srdf skill for Claude Code: write and validate MoveIt SRDF files

Makes your agent write and validate MoveIt2 SRDF files for a robot URDF, for robotics engineers who set up planning groups, end effectors and collision rules.

Installs: 11.2K; on skills.sh
Stars: 24.7K; on GitHub
Files: 9; besides SKILL.md
Updated: Nov 2026; last repo commit

The srdf skill makes your agent write the .srdf XML directly on top of an existing, valid URDF. The agent first lists the URDF's links and joints and copies names only from that table, writes a planning ledger, defines groups, end effectors, group states and disabled collisions, and then runs cad srdf validate until it is clean. It reports its assumptions and any skipped checks.

It triggers when you create, edit, inspect or validate .srdf files, planning groups, virtual or passive joints, end effectors, group states or disabled collisions. It needs the cad command from text-to-cad, which the install box covers. It bundles no scripts. The SKILL.md says validation cannot prove planning correctness, so visual review and a MoveIt test still matter.

Good for

Robotics engineers preparing a robot for MoveIt2 motion planning
People who already have a URDF and need planning groups and named poses
Reviewers who want an SRDF checked against its URDF before use

Install srdf

Claude Code

Copy this prompt.

Install the srdf skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

curl -fsSL https://texttocad.dev/install.sh | sh

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.

2
Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

Use the installer first. The skill needs the cad command and the local server that text-to-cad provides, and the skills CLI route adds only the skill folder. The README says the installer sets up uv if it is missing, then configures text-to-cad in every agent app on your computer, and that running it again updates everything. You also need a valid URDF for the robot.

From the project README. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

MoveIt2 SRDF authoring, validation, and planning-semantics workflow. Use when creating, editing, inspecting, or validating `.srdf` files, MoveIt planning groups, virtual joints, passive joints, end effectors, group states, disabled collisions, URDF-paired planning semantics, or SRDF handoff for live review. Use the URDF skill for robot structure and the SDF skill for simulator descriptions. Open and visually review existing SRDF files in CAD Viewer.

Sections in SKILL.md

Setup
Format boundary
Show the model
Required workflow
Commands
Hard rules
Snapshot Tool
References

Key facts

Author: earthtojake
Repository: earthtojake/text-to-cad
Installs on skills.sh: 11,156 as of 2026-11-02
GitHub stars: 24,721 for the whole earthtojake/text-to-cad repo
License: MIT (SKILL.md frontmatter and the skill's LICENSE file)
Last repo commit: 2026-11-01
What is inside: 9 files including SKILL.md: a LICENSE, agents/openai.yaml and 6 reference guides. It bundles no scripts.
Part of: The text-to-cad plugin, which also has CAD, URDF, SDF, DXF and other skills
Needs: The cad command from text-to-cad, and a valid URDF in the same folder as the SRDF

What it includes

From a valid URDF to a validated SRDF, with assumptions reported
Steps run in order: extract the URDF table, write a planning ledger, pair the files, define joints, groups, end effectors, states and collisions, validate, smoke test and report.
Try: “Write the SRDF for this URDF as direct XML, validate it against the URDF, and show me the result.”
Write · Required workflow (13 steps)
Checks an .srdf against its paired URDF; --strict and --json variants
It checks names, chains, groups, group states and collision pairs. A run validates one file and exits nonzero if it fails.
Try: “Validate robot.srdf and fix what it finds.”
Runs code · cad srdf validate
Validates the URDF first, which SKILL.md makes step 1
Runs code · cad urdf validate
Draws the robot to a PNG, with --pose, --display, --grid and camera options
It renders the paired URDF geometry, can pose the robot with a group state, and writes the PNG path you give it.
Try: “Render robot.srdf at arm/ready to review.png.”
Runs code · cad snapshot
Opens the SRDF in the CAD viewer with cad_show or cad viewer --json
It gives you the page link once. The link carries a token.
Runs code · Show the model
If cad is not found, run the text-to-cad installer script
SKILL.md says to do this outside a sandbox or with permission, and to wait up to a minute if the app was just added.
Runs code · Install fallback
Contract, workflow, ledger, validation, end effectors and disabled collisions
Read · Reference guides (6)
Colocation pairing, names from the URDF, radians and meters, truthful collision reasons
Hard rules (6)

From the official docs

Permissions

Medium risk

The skill writes SRDF files that decide which robot links may collide during planning, and it may run an installer that changes your agent apps. Review the disabled collision pairs and test in MoveIt before a real robot moves.

