DOCX skill (Anthropic)

Quick answers

Who maintains this Claude Skill?

Anthropic, PBC (anthropics/skills repository).

What can it access?

It asks for: Run Node.js scripts that use the docx npm package to create .docx files (SKILL.md says docx is preinstalled and to run npm install only if require fails), Unzip a .docx, edit word/document.xml in place and re-zip it (shell commands unzip and zip shown in SKILL.md), Run pandoc to read document content as Markdown, Run LibreOffice (soffice) through scripts/office/soffice.py to convert files, for example to PDF; per its docstring, when AF_UNIX sockets are blocked that helper compiles a small C shim with gcc and applies it to soffice via LD_PRELOAD, Run bundled scripts: merge_runs.py, comment.py, accept_changes.py and office/validate.py (XSD validation, optional auto-repair), Read and write local Word files named in the task. Docs state: skills are "folders of instructions, scripts, and resources that Claude loads dynamically" (repository README), and the Help Center article says the feature requires code execution to be enabled. The docx skill works on .docx and .dotx files you provide or ask it to create. SKILL.md tells Claude to strip symlink entries when unpacking a .docx ("docx from external parties is untrusted"). SKILL.md does not mention sending file content to a third-party service, and the scripts checked (accept_changes.py, comment.py, merge_runs.py, office/soffice.py, office/validate.py) contain no HTTP calls (2026-10-03). We do not label anything safe or unsafe; read the official sources before you install.

What licence does it use?

Proprietary, source-available (see limitations). Check the terms if you plan to use it commercially.

What are its limitations?

Licence detail: Proprietary, source-available (not open source). SKILL.md frontmatter: "Proprietary. LICENSE.txt has complete terms". LICENSE.txt begins "© 2025 Anthropic, PBC. All rights reserved." and says use is governed by your agreement with Anthropic regarding use of its services; if no separate agreement exists, by the Consumer Terms of Service or Commercial Terms of Service, as applicable. Under "ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS" it says users may not: extract the materials from the Services or retain copies outside the Services; reproduce or copy them, except for temporary copies created automatically during authorized use of the Services; create derivative works; distribute, sublicense, or transfer them to any third party; make, offer to sell, sell, or import any inventions embodied in them; or reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble them. It adds that receipt, viewing, or possession does not convey any licence or right beyond those expressly granted. The repository README calls the docx, pdf, pptx and xlsx skills "source-available, not open source". Proprietary licence: LICENSE.txt lists additional restrictions on extracting or retaining copies outside the Services, copying, derivative works and distribution; read LICENSE.txt before any reuse. Repository README: provided "for demonstration and educational purposes only"; behavior in Claude may differ from the repository version. SKILL.md says docx-js cannot open existing files, so edits to an existing document go through unzip, XML edit and zip. SKILL.md lists Node.js with the docx package, pandoc, LibreOffice and Poppler (pdftoppm) as dependencies; they must exist in the environment. SKILL.md says not to use it for PDFs, spreadsheets, Google Docs, or general coding tasks unrelated to document generation. The Claude Help Center article says: "Only install skills only from trusted sources." For a skill from a less-trusted source it says to review it before enabling, starting with the bundled files and paying particular attention to code dependencies and bundled resources like images or scripts.

When was it last released?

No tagged release shown (the repository releases list is empty on 2026-10-03). Latest commit on main: 2026-09-29. Verified Oct 3, 2026.