feat: projects as backend sources with system prompt injection (#8739)

Signed-off-by: Douwe Osinga <douwe@squareup.com>
Co-authored-by: Douwe Osinga <douwe@squareup.com>
Co-authored-by: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

ui/goose2/src/features/chat/hooks/useChatSessionController.ts

@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import { selectProjects } from "@/features/projects/stores/projectSelectors";
 import { resolveAgentProviderCatalogIdStrictFromEntries } from "@/features/providers/providerCatalog";
 import { useProviderCatalogStore } from "@/features/providers/stores/providerCatalogStore";
 import {
-  buildProjectSystemPrompt,
   composeSystemPrompt,
   resolveProjectDefaultArtifactRoot,
 } from "@/features/projects/lib/chatProjectContext";
@@ -31,6 +30,7 @@ import {
   useResolvedAgentModelPicker,
   type PreferredModelSelection,
 } from "./useResolvedAgentModelPicker";
+import { updateSessionProject } from "@/shared/api/acpApi";
 
 interface UseChatSessionControllerOptions {
   sessionId: string | null;
@@ -147,22 +147,14 @@ export function useChatSessionController({
         })),
     [projects],
   );
-  const projectSystemPrompt = useMemo(
-    () => buildProjectSystemPrompt(project),
-    [project],
-  );
   const workingContextPrompt = useMemo(() => {
     if (!activeWorkspace?.branch) return undefined;
     return `<active-working-context>\nActive branch: ${activeWorkspace.branch}\nWorking directory: ${activeWorkspace.path}\n</active-working-context>`;
   }, [activeWorkspace?.branch, activeWorkspace?.path]);
   const effectiveSystemPrompt = useMemo(
     () =>
-      composeSystemPrompt(
-        selectedPersona?.systemPrompt,
-        projectSystemPrompt,
-        workingContextPrompt,
-      ),
-    [projectSystemPrompt, selectedPersona?.systemPrompt, workingContextPrompt],
+      composeSystemPrompt(selectedPersona?.systemPrompt, workingContextPrompt),
+    [selectedPersona?.systemPrompt, workingContextPrompt],
   );
 
   const prepareCurrentSession = useCallback(
@@ -332,6 +324,9 @@ export function useChatSessionController({
             null);
 
       useChatSessionStore.getState().patchSession(sessionId, { projectId });
+
+      void updateSessionProject(sessionId, projectId).catch(console.error);
+
       if (!selectedProvider) {
         return;
       }
@@ -735,6 +730,9 @@ export function useChatSessionController({
         }
         if (hasPendingProject) {
           patch.projectId = nextProjectId ?? null;
+          void updateSessionProject(sessionId, nextProjectId ?? null).catch(
+            console.error,
+          );
         }
 
         useChatSessionStore.getState().patchSession(sessionId, patch);

ui/goose2/src/features/projects/api/projects.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 import { invoke } from "@tauri-apps/api/core";
+import { getClient } from "@/shared/api/acpConnection";
 
