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updatedAt: 2026-08-05T09:55:42.000Z
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Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://apidocs.hibob.com/llms.txt. Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Skills

  Learn how to manage Skills in Bob via the Public API

A **skill** is an entry in Bob's company skills framework. Skills can be created in Bob’s UI or pushed via the Public API from an external taxonomy (for example, SharePoint or an LMS).

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  ### **Note:**&#x20;

  Write and search apply to **API-origin skills only** (skills created via `POST /skills`). Skills created in Bob’s UI cannot be updated or archived through this API, and search does not return them.
</Callout>

# Before you begin

* Read [Explore Skills API](/docs/explore-skills-api) to learn how skills and proficiency levels work in Bob and how to integrate with the API.
* Decide on a stable `/skill/source` value for your integration and map each skill to a unique `/skill/externalId` in that system.
* List company proficiency levels before attaching per-skill proficiency descriptions.

# What you can do

* **Proficiency levels** — List the company-level proficiency scale via [List proficiency levels](/reference/get_skills-proficiency-levels).
* **Search** — Page through API-origin skills with filters via [Search skills](/reference/post_skills-search).
* **Create** — Bulk-create skills from an external taxonomy via [Create skills](/reference/post_skills).
* **Update** — Bulk-update API-origin skills by `source` + `externalId` via [Update skills](/reference/patch_skills).
* **Archive** — Bulk soft-delete API-origin skills by `source` + `externalId` via [Archive skills](/reference/patch_skills-archive).

# Required permissions

To use the Skills API, make sure the service user or OAuth app has the following access:

| Authentication            | Permission or scope                                                              |
| :------------------------ | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Service user (Basic Auth) | View / search / proficiency levels: `Job catalog > Skills > View skills catalog` |
|                           | Create / update / archive: `Job catalog > Skills > Manage skills catalog`        |
| Marketplace app (OAuth)   | View / search / proficiency levels:: `job_catalog.skills:read`                   |
|                           | Create / update / archive: `job_catalog.skills:write`                            |

If the caller lacks the required permission or scope, or its source IP is not on the company IP trust list, the API returns `403 Forbidden`. To learn more, see [Permissions](/reference/permissions).

# Skills API endpoints

| Resource           | Endpoint                                                            |
| :----------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Proficiency levels | [List proficiency levels](/reference/get_skills-proficiency-levels) |
| Search             | [Search skills](/reference/post_skills-search)                      |
| Create             | [Create skills](/reference/post_skills)                             |
| Update             | [Update skills](/reference/patch_skills)                            |
| Archive            | [Archive skills](/reference/patch_skills-archive)                   |

# Rate limiting

Rate limits restrict how many requests you can make within a time window. To learn more, see [Rate limiting](/reference/rate-limiting).

| Method | Endpoint                                                            | Limit per minute |
| :----- | :------------------------------------------------------------------ | :--------------: |
| GET    | [List proficiency levels](/reference/get_skills-proficiency-levels) |        60        |
| POST   | [Search skills](/reference/post_skills-search)                      |        60        |
| POST   | [Create skills](/reference/post_skills)                             |        10        |
| PATCH  | [Update skills](/reference/patch_skills)                            |        10        |
| PATCH  | [Archive skills](/reference/patch_skills-archive)                   |        10        |

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