What it can do

Read your data
Create and change things
Delete things
Read-only mode

Watch out for

It can run a piped install script
If cad is not found, the SKILL.md tells the agent to run curl -fsSL https://texttocad.dev/install.sh | sh, outside a sandbox or with permission. Read the script first, or install text-to-cad yourself. docs/install.md also shows --dry-run to print the plan first. github.com
The installer changes every agent app on your computer
The README says it sets up text-to-cad in every agent app it finds, installs uv if missing, and moves the server to the new release. docs/install.md says Claude Desktop's config gets the CAD server, with a .bak of the file kept. github.com
Usage stats and crash reports are on by default
The README says text-to-cad sends them tagged with a random ID, never including your files, paths or prompts. Its privacy policy says how to turn them off, and docs/install.md shows an installer option --no-telemetry. github.com
Viewer links carry a token
SKILL.md says the viewer URL carries its token query, and a local server serves it. Do not share the link. github.com
A passing check is not proof of safe planning
validation.md says validation cannot prove the right planning group, a correct tool link, or that disabled collision pairs are safe at every reachable pose. Test in MoveIt before a real robot moves. github.com

Technical details

Turning on read-only	The SKILL.md defines no read-only switch.
Talks to	texttocad.dev (installer script, when cad is not found). text-to-cad usage stats and crash reports, unless telemetry is turned off
Scopes	Writes the .srdf file next to your URDF, and PNG snapshots to a path you give Runs the cad command (validate, snapshot, viewer, doctor) in text-to-cad's local server May write short throwaway scripts to derive adjacency lists and unit tables from the URDF Reads your URDF and any mesh files it references

Questions

What does the srdf skill do?

It makes your agent write MoveIt2 SRDF files on top of an existing URDF. That covers planning groups, end effectors, group states, virtual and passive joints and disabled collisions, followed by validation with the cad tool.

How do I install the srdf skill?

Use the install box at the top of this page. The skill needs the cad command from text-to-cad, so run the text-to-cad installer first. The skills CLI route adds only the skill folder.

Do I need a URDF first?

Yes. SKILL.md says to start from a valid URDF and validate it, and every name in the SRDF must exist in it. The .srdf goes in the same folder with the same robot name.

Does it need an API key?

The SKILL.md names no API key. It needs the cad command and the local server from text-to-cad.

Can it prove my robot will plan safely?

No. The validation guide says the validator cannot prove the right planning group, the correct tool link or that disabled collision pairs are safe. It asks for a MoveIt smoke test when available and for the agent to report skipped checks.

How is it different from the MoveIt Setup Assistant?

The skill has the agent write the XML and validate it, and it treats Setup Assistant output as a valid source for groups and sampled collision pairs. For many manual collision pairs, the guide prefers regenerating the matrix with Setup Assistant.

Is it safe to use?

It writes an .srdf file and PNG snapshots and runs the cad command. If cad is missing, it may run the text-to-cad installer script, which changes the agent apps on your computer. Approve that step yourself and review disabled collision pairs before a real robot uses the file.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository: earthtojake/text-to-cad
Folder: skills/srdf

earthtojake/text-to-cad skills.sh

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 6

text-to-cad README · github.com
text-to-cad docs/install.md · github.com
srdf SKILL.md · github.com
srdf references/validation.md · github.com
srdf references/disabled-collisions.md · github.com
srdf references/authoring-contract.md · github.com