 export interface ProjectInfo {
   id: string;
+  /** Stable on-disk path of the project source. Pass back to update/delete. */
+  path: string;
   name: string;
   description: string;
   prompt: string;
@@ -13,8 +16,86 @@ export interface ProjectInfo {
   useWorktrees: boolean;
   order: number;
   archivedAt: string | null;
-  createdAt: string;
-  updatedAt: string;
+}
+
+// Shape returned by _goose/sources/*. Narrowed to project-type sources here.
+interface SourceEntry {
+  type: "project";
+  name: string;
+  description: string;
+  content: string;
+  path: string;
+  global: boolean;
+  properties: Record<string, unknown>;
+}
+
+function toProjectInfo(source: SourceEntry): ProjectInfo {
+  const p = source.properties ?? {};
+  return {
+    id: source.name,
+    path: source.path,
+    name: (p.title as string) ?? source.name,
+    description: source.description,
+    prompt: source.content,
+    icon: (p.icon as string) ?? "",
+    color: (p.color as string) ?? "",
+    preferredProvider: (p.preferredProvider as string) ?? null,
+    preferredModel: (p.preferredModel as string) ?? null,
+    workingDirs: (p.workingDirs as string[]) ?? [],
+    useWorktrees: (p.useWorktrees as boolean) ?? false,
+    order: (p.order as number) ?? 0,
+    archivedAt: (p.archivedAt as string) ?? null,
+  };
+}
+
+interface ProjectMetadataFields {
+  name: string;
+  icon: string;
+  color: string;
+  preferredProvider: string | null;
+  preferredModel: string | null;
+  workingDirs: string[];
+  useWorktrees: boolean;
+  order: number;
+  archivedAt: string | null;
+}
+
+function toProperties(info: ProjectMetadataFields): Record<string, unknown> {
+  const props: Record<string, unknown> = {};
+  if (info.name) props.title = info.name;
+  if (info.icon) props.icon = info.icon;
+  if (info.color) props.color = info.color;
+  if (info.preferredProvider) props.preferredProvider = info.preferredProvider;
+  if (info.preferredModel) props.preferredModel = info.preferredModel;
+  if (info.workingDirs?.length) props.workingDirs = info.workingDirs;
+  if (info.useWorktrees) props.useWorktrees = info.useWorktrees;
+  if (typeof info.order === "number") props.order = info.order;
+  if (info.archivedAt) props.archivedAt = info.archivedAt;
+  return props;
+}
+
+function slugify(name: string): string {
+  const slug = name
+    .toLowerCase()
+    .replace(/[^a-z0-9]+/g, "-")
+    .replace(/^-+|-+$/g, "");
+  return slug || "project";
+}
+
+/** Pick a slug for `name` that does not collide with any existing project ID
+ *  (active or archived). Two display names that normalize to the same slug
+ *  (e.g. "My App" and "my-app", or both collapsing to "project" because they
+ *  contain no ASCII alphanumerics) are disambiguated with a numeric suffix. */
+function uniqueProjectSlug(name: string, existingIds: Set<string>): string {
+  const base = slugify(name);
+  if (!existingIds.has(base)) {
+    return base;
+  }
+  let counter = 2;
+  while (existingIds.has(`${base}-${counter}`)) {
+    counter += 1;
+  }
+  return `${base}-${counter}`;
 }
 
 export interface ProjectIconCandidate {
@@ -29,7 +110,15 @@ export interface ProjectIconData {
 }
 
 export async function listProjects(): Promise<ProjectInfo[]> {
-  return invoke("list_projects");
+  const client = await getClient();
+  const raw = await client.extMethod("_goose/sources/list", {
+    type: "project",
+  });
+  const sources = (raw.sources ?? []) as SourceEntry[];
+  return sources
+    .map(toProjectInfo)
+    .filter((p) => p.archivedAt === null)
+    .sort((a, b) => a.order - b.order);
 }
 
 export async function scanProjectIcons(
@@ -53,67 +142,112 @@ export async function createProject(
   workingDirs: string[],
   useWorktrees: boolean,
 ): Promise<ProjectInfo> {
-  return invoke("create_project", {
-    name,
+  const client = await getClient();
+  const existing = await listAllProjects();
+  const id = uniqueProjectSlug(name, new Set(existing.map((p) => p.id)));
+  const raw = await client.extMethod("_goose/sources/create", {
+    type: "project",
+    name: id,
     description,
-    prompt,
-    icon,
-    color,
-    preferredProvider,
-    preferredModel,
-    workingDirs,
-    useWorktrees,
+    content: prompt,
+    global: true,
+    properties: toProperties({
+      name,
+      icon,
+      color,
+      preferredProvider,
+      preferredModel,
+      workingDirs,
+      useWorktrees,
+      order: 0,
+      archivedAt: null,
+    }),
   });
+  return toProjectInfo(raw.source as SourceEntry);
 }
 
