# Skills

> Understand how hubs get abilities through shared or separate skills.

Source: https://docs.thalovant.com/concepts/skill-sets/

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A **skill set** is the group of skills a hub can use. You manage skill sets from **Skills**.

If a hub is the place to connect and a client is what connects, skills are what make the hub useful.

Each skill set also has a **runtime**. Runtime is the working setup behind those skills: language, location, speech defaults, blocked skills, live skill status, and updates.

Use [Manage Updates](/manage/manage-updates/) when you need to decide whether an update belongs to a skill package, runtime container target, hub container target, or Billing check.

## Skills And Skill Sets

Skills are the abilities a hub has. A skill set is a group of them, assigned to one or more hubs, and it's the skill set that owns runtime config. Use the default set when most hubs should behave the same. Split one off when a hub needs different abilities, different settings, or its own review.

## Shared vs Separate Skills

  
    Best for most hubs. Hubs that use the default get the same basic abilities.
  
  
    Best when one hub needs different abilities or a slower update pace.
  
  
    Best when the skill set needs different language, location, speech, or
    blocked-skill defaults.
  

## How Skill Sets Affect Hubs

Skill sets matter because access rules often refer to what a hub can do. When a skill is added, updated, removed, or changed, check whether access rules still make sense.

Use the workspace default when hubs should behave the same way. Create a separate skill set when one hub needs different abilities or a careful review before updates.

For a first setup, keep the workspace default unless you can clearly name what needs to be different.

## Skill Set vs Runtime

| Term           | Plain meaning                             | Example question                                                         |
| -------------- | ----------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Skill set      | The group of skills a hub can use.        | Should this hub have the same abilities as other hubs?                   |
| Runtime        | The working setup behind the skill set.   | Should these skills use a different language, location, or speech setup? |
| Runtime config | The guided settings for runtime defaults. | Do I need to change language, location, speech, or blocked skills?       |

## Skill Store

The Skill Store lets you browse and add skills.

Skill cards can show:

- title and summary;
- category and tags;
- publisher;
- quality label;
- rating details when available;
- whether the skill is already installed;
- whether paid Skill Store access requires a plan that explicitly includes it.

Want to run a skill you wrote yourself? Use **Add custom skill** in the store view — a Git repository URL or package name is enough, private repositories included. [Add Your Own Skill](/manage/add-your-own-skill/) walks through it.

Private memory is a Private or Team workspace skill path. Add `thalovant-skill-memory` only to the private skill set that should remember context, then store its scoped runtime token in the skill secret field. See [Memory](/workspace/memory/) for the full setup and revoke test.

## Installed Skills

The Installed view shows the skills already added to the selected skill set. Use it to:

- see installed state;
- review version labels;
- update skills when a newer release is available;
- remove skills when they are no longer needed;
- refresh live status.

To see the intents an installed skill answers, with the sentences that reach them in each language, a connected client can ask the hub directly. See [What Can My Hub Be Asked?](/concepts/hub-intents/).

### Source Scout knowledge and age protection

Source Scout has no topic allowlist by default. Adult hubs can ask source-backed
questions about any subject; the available sources determine whether a useful
answer can be returned. It accepts the full OVOS locale tag from the runtime,
including language, script, and region, rather than limiting requests to English
or French.

Use **Configure** on the installed Source Scout skill only when the skill set
serves children:

1. Turn on **Protect younger audiences**.
2. Choose **Under 13**, **Under 16**, **Under 18**, or **Under 21**.
3. Save the skill configuration and confirm the runtime returns to healthy.

Protection checks both the question and the sourced answer. If the protection
service can't make a decision, Source Scout withholds the answer. Leaving the
toggle off keeps knowledge unrestricted and doesn't run age classification.

:::note
The age guidance shown on a public hub card helps people choose a hub. It does
not enable Source Scout protection. Configure the skill on the runtime that
needs enforcement.
:::

## Runtime View

The Runtime view helps you answer:

- which skills are live right now;
- which skills need attention;
- whether the selected skill set is assigned to hubs;
- whether an update is available;
- whether runtime health looks normal after changes.

## Runtime Config

Runtime config is where you adjust shared defaults for the selected skill set.

  
    Set primary language, secondary languages, location, speech-to-text, and
    text-to-speech.
  
  
    Block skills that shouldn't load for this skill set.
  
  
    Review the generated summary before saving so you know what will change.
  

  Change a separate skill set when only one hub should behave differently.
  Change the workspace default only when every hub using it should receive the
  change.

## Update Flow

When a skill update is available:

1. **Review** the skill title and quality label.
2. **Check** which hubs use the affected skill set.
3. **Check runtime health** so you know whether the skill set is ready for a restart.
4. **Apply** the update when the workspace is ready.
5. **Return to Dashboard** for the update summary and to Topology for connection checks.

Applying a skill update is one click per skill, or **Update all** for the whole skill set; the runtime installs the released version and reports back when it's live.

Skill updates change installed skill packages. Runtime updates change the software running the skill set. Hub updates change the software handling connections and browser previews. Use [Manage Updates](/manage/manage-updates/) when Dashboard points to runtime or hub releases.

:::note
Free workspaces can keep using public hubs and available client connections. Private skill sets, marketplace installs, and managed runtime operations need runtime capacity in Billing.
:::

## Skill Set Is Ready When

A skill set is ready when:

- the assigned hubs are the hubs you meant to change;
- installed skills match the hub purpose;
- runtime defaults are still appropriate;
- skill updates have been applied or intentionally left for later;
- access rules have been reviewed after skill changes;
- Dashboard has no unexpected update or runtime warning.

## Next Step

Read Runtime when you need the deeper model, or Configure Runtime when you're ready to change defaults.

  Understand runtime

  Configure runtime

  Manage updates