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.

Copy this snippet and paste it directly into Claude Code:

Add this MCP server to my settings.json:

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

Claude will automatically update your ~/.claude/settings.json. After restarting Claude Code (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+P → "Claude Code: Restart"), the Skillsmith server will be loaded.

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

API Key Configuration

The MCP server works out of the box without configuration, providing community-tier access (30 requests/minute). For higher rate limits and usage tracking on your account dashboard, configure your personal API key.

Get Your API Key

1. Create a free account (GitHub OAuth)
2. Your API key is automatically generated on signup
3. Find it on your Account Dashboard

Configure Your API Key

Option 1: Config File (Recommended - Cross-Platform)

Create ~/.skillsmith/config.json with your API key:

mkdir -p ~/.skillsmith && cat > ~/.skillsmith/config.json << 'EOF'
{
  "apiKey": "sk_live_your_key_here"
}
EOF

This method works on Mac, Linux, and Windows (via Git Bash or WSL) and doesn't require modifying Claude settings.

Option 2: Claude Code Settings (MCP server only)

Add the API key directly to your ~/.claude/settings.json:

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

Rate Limits by Tier

Rate limits are per-minute and reset automatically. See Pricing for full details.

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

• Configure API Key - Set up authentication for more requests
• CLI Reference - Learn all CLI commands
• MCP Server - Configure advanced server options
• API Reference - Build integrations with the Skillsmith API