 export async function updateProject(
-  id: string,
-  name: string,
-  description: string,
-  prompt: string,
-  icon: string,
-  color: string,
-  preferredProvider: string | null,
-  preferredModel: string | null,
-  workingDirs: string[],
-  useWorktrees: boolean,
+  existing: ProjectInfo,
+  updates: Partial<Omit<ProjectInfo, "id" | "path">>,
 ): Promise<ProjectInfo> {
-  return invoke("update_project", {
-    id,
-    name,
-    description,
-    prompt,
-    icon,
-    color,
-    preferredProvider,
-    preferredModel,
-    workingDirs,
-    useWorktrees,
+  const merged = { ...existing, ...updates };
+  const client = await getClient();
+  const raw = await client.extMethod("_goose/sources/update", {
+    type: "project",
+    path: existing.path,
+    name: existing.id,
+    description: merged.description,
+    content: merged.prompt,
+    properties: toProperties({
+      name: merged.name,
+      icon: merged.icon,
+      color: merged.color,
+      preferredProvider: merged.preferredProvider,
+      preferredModel: merged.preferredModel,
+      workingDirs: merged.workingDirs,
+      useWorktrees: merged.useWorktrees,
+      order: merged.order,
+      archivedAt: merged.archivedAt,
+    }),
+  });
+  return toProjectInfo(raw.source as SourceEntry);
+}
+
+export async function deleteProject(
+  idOrProject: string | ProjectInfo,
+): Promise<void> {
+  const client = await getClient();
+  const path =
+    typeof idOrProject === "string"
+      ? (await getProject(idOrProject)).path
+      : idOrProject.path;
+  await client.extMethod("_goose/sources/delete", {
+    type: "project",
+    path,
   });
 }
 
-export async function deleteProject(id: string): Promise<void> {
-  return invoke("delete_project", { id });
-}
-
 export async function getProject(id: string): Promise<ProjectInfo> {
-  return invoke("get_project", { id });
+  const all = await listAllProjects();
+  const match = all.find((p) => p.id === id);
+  if (!match) throw new Error(`Project "${id}" not found`);
+  return match;
 }
 
-export async function listArchivedProjects(): Promise<ProjectInfo[]> {
-  return invoke("list_archived_projects");
+/** List both archived and active projects. */
+async function listAllProjects(): Promise<ProjectInfo[]> {
+  const client = await getClient();
+  const raw = await client.extMethod("_goose/sources/list", {
+    type: "project",
+  });
+  const sources = (raw.sources ?? []) as SourceEntry[];
+  return sources.map(toProjectInfo);
 }
 
 export async function archiveProject(id: string): Promise<void> {
-  return invoke("archive_project", { id });
+  const project = await getProject(id);
+  await updateProject(project, {
+    archivedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+  });
+}
+
+export async function restoreProject(id: string): Promise<void> {
+  const project = await getProject(id);
+  await updateProject(project, { archivedAt: null });
 }
 
 export async function reorderProjects(
   order: [string, number][],
 ): Promise<void> {
-  return invoke("reorder_projects", { order });
+  const all = await listAllProjects();
+  for (const [id, orderValue] of order) {
+    const existing = all.find((p) => p.id === id);
+    if (!existing) continue;
+    await updateProject(existing, { order: orderValue });
+  }
 }
 
-export async function restoreProject(id: string): Promise<void> {
-  return invoke("restore_project", { id });
+export async function listArchivedProjects(): Promise<ProjectInfo[]> {
+  const all = await listAllProjects();
+  return all.filter((p) => p.archivedAt !== null);
 }

ui/goose2/src/features/projects/lib/chatProjectContext.test.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import {
-  buildProjectSystemPrompt,
   composeSystemPrompt,
   getProjectArtifactRoots,
   getProjectFolderName,
@@ -8,44 +7,6 @@ import {
 } from "./chatProjectContext";
 
