# Reverse-proxy forwarding for agent skill paths

> If docs sit behind a proxy or custom domain, forward `/skill.md`, `/.well-known/skills/*`, and `/.well-known/agent-skills/*` instead of letting the discovery layer die at the edge.

- Canonical HTML: https://growth.iangoh.com/growth-ideas/reverse-proxy-forwarding-for-agent-skill-paths/
- Source: [mintlify.com](https://www.mintlify.com/docs/ai/skillmd)
- GrowthDex source hub: [Mintlify Docs](/sources/mintlify-docs-mintlify-com/)
- Last checked: 2026-05-27
- Rarity: rare
- Budget: free
- Channels: AI Search, Website, Documentation
- Stages: agent enablement, technical seo, docs ops, crawlability


## Why this can grow

A capability file only helps if the agent can actually fetch it. Reverse proxies often preserve the pretty docs URL while quietly dropping newer AI-discovery paths. Forwarding the skill routes keeps the capability layer reachable, which matters because agents often start at the public hostname, not the upstream docs subdomain where the files were first generated.

## Ian's take

From scaling consumer platforms across MENA and Southeast Asia, my default is to distrust growth work that only looks good in a slide. For SEO and AI search, I care less about clever keyword tricks and more about clarity. A buyer, crawler, or answer engine should quickly understand who this is for, why it works, what proof backs it, and what page deserves to be cited. I would run it small enough to learn quickly, then only scale the parts that real users repeat, save, reply to, or buy from. For this tactic, I would watch one clear growth signal before putting more time or budget behind it.

## Action plan

1. Define one narrow startup segment where reverse-proxy forwarding for agent skill paths can create a measurable lift.
2. Turn the tactic into one offer, page, campaign, or workflow for the AI Search and Website channel.
3. Use the evidence from mintlify.com to set the first version of the message, format, and audience.
4. Launch a small test for 7 to 14 days with one success metric: one measurable growth signal.
5. Review the result, keep the winning message, remove weak variants, and turn the learning into a repeatable growth playbook.

## Source-backed example

Mintlify tells teams using a reverse proxy to forward `/skill.md`, `/.well-known/skills/*`, and `/.well-known/agent-skills/*` to the Mintlify subdomain so agents can still discover the files.

## Adjacent tactics in the same lane

- [Root skill.md for product capability discovery](/growth-ideas/root-skill-md-for-product-capability-discovery/) - same source, 3 shared channels, 1 shared stage
- [Well-known llms aliases for agent compatibility](/growth-ideas/well-known-llms-aliases-for-agent-compatibility/) - same source, 2 shared channels, 2 shared stages
- [llms discovery headers on every page](/growth-ideas/llms-discovery-headers-on-every-page/) - same source, 2 shared channels, 2 shared stages
- [Skill frontmatter with compatibility and tool constraints](/growth-ideas/skill-frontmatter-with-compatibility-and-tool-constraints/) - same source, 2 shared channels, 2 shared stages

## Read GrowthDex essays

Browse the plain-English essay index at [GrowthDex Blog](/blog/).

## Related GrowthDex essays

- [An agent needs a capability page, not just a crawl map](/blog/an-agent-needs-a-capability-page-not-just-a-crawl-map/) - AI Search, brand trust, technical SEO

## Advisory

If you want help turning this into a working growth system, Ian Goh offers advisory at https://iangoh.com/advisory.