Getting Started

Get Skillsmith up and running in your Claude Code environment in just a few minutes.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

• Claude Code installed and configured
• Node.js 18+ (for npx commands)
• npm or a compatible package manager

Installation

There are two ways to use Skillsmith: as an MCP server (recommended) or via the CLI.

Option 1: MCP Server (Recommended)

The MCP server integrates directly with Claude Code, allowing you to search and install skills through natural language.

Add the following to your Claude settings file at ~/.claude/settings.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "skillsmith": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@skillsmith/mcp-server"]
    }
  }
}

After adding this configuration, restart Claude Code to load the Skillsmith server.

Option 2: CLI Installation

For command-line access, install the CLI globally:

npm install -g @skillsmith/cli

# Or use npx for one-off commands
npx @skillsmith/cli search testing

Verify Installation

MCP Server Verification

Ask Claude to verify the Skillsmith server is running:

"List available MCP tools"
# You should see skillsmith tools like search, install, recommend

CLI Verification

Check the CLI is installed correctly:

skillsmith --version
# Output: @skillsmith/cli v1.x.x

skillsmith --help
# Shows available commands

Your First Skill Search

Using Claude (MCP)

Simply ask Claude to search for skills:

"Search for testing skills"
"Find verified skills for git workflows"
"Show me skills for React development"

Using the CLI

Search for skills from the command line:

# Search by keyword
skillsmith search testing

# Filter by trust tier
skillsmith search git --tier verified

# Filter by category
skillsmith search --category devops

Installing Your First Skill

Using Claude (MCP)

"Install the jest-helper skill"
"Install community/git-commit"

Using the CLI

# Install by name
skillsmith install jest-helper

# Install by full ID
skillsmith install community/git-commit

Skills are installed to ~/.claude/skills/ by default.

Understanding Skill IDs

Skills are identified by their full ID in the format author/name:

Next Steps

• CLI Reference - Learn all CLI commands
• MCP Server - Configure advanced server options
• API Reference - Build integrations with the Skillsmith API