 describe("chatProjectContext", () => {
-  it("builds project instructions from stored project settings", () => {
-    const systemPrompt = buildProjectSystemPrompt({
-      id: "project-1",
-      name: "Goose2",
-      description: "Desktop app",
-      prompt: "Always read AGENTS.md before editing.",
-      icon: "folder",
-      color: "#000000",
-      preferredProvider: "goose",
-      preferredModel: "claude-sonnet-4",
-      workingDirs: ["/Users/wesb/dev/goose2"],
-      useWorktrees: true,
-      order: 0,
-      archivedAt: null,
-      createdAt: "now",
-      updatedAt: "now",
-    });
-
-    expect(systemPrompt).toContain("<project-settings>");
-    expect(systemPrompt).toContain("Project name: Goose2");
-    expect(systemPrompt).toContain(
-      "Working directories: /Users/wesb/dev/goose2",
-    );
-    expect(systemPrompt).toContain(
-      "Default working directory: /Users/wesb/dev/goose2",
-    );
-    expect(systemPrompt).toContain("Preferred provider: goose");
-    expect(systemPrompt).toContain(
-      "Use git worktrees for branch isolation: yes",
-    );
-    expect(systemPrompt).toContain("<project-file-policy>");
-    expect(systemPrompt).toContain(
-      "Use /Users/wesb/dev/goose2 as the default working directory for this project.",
-    );
-    expect(systemPrompt).toContain("<project-instructions>");
-    expect(systemPrompt).toContain("Always read AGENTS.md before editing.");
-  });
-
   it("combines persona and project prompts without empty sections", () => {
     expect(
       composeSystemPrompt("Persona prompt", undefined, "Project prompt"),

ui/goose2/src/features/projects/lib/chatProjectContext.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import type { ProjectInfo } from "../api/projects";
 import { resolvePath } from "@/shared/api/pathResolver";
+
 export interface ProjectFolderOption {
   id: string;
   name: string;
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ export function getProjectArtifactRoots(
 }
 
 export function resolveProjectDefaultArtifactRoot(
-  project: ProjectInfo | null | undefined,
+  project: Pick<ProjectInfo, "workingDirs"> | null | undefined,
 ): string | undefined {
   const workingDirs = resolveProjectRoots(project);
   return workingDirs[0];
@@ -56,61 +57,6 @@ export function getProjectFolderOption(
   }));
 }
 
-export function buildProjectSystemPrompt(
-  project: ProjectInfo | null | undefined,
-): string | undefined {
-  if (!project) {
-    return undefined;
-  }
-
-  const workingDir = resolveProjectDefaultArtifactRoot(project);
-  const settings: string[] = [`Project name: ${project.name}`];
-  const description = trimValue(project.description);
-  const workingDirs = resolveProjectRoots(project);
-  const prompt = trimValue(project.prompt);
-
-  if (description) {
-    settings.push(`Project description: ${description}`);
-  }
-  if (workingDirs.length > 0) {
-    settings.push(`Working directories: ${workingDirs.join(", ")}`);
-  }
-  if (workingDir) {
-    settings.push(`Default working directory: ${workingDir}`);
-  }
-  if (project.preferredProvider) {
-    settings.push(`Preferred provider: ${project.preferredProvider}`);
-  }
-  if (project.preferredModel) {
-    settings.push(`Preferred model: ${project.preferredModel}`);
-  }
-  settings.push(
-    `Use git worktrees for branch isolation: ${
-      project.useWorktrees ? "yes" : "no"
-    }`,
-  );
-
-  const sections = [
-    `<project-settings>\n${settings.join("\n")}\n</project-settings>`,
-  ];
-
-  if (workingDir) {
-    sections.push(
-      `<project-file-policy>\n` +
-        `Use ${workingDir} as the default working directory for this project.\n` +
-        `Write newly generated files relative to ${workingDir} by default.\n` +
-        `Only write outside ${workingDir} when the user explicitly asks you to edit or create a file at a specific path.\n` +
-        `</project-file-policy>`,
-    );
-  }
-
-  if (prompt) {
-    sections.push(`<project-instructions>\n${prompt}\n</project-instructions>`);
-  }
-
-  return sections.join("\n\n");
-}
-
 export function composeSystemPrompt(
   ...parts: Array<string | null | undefined>
 ): string | undefined {

