diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..6722bd5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,227 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+#
+# Claude Code Vertical - Install Script
+#
+# Installs skills and slash commands to your project's .claude directory
+# Uses symlinks so updates to the source are automatically reflected
+#
+# Usage:
+#   ./install.sh              # Install to current directory
+#   ./install.sh /path/to/dir # Install to specified directory
+#
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# Colors (disable if not a terminal)
+if [[ -t 1 ]]; then
+    RED='\033[0;31m'
+    GREEN='\033[0;32m'
+    YELLOW='\033[0;33m'
+    BLUE='\033[0;34m'
+    BOLD='\033[1m'
+    NC='\033[0m'
+else
+    RED='' GREEN='' YELLOW='' BLUE='' BOLD='' NC=''
+fi
+
+# Get the directory where this script lives (source of truth)
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+
+# Target directory - default to current directory
+TARGET_DIR="${1:-.}"
+TARGET_DIR="$(cd "$TARGET_DIR" && pwd)"
+
+# What we're installing
+COMPONENTS=(
+    "commands:commands"
+    "skills:skills"
+    "skill-index:skill-index"
+    "lib:lib"
+)
+
+# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Functions
+# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+log_info() {
+    printf "${BLUE}[info]${NC} %s\n" "$1"
+}
+
+log_success() {
+    printf "${GREEN}[ok]${NC} %s\n" "$1"
+}
+
+log_warn() {
+    printf "${YELLOW}[warn]${NC} %s\n" "$1"
+}
+
+log_error() {
+    printf "${RED}[error]${NC} %s\n" "$1"
+}
+
+log_header() {
+    printf "\n${BOLD}%s${NC}\n" "$1"
+    printf "%s\n" "$(printf '=%.0s' $(seq 1 ${#1}))"
+}
+
+check_prerequisites() {
+    log_header "Checking prerequisites"
+
+    # Check if source directories exist
+    for component in "${COMPONENTS[@]}"; do
+        local src="${component%%:*}"
+        if [[ ! -d "$SCRIPT_DIR/$src" ]]; then
+            log_error "Source directory not found: $SCRIPT_DIR/$src"
+            exit 1
+        fi
+    done
+    log_success "All source directories found"
+
+    # Check if target is a git repo (optional warning)
+    if [[ ! -d "$TARGET_DIR/.git" ]]; then
+        log_warn "Target is not a git repository: $TARGET_DIR"
+        log_info "Continuing anyway - this is not required"
+    else
+        log_success "Target is a git repository"
+    fi
+
+    # Check for tmux
+    if command -v tmux &> /dev/null; then
+        log_success "tmux is installed ($(tmux -V))"
+    else
+        log_warn "tmux is not installed - install with: brew install tmux"
+    fi
+}
+
+create_directories() {
+    log_header "Creating directories"
+
+    local claude_dir="$TARGET_DIR/.claude"
+
+    if [[ -d "$claude_dir" ]]; then
+        log_info ".claude directory already exists"
+    else
+        mkdir -p "$claude_dir"
+        log_success "Created $claude_dir"
+    fi
+
+    # Create vertical plans directory
+    mkdir -p "$claude_dir/vertical/plans"
+    log_success "Created $claude_dir/vertical/plans"
+}
+
+install_component() {
+    local src_name="$1"
+    local dest_name="$2"
+    local src_path="$SCRIPT_DIR/$src_name"
+    local dest_path="$TARGET_DIR/.claude/$dest_name"
+
+    # Remove existing symlink or directory
+    if [[ -L "$dest_path" ]]; then
+        rm "$dest_path"
+        log_info "Removed existing symlink: $dest_path"
+    elif [[ -d "$dest_path" ]]; then
+        log_warn "Directory exists (not a symlink): $dest_path"
+        printf "  Replace with symlink? [y/N] "
+        read -r response
+        if [[ "$response" =~ ^[Yy]$ ]]; then
+            rm -rf "$dest_path"
+            log_info "Removed existing directory"
+        else
+            log_warn "Skipping $dest_name"
+            return 0
+        fi
+    fi
+
+    # Create symlink
+    ln -s "$src_path" "$dest_path"
+    log_success "Linked $dest_name -> $src_path"
+}
+
+install_components() {
+    log_header "Installing components"
+
+    for component in "${COMPONENTS[@]}"; do
+        local src="${component%%:*}"
+        local dest="${component##*:}"
+        install_component "$src" "$dest"
+    done
+}
+
+verify_installation() {
+    log_header "Verifying installation"
+
+    local claude_dir="$TARGET_DIR/.claude"
+    local all_ok=true
+
+    for component in "${COMPONENTS[@]}"; do
+        local dest="${component##*:}"
+        local dest_path="$claude_dir/$dest"
+
+        if [[ -L "$dest_path" && -d "$dest_path" ]]; then
+            local count=$(find -L "$dest_path" -type f | wc -l | tr -d ' ')
+            log_success "$dest: $count files"
+        else
+            log_error "$dest: not found or broken symlink"
+            all_ok=false
+        fi
+    done
+
+    if $all_ok; then
+        return 0
+    else
+        return 1
+    fi
+}
+
+print_summary() {
+    log_header "Installation complete"
+
+    printf "\n${BOLD}Installed to:${NC} %s/.claude/\n" "$TARGET_DIR"
+    printf "\n${BOLD}Available commands:${NC}\n"
+    printf "  /plan         Start interactive planning session\n"
+    printf "  /build <id>   Execute a plan with parallel weavers\n"
+    printf "  /status [id]  Check plan and weaver status\n"
+
+    printf "\n${BOLD}Quick start:${NC}\n"
+    printf "  cd %s\n" "$TARGET_DIR"
+    printf "  claude\n"
+    printf "  > /plan\n"
+
+    printf "\n${BOLD}Tmux helpers:${NC}\n"
+    printf "  source %s/.claude/lib/tmux.sh\n" "$TARGET_DIR"
+    printf "  vertical_status\n"
+
+    printf "\n"
+}
+
+# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Main
+# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+main() {
+    printf "${BOLD}Claude Code Vertical Installer${NC}\n"
+    printf "Source: %s\n" "$SCRIPT_DIR"
+    printf "Target: %s\n" "$TARGET_DIR"
+
+    # Don't install to self
+    if [[ "$SCRIPT_DIR" == "$TARGET_DIR" ]]; then
+        log_error "Cannot install to source directory"
+        log_info "Run from your project directory or specify a target:"
+        printf "  %s/install.sh /path/to/your/project\n" "$SCRIPT_DIR"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    check_prerequisites
+    create_directories
+    install_components
+
+    if verify_installation; then
+        print_summary
+    else
+        log_error "Installation completed with errors"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
+main "$@"