SkillDB MCP server

<!-- mcp-name: io.github.devchad-cmd/skilldb -->

skilldb

CLI, TypeScript SDK, and MCP Server for SkillDB — discover, install, and manage AI agent skills.

5,900+ expert skills across 429 packs for Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code, and any MCP-compatible AI tool.

Open source for transparency. This is the full source for the skilldb npm package — the CLI and MCP server that run on your machine and handle your API key. It's published to npm via Trusted Publishing (OIDC, with provenance), so the published artifact is verifiably built from this repo. Audit away, and PRs welcome. MIT licensed.

MCP Server

Connect SkillDB directly to your AI coding tool via the Model Context Protocol:

# Step 1 (optional): install globally. You can also skip this — the npx form below works without it.
npm install -g skilldb

# Step 2: Get your free API key at https://skilldb.dev/api-access

# Step 3: Add to Claude Code (with API key for full content)
claude mcp add skilldb -- npx -p skilldb skilldb-mcp --api-key sk_live_YOUR_KEY

Note: skilldb-mcp is a binary inside the skilldb package, not its own npm package — always invoke it as npx -p skilldb skilldb-mcp (not npx skilldb-mcp).

⚠️ Without an API key, you can search and browse skills (metadata only).

With a free API key, you get full skill content — the actual markdown instructions your agent uses.

Get your key in 30 seconds at skilldb.dev/api-access.

Cursor — add to .cursor/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "skilldb": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-p", "skilldb", "skilldb-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Windsurf — add to mcp_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "skilldb": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-p", "skilldb", "skilldb-mcp", "--api-key", "sk_live_xxx"]
    }
  }
}

VS Code — one-liner:

code --add-mcp '{"name":"skilldb","command":"npx","args":["-p","skilldb","skilldb-mcp"]}'

Or add the same server block to .vscode/mcp.json (workspace) / user mcp.json under "servers".

Once connected, your AI assistant can search and load skills natively. Just ask:

• "Search SkillDB for React performance patterns"
• "Load the code review skill"
• "What skills should I use for this project?"
• "Save this as a private skill" (Studio plan — see below)

10 tools exposed: skilldbsearch, skilldbget, skilldblist, skilldbsuggest, skilldbrecommend, skilldbpurge, skilldbsetkey (set/swap your API key mid-session, no restart), and the private-skill tools skilldbmyskills, skilldbcreateskill, skilldbupdateskill (Studio plan + write-scoped key).

Quick Start (CLI)

# Search for skills (with inline preview)
npx skilldb search "code review"

# Install a skill pack
npx skilldb add software-skills

# Activate a smart profile (only loads what you need)
npx skilldb use frontend

# Or auto-detect from your project
npx skilldb use auto

Install

npm install -g skilldb

Or use npx skilldb without installing.

The Memory Problem (And How We Solve It)

Shortened. The full README is on GitHub.