ui/goose2/src/features/projects/lib/sessionCwdSelection.test.ts

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ vi.mock("@/shared/api/pathResolver", () => ({
 function makeProject(overrides: Partial<ProjectInfo> = {}): ProjectInfo {
   return {
     id: "project-1",
+    path: "/tmp/projects/project-1.md",
     name: "Project",
     description: "",
     prompt: "",
@@ -25,8 +26,6 @@ function makeProject(overrides: Partial<ProjectInfo> = {}): ProjectInfo {
     useWorktrees: false,
     order: 0,
     archivedAt: null,
-    createdAt: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
-    updatedAt: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
     ...overrides,
   };
 }

ui/goose2/src/features/projects/stores/projectStore.ts

@@ -125,8 +125,9 @@ export const useProjectStore = create<ProjectStore>((set, get) => ({
     workingDirs,
     useWorktrees,
   ) => {
-    const project = await updateProject(
-      id,
+    const existing = get().projects.find((p) => p.id === id);
+    if (!existing) throw new Error(`Project ${id} not found`);
+    const project = await updateProject(existing, {
       name,
       description,
       prompt,
@@ -136,7 +137,7 @@ export const useProjectStore = create<ProjectStore>((set, get) => ({
       preferredModel,
       workingDirs,
       useWorktrees,
-    );
+    });
     set((state) => ({
       projects: state.projects.map((p) => (p.id === id ? project : p)),
     }));

ui/goose2/src/features/projects/ui/CreateProjectDialog.tsx

@@ -188,18 +188,17 @@ export function CreateProjectDialog({
     try {
       let savedProject: ProjectInfo;
       if (isEditing) {
-        savedProject = await updateProject(
-          editingProject.id,
-          name.trim(),
-          "",
-          parsedPrompt,
+        savedProject = await updateProject(editingProject, {
+          name: name.trim(),
+          description: "",
+          prompt: parsedPrompt,
           icon,
           color,
-          preferredProvider || null,
+          preferredProvider: preferredProvider || null,
           preferredModel,
           workingDirs,
           useWorktrees,
-        );
+        });
       } else {
         savedProject = await createProject(
           name.trim(),

ui/goose2/src/features/projects/ui/__tests__/CreateProjectDialog.test.tsx

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ vi.mock("@/shared/api/system", () => ({
 vi.mock("../../api/projects", () => ({
   createProject: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({
     id: "new-1",
+    path: "/tmp/projects/new-1.md",
     name: "Test",
     description: "",
     prompt: "",
@@ -39,11 +40,10 @@ vi.mock("../../api/projects", () => ({
     useWorktrees: false,
     order: 0,
     archivedAt: null,
-    createdAt: "2024-01-01",
-    updatedAt: "2024-01-01",
   }),
   updateProject: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({
     id: "proj-1",
+    path: "/tmp/projects/proj-1.md",
     name: "Updated",
     description: "",
     prompt: "",
@@ -55,8 +55,6 @@ vi.mock("../../api/projects", () => ({
     useWorktrees: false,
     order: 0,
     archivedAt: null,
-    createdAt: "2024-01-01",
-    updatedAt: "2024-01-01",
   }),
   scanProjectIcons: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue([]),
   readProjectIcon: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({
@@ -93,6 +91,7 @@ vi.mock("../PromptEditor", () => ({
 function makeEditingProject(overrides: Partial<ProjectInfo> = {}): ProjectInfo {
   return {
     id: "proj-1",
+    path: "/tmp/projects/proj-1.md",
     name: "My Project",
     description: "A test project",
     prompt: "Do the thing",
@@ -104,8 +103,6 @@ function makeEditingProject(overrides: Partial<ProjectInfo> = {}): ProjectInfo {
     useWorktrees: false,
     order: 0,
     archivedAt: null,
-    createdAt: "2024-01-01",
-    updatedAt: "2024-01-01",
     ...overrides,
   };
 }

