-dev-skills/
# Option 3: Manual — As copilot instructions
# Copy the contents of SKILL.md into .github/copilot-instructions.md
cp SKILL.md .github/copilot-instructions.mdTip: After adding the file, open VS Code, and Copilot will automatically apply these instructions to all suggestions in the repository.
Cursor supports skills in .cursor/skills/ (project-level) or
~/.cursor/skills/ (global).
# Option 1: npx
npx ai-agent-skills install whmcs-dev-skills --agent cursor
# Option 2: Manual — Project-level (recommended)
mkdir -p .cursor/skills/whmcs-dev-skills
cp SKILL.md .cursor/skills/whmcs-dev-skills/
# Option 3: Manual — Global (applies to all projects)
mkdir -p ~/.cursor/skills/whmcs-dev-skills
cp SKILL.md ~/.cursor/skills/whmcs-dev-skills/
# Option 4: As a Cursor Rule (.mdc format)
mkdir -p .cursor/rules
cp SKILL.md .cursor/rules/whmcs-dev-skills.mdcTip: You can also import directly via
Cursor Settings → Rules, Commands → Add Rule → Remote Rule (GitHub)and point it to this repo.
Windsurf uses .windsurfrules for project rules and global_rules.md for
global rules.
# Option 1: npx
npx ai-agent-skills install whmcs-dev-skills --agent windsurf
# Option 2: Manual — Project-level
mkdir -p .windsurf/rules
cp SKILL.md .windsurf/rules/whmcs-dev-skills.md
# Option 3: Manual — As project rules
cp SKILL.md .windsurfrules
# Option 4: Manual — Global rules
# Append to: ~/.codeium/windsurf/memories/global_rules.md
cat SKILL.md >> ~/.codeium/windsurf/memories/global_rules.mdFor Gemini-powered agents and Google's AI tools:
# Project-level skill
mkdir -p .gemini/skills/whmcs-dev-skills
cp SKILL.md .gemini/skills/whmcs-dev-skills/
# Or as agent instructions
mkdir -p .agent/skills
cp SKILL.md .agent/skills/whmcs-dev-skills.md# Option 1: npx
npx ai-agent-skills install whmcs-dev-skills --agent amp
# Option 2: Manual
mkdir -p ~/.amp/skills/whmcs-dev-skills
cp SKILL.md ~/.amp/skills/whmcs-dev-skills/For any agent that supports the Agent Skills spec:
# Project-level (works with any agent)
mkdir -p .skills/whmcs-dev-skills
cp SKILL.md .skills/whmcs-dev-skills/Or simply place the SKILL.md file in whatever directory your agent reads
skill/instruction files from.
whmcs-dev-skills/
├── SKILL.md # 📘 The comprehensive 1,600-line AI agent skill file
├── README.md # 📖 This file — documentation & install guide
├── LICENSE # ⚖️ GPL-2.0 License
└── .gitignore # 🙈 Git ignore rules
This skill file was built from deep research of:
- ✅ WHMCS Official Developer Documentation — Every module type page
- ✅ WHMCS GitHub Sample Modules — All 5 official samples
- ✅ WHMCS 8.x → 9.x breaking changes — Smarty v4, Illuminate v9, PHP 8.2+
- ✅ Common developer issues from WHMCS Community Forums
- ✅ Security best practices and anti-patterns from real-world deployments
- ✅ Agent Skills Specification — Universal skill format
What AI agents does this work with?
This skill follows the Agent Skills Specification,
which is supported by Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Windsurf, Amp,
Goose, OpenCode, and any agent that reads SKILL.md files.
Do I need Node.js to install?
Only if you use the npx install method. You can also manually copy the
SKILL.md file to the appropriate directory for your agent.
Does this modify my WHMCS installation?
No! This skill file only provides instructions to your AI coding agent. It doesn't touch your WHMCS installation, database, or configuration in any way.
Is this compatible with WHMCS 9.x?
Yes! The skill includes specific guidance for WHMCS 9.x breaking changes including Smarty v4, Illuminate v9, and PHP 8.2+ requirements.
Can I use this for commercial module development?
Absolutely. The skill is GPL-2.0 licensed. Use it for personal, commercial, or open-source module development.
How is this different from reading the WHMCS docs?
This skill is specifically formatted for AI agents — it includes operational boundaries (ALWAYS/NEVER rules), anti-pattern protection, security checklists, and production-ready code templates that documentation alone doesn't provide. The AI uses this as a continuous reference while coding.
Contributions are welcome! Whether it's fixing a typo, adding a new hook point, or documenting another anti-pattern:
- Fork this repository
- Create a feature branch:
git checkout -b feature/awesome-improvement - Make your changes to
SKILL.md - Commit:
git commit -m "feat: add awesome improvement" - Push:
git push origin feature/awesome-improvement - Open a Pull Request
- 📝 Add more WHMCS 9.x breaking changes as they're discovered
- 🪝 Document additional hook points with examples
- 🔒 Add more security best practices
- 🐛 Document common bugs and their fixes
- 🌍 Add non-English language file examples
If this skill saved you time building WHMCS modules, please give it a ⭐!
This project is licensed under the GNU GPL v2.0.
|
Waqas Ahmed Waseer 🌐 waqasahmedwaseer.com 🐙 @waqasahmedwaseer |
Built with ❤️ for the WHMCS developer community
If this helped you, consider giving it a ⭐ on GitHub!