refactor: remove SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE flag — SKILL_DIR=None is the only signal needed

If SKILL_DIR is set, sync_skills_dir() runs. If None (Copilot), it skips.
No boolean flag required.

Author: forge-fz2000

src/appliers/base.py

@@ -66,12 +66,6 @@ class BaseApplier(ABC):
     SKILL_DIR: Optional[Path] = None
     TOOL_NAME: str = ""
 
-    # 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.
     MEMORY_SCHEMA: str = ""
@@ -149,15 +143,15 @@ def link_skills(self, skills: List[Dict], source_dir: Path, manifest: ToolManife
     def sync_skills_dir(self) -> bool:
         """Establish a dir-level symlink: SKILL_DIR → ~/.apc/skills/.
 
-        Only applies when SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE=True (dir is entirely apc-managed).
+        Only applies when SKILL_DIR is set on the applier.
         After this runs once, any future `apc install` is immediately live in
         this tool without re-running sync.
 
         Returns True if the symlink was established, False if not applicable.
         """
         from skills import get_skills_dir
 
-        if not self.SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE or self.SKILL_DIR is None:
+        if self.SKILL_DIR is None:
             return False
 
         skills_source = get_skills_dir()

src/appliers/copilot.py

@@ -87,9 +87,6 @@ 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

@@ -76,9 +76,8 @@ 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-    # Note: .mdc per-file format is superseded by this dir-level approach.
+    # ~/.cursor/rules/ → ~/.apc/skills/ symlink (dir-level sync, same as all tools).
+    # Skills appear as <name>/SKILL.md subdirs; .mdc per-file format superseded.
     MEMORY_SCHEMA = CURSOR_MEMORY_SCHEMA
 
     @property  # type: ignore[override]

src/install.py

@@ -86,15 +86,15 @@ def _resolve_targets(target_args: tuple, yes: bool) -> List[str]:
 def _note_per_skill_tools(target_list: list) -> None:
     """Warn if any synced target uses per-skill symlinks (not dir-level).
 
-    For SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE tools (OpenClaw, Claude Code), the dir symlink is
-    already live — new skills in ~/.apc/skills/ appear immediately.
-    For mixed-dir tools (Cursor, Copilot), the user must re-run `apc sync`.
+    For tools with SKILL_DIR set, the dir symlink is already live after
+    apc sync — new skills in ~/.apc/skills/ appear immediately.
+    For Copilot (no SKILL_DIR), re-run `apc sync` to pick up new skills.
     """
     needs_sync = []
     for target_name in target_list:
         try:
             applier = get_applier(target_name)
-            if not applier.SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE and applier.SKILL_DIR is not None:
+            if applier.SKILL_DIR is None:
                 needs_sync.append(target_name)
         except Exception:
             pass

src/sync_helpers.py

@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ def sync_skills(tool_list: List[str]) -> Tuple[int, int]:
                 total_dir += 1
                 success(f"{tool_name}: skills dir symlinked → ~/.apc/skills/")
             else:
-                success(f"{tool_name}: no skills dir to sync (SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE=False)")
+                success(f"{tool_name}: no skills dir (SKILL_DIR=None) — skipping")
 
         except Exception as e:
             error(f"Failed to sync skills to {tool_name}: {e}")
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ def sync_all(tool_list: List[str], no_memory: bool = False, override_mcp: bool =
             # 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) if applier.SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE and applier.SKILL_DIR else (0, 0)
+            s, lk = (1, 0) if applier.SKILL_DIR is not None else (0, 0)
 
             # MCP servers
             secrets = _resolve_all_mcp_secrets(mcp_servers)

tests/test_docker_integration.py

@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ def test_out_of_sync_when_skill_deleted(
         """Removing a synced skill link/file causes 'out of sync' for that tool.
 
         Skills now live in ~/.apc/skills/ (source of truth).
-        - SKILL_DIR_EXCLUSIVE tools (claude-code, openclaw): their skills dir is a
+        - Tools with SKILL_DIR set (claude-code, openclaw, cursor): their skills dir is a
           single symlink → ~/.apc/skills/. Out-of-sync = symlink removed/broken.
         - Per-skill tools (cursor): individual link_path entries in the manifest.
           Out-of-sync = linked file deleted.

tests/test_sync_helpers.py

@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ 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 = True  # all tools use dir-level symlink by default
     applier.SKILL_DIR = tmpdir / "skills"
     applier.sync_skills_dir.return_value = True  # dir-level symlink succeeds
     applier.apply_skills.return_value = 3