ui/goose2/src/features/skills/api/skills.test.ts

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ describe("listSkills", () => {
             name: "code-review",
             description: "Reviews code",
             content: "Review carefully",
-            directory: "/Users/test/.agents/skills/code-review",
+            path: "/Users/test/.agents/skills/code-review",
             global: true,
           },
         ],
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ describe("listSkills", () => {
             name: "code-review",
             description: "Reviews code",
             content: "Review carefully",
-            directory: "/Users/test/.agents/skills/code-review",
+            path: "/Users/test/.agents/skills/code-review",
             global: true,
           },
           {
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ describe("listSkills", () => {
             name: "test-writer",
             description: "Writes tests",
             content: "Write tests",
-            directory: "/tmp/alpha/.agents/skills/test-writer",
+            path: "/tmp/alpha/.agents/skills/test-writer",
             global: false,
           },
         ],
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ describe("listSkills", () => {
             name: "legacy-writer",
             description: "Legacy project skill",
             content: "Legacy instructions",
-            directory: "/tmp/beta/.goose/skills/legacy-writer",
+            path: "/tmp/beta/.goose/skills/legacy-writer",
             global: false,
           },
         ],
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ describe("listSkills", () => {
             name: "code-review",
             description: "Reviews code",
             content: "Review carefully",
-            directory: "/Users/test/.agents/skills/code-review",
+            path: "/Users/test/.agents/skills/code-review",
             global: true,
           },
         ],
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ describe("listSkills", () => {
             name: "test-writer",
             description: "Writes tests",
             content: "Write tests",
-            directory: "/tmp/beta/.agents/skills/test-writer",
+            path: "/tmp/beta/.agents/skills/test-writer",
             global: false,
           },
         ],
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ describe("listSkills", () => {
             name: "code-review",
             description: "Reviews code",
             content: "Review carefully",
-            directory: "/Users/test/.agents/skills/code-review",
+            path: "/Users/test/.agents/skills/code-review",
             global: true,
           },
         ],
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ describe("listSkills", () => {
             name: "test-writer",
             description: "Writes tests",
             content: "Write tests",
-            directory: "/tmp/alpha/.agents/skills/test-writer",
+            path: "/tmp/alpha/.agents/skills/test-writer",
             global: false,
           },
         ],
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ describe("listSkills", () => {
             name: "personal-review",
             description: "Reviews personal code",
             content: "Review local changes",
-            directory: "/Users/test/.agents/skills/personal-review",
+            path: "/Users/test/.agents/skills/personal-review",
             global: true,
           },
         ],
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ describe("listSkills", () => {
             name: "goose-doc-guide",
             description: "Goose documentation guide",
             content: "Use Goose docs",
-            directory: "builtin://skills/goose-doc-guide",
+            path: "builtin://skills/goose-doc-guide",
             global: true,
           },
         ],
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ describe("listSkills", () => {
             name: "project-helper",
             description: "Helps project work",
             content: "Use project context",
-            directory: "/tmp/alpha/.agents/skills/project-helper",
+            path: "/tmp/alpha/.agents/skills/project-helper",
             global: false,
           },
         ],

ui/goose2/src/features/skills/api/skills.ts

@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ function toSkillInfo(source: SkillSourceEntry): SkillInfo {
       name: source.name,
       description: source.description,
       instructions: source.content,
-      path: source.directory,
-      fileLocation: source.directory,
+      path: source.path,
+      fileLocation: source.path,
       sourceKind: "builtin",
       sourceLabel: "Built in",
       projectLinks: [],
@@ -71,10 +71,21 @@ function toSkillInfo(source: SkillSourceEntry): SkillInfo {
   }
 
   const sourceKind: SkillSourceKind = source.global ? "global" : "project";
+  const props = (source.properties ?? {}) as Record<string, unknown>;
+
+  // Backend tags project-scoped skills with these when listing via
+  // include_project_sources. Prefer them over path-derived values so badges
+  // show the user-visible project title.
+  const taggedProjectDir =
+    typeof props.projectDir === "string" ? props.projectDir : null;
+  const taggedProjectName =
+    typeof props.projectName === "string" ? props.projectName : null;
+
   const projectRoot = source.global
     ? null
-    : deriveProjectRoot(source.directory);
-  const projectName = projectRoot ? basename(projectRoot) : "";
+    : (taggedProjectDir ?? deriveProjectRoot(source.path));
+  const projectName =
+    taggedProjectName ?? (projectRoot ? basename(projectRoot) : "");
 
   const projectLinks: SkillProjectLink[] = projectRoot
     ? [
@@ -87,12 +98,12 @@ function toSkillInfo(source: SkillSourceEntry): SkillInfo {
     : [];
 
   return {
-    id: `${sourceKind}:${source.directory}`,
+    id: `${sourceKind}:${source.path}`,
     name: source.name,
     description: source.description,
     instructions: source.content,
-    path: source.directory,
-    fileLocation: getSkillFileLocation(source.directory),
+    path: source.path,
+    fileLocation: getSkillFileLocation(source.path),
     sourceKind,
     sourceLabel:
       sourceKind === "global" ? "Personal" : projectName || "Project",
@@ -104,10 +115,17 @@ function uniqueProjectDirs(projectDirs: string[]) {
   return [...new Set(projectDirs.map((dir) => dir.trim()).filter(Boolean))];
 }
 
+export interface CreateSkillOptions {
+  /** Project source ID (kebab slug). When set, the skill is created under
+   *  that project's first working directory. */
+  projectId?: string;
+}
+
 export async function createSkill(
   name: string,
   description: string,
   instructions: string,
+  options: CreateSkillOptions = {},
 ): Promise<void> {
   const client = await getClient();
   await client.goose.GooseSourcesCreate({
@@ -115,7 +133,8 @@ export async function createSkill(
     name,
     description,
     content: instructions,
-    global: true,
+    global: !options.projectId,
+    ...(options.projectId ? { projectId: options.projectId } : {}),
   });
 }
 
@@ -164,7 +183,7 @@ export async function listSkills(
       const key =
         source.type === BUILTIN_SKILL_SOURCE_TYPE
           ? `builtin:${source.name}`
-          : `${source.global ? "global" : "project"}:${source.directory}`;
+          : `${source.global ? "global" : "project"}:${source.path}`;
       if (seen.has(key)) {
         continue;
       }

ui/goose2/src/features/skills/ui/SkillEditor.tsx

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useState, useEffect } from "react";
+import { useState, useEffect, useMemo } from "react";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { Button } from "@/shared/ui/button";
 import { Input } from "@/shared/ui/input";
@@ -11,6 +11,14 @@ import {
   DialogHeader,
   DialogTitle,
 } from "@/shared/ui/dialog";
+import {
+  Select,
+  SelectContent,
+  SelectItem,
+  SelectTrigger,
+  SelectValue,
+} from "@/shared/ui/select";
+import { useProjectStore } from "@/features/projects/stores/projectStore";
 import {
   createSkill,
   updateSkill,
@@ -20,6 +28,9 @@ import {
 import { formatSkillName, isValidSkillName } from "../lib/skillsHelpers";
 import { getRenamedSkillFileLocation } from "../lib/skillsPath";
 
+/** Sentinel value for the "Global" option in the save-location picker. */
+const GLOBAL_VALUE = "__global__";
+
 interface SkillEditorProps {
   isOpen: boolean;
   onClose: () => void;
@@ -37,9 +48,18 @@ export function SkillEditor({
   const [name, setName] = useState("");
   const [description, setDescription] = useState("");
   const [instructions, setInstructions] = useState("");
+  const [saveLocation, setSaveLocation] = useState(GLOBAL_VALUE);
   const [saving, setSaving] = useState(false);
   const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
 
+  const projects = useProjectStore((s) => s.projects);
+
+  // Only projects with working directories can hold skills
+  const projectsWithDirs = useMemo(
+    () => projects.filter((p) => p.workingDirs.length > 0),
+    [projects],
+  );
+
   const isEditing = !!editingSkill;
 
   // Pre-fill fields when editing
@@ -48,11 +68,13 @@ export function SkillEditor({
       setName(editingSkill.name);
       setDescription(editingSkill.description);
       setInstructions(editingSkill.instructions);
+      setSaveLocation(GLOBAL_VALUE); // location is fixed for existing skills
       setError(null);
     } else if (isOpen) {
       setName("");
       setDescription("");
       setInstructions("");
+      setSaveLocation(GLOBAL_VALUE);
       setError(null);
     }
   }, [isOpen, editingSkill]);
@@ -69,6 +91,7 @@ export function SkillEditor({
     setName("");
     setDescription("");
     setInstructions("");
+    setSaveLocation(GLOBAL_VALUE);
     setError(null);
     onClose();
   };
@@ -88,11 +111,16 @@ export function SkillEditor({
           instructions,
         );
       } else {
-        await createSkill(name, description.trim(), instructions);
+        const projectId =
+          saveLocation !== GLOBAL_VALUE ? saveLocation : undefined;
+        await createSkill(name, description.trim(), instructions, {
+          projectId,
+        });
       }
       setName("");
       setDescription("");
       setInstructions("");
+      setSaveLocation(GLOBAL_VALUE);
       await onSaved?.(savedSkill);
       onClose();
     } catch (err) {
@@ -133,6 +161,35 @@ export function SkillEditor({
             )}
           </div>
 
+          {/* Save location — only shown when creating */}
+          {!isEditing && projectsWithDirs.length > 0 && (
+            <div className="space-y-1">
+              <Label className="text-xs font-medium text-muted-foreground">
+                {t("dialog.saveLocation")}
+              </Label>
+              <Select value={saveLocation} onValueChange={setSaveLocation}>
+                <SelectTrigger className="w-full">
+                  <SelectValue />
+                </SelectTrigger>
+                <SelectContent>
+                  <SelectItem value={GLOBAL_VALUE}>
+                    {t("dialog.global")}
+                  </SelectItem>
+                  {projectsWithDirs.map((project) => (
+                    <SelectItem key={project.id} value={project.id}>
+                      {project.name}
+                    </SelectItem>
+                  ))}
+                </SelectContent>
+              </Select>
+              <p className="text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">
+                {saveLocation === GLOBAL_VALUE
+                  ? t("dialog.globalHint")
+                  : t("dialog.projectHint")}
+              </p>
+            </div>
+          )}
+
           {/* Description */}
           <div className="space-y-1">
             <Label className="text-xs font-medium text-muted-foreground">

ui/goose2/src/features/skills/ui/__tests__/SkillEditor.test.tsx

@@ -244,6 +244,7 @@ describe("SkillEditor", () => {
         "my-skill",
         "A description",
         "Some instructions",
+        { projectId: undefined },
       );
     });
 

ui/goose2/src/shared/i18n/locales/en/skills.json

@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
     "description": "Description",
     "descriptionPlaceholder": "What it does and when to use it...",
     "editTitle": "Edit skill",
+    "global": "Global",
+    "globalHint": "Available to all sessions",
     "instructions": "Instructions",
     "instructionsPlaceholder": "Markdown instructions the agent will follow...",
     "name": "Name",
@@ -12,6 +14,8 @@
     "nameValidation": "Use 1–64 lowercase letters, numbers, or hyphens. Names cannot start or end with a hyphen.",
     "pathOnDisk": "Path on disk",
     "newTitle": "New skill",
+    "projectHint": "Stored in the project folder",
+    "saveLocation": "Save to",
     "saving": "Saving..."
   },
   "view": {