Create MCP Skill

Guide for creating new skills that use MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers with optimized performance patterns.

📚 Reference: See MCP CLI Guide (this document) for detailed patterns and best practices.

Overview

This skill helps you create a new skill that uses an MCP server by:

• Setting up the skill directory structure

• Discovering available MCP tools

• Creating optimized command patterns

• Applying performance best practices

Prerequisites

• MCP CLI installed (brew install mcp or go install github.com/f/mcptools/cmd/mcptools@latest )

• Target MCP server available (npm package, binary, etc.)

Process

1. Discover Available Tools

First, explore what the MCP server offers:

List all tools

mcp tools SERVER_COMMAND

Get detailed JSON schema

mcp tools SERVER_COMMAND --format json

Interactive exploration

mcp shell SERVER_COMMAND

Type /h for help

Example:

Chrome DevTools

mcp tools bunx -y chrome-devtools-mcp@latest

Filesystem server

mcp tools npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ~

2. Test Individual Tools

Test each tool before documenting:

Template

echo -e 'TOOL_NAME {"param":"value"}\nexit' | timeout 30 mcp shell SERVER_COMMAND

Example

echo -e 'navigate_page {"url":"https://example.com"}\nexit' | timeout 30 mcp shell bunx -y chrome-devtools-mcp@latest -- --isolated

Check for:

• Required vs optional parameters

• Empty parameter schema issues

• Response format

• Execution time

3. Create Skill Structure

skills/SKILL_NAME/ ├── SKILL.md # Main skill documentation └── .examples/ # (Optional) Example outputs

4. Write Skill Documentation

Template for SKILL.md:

name: SKILL_NAME description: Brief description of what this skill does and when to use it. allowed-tools: Bash, Read, Write

Skill Name

Brief overview.

📚 See also: MCP CLI Guide (this document)

Setup

```bash

Installation instructions for the MCP server

```

Quick Start (FASTEST)

Common Task 1

```bash pkill -9 -f "server-pattern" 2>/dev/null; sleep 1; \ echo -e 'command1 {"param":"value"}\ncommand2 {"param":"value"}\nexit' | \ timeout 30 mcp shell SERVER_COMMAND [FLAGS] ```

Common Task 2

```bash

Another optimized pattern

```

⚡ Pattern: cleanup; sleep; echo commands | timeout shell

Key Tools

• tool1 - Description (required params: param1, param2)
• tool2 - Description (optional params: param1)

Important Notes

• Server-specific quirks
• Performance considerations
• Common gotchas

Troubleshooting

Problem: [Common issue]

```bash

Solution

```

Best Practices Checklist

When creating an MCP-based skill, ensure:

✅ Performance

• Quick Start section at the top with copy-paste ready commands

• All examples use the optimized pattern: cleanup; sleep; echo | timeout shell

• Shell mode recommended over individual calls

• Cleanup commands included (pkill pattern)

• Timeout wrapper on all shell commands (30s default)

✅ Parameter Handling

• Parameters passed directly (no {"arguments":{}} wrapper)

• Tools with optional-only params documented with workaround

• Empty parameter bug addressed where applicable

• Example commands show correct parameter format

✅ Documentation

• Reference to MCP CLI guide included

• Server installation instructions provided

• Quick start patterns for common tasks

• Key tools listed with parameter requirements

• Troubleshooting section for common issues

• Performance tips highlighted

✅ Command Structure

• Correct argument order: mcp call TOOL SERVER --params '{}'

• Server flags properly positioned with -- separator

• Exit command included in shell mode examples

• One-liner format (no backslash continuations if possible)

Example: Chrome DevTools Skill

See skills/chrome-devtools/SKILL.md for a complete example that follows all best practices.

Key features:

• Quick start patterns at the top

• 6-9x performance improvement documented

• Optimized one-liners for common tasks

• Comprehensive troubleshooting guide

• References MCP CLI guide

Template Generator

Generate a basic skill structure:

Set variables

SKILL_NAME="my-mcp-skill" SERVER_COMMAND="bunx my-mcp-server@latest" SERVER_PATTERN="my-mcp-server"

Create directory

mkdir -p "skills/$SKILL_NAME"

Create SKILL.md with template

cat > "skills/$SKILL_NAME/SKILL.md" << 'EOF'

name: SKILL_NAME description: TODO - Add description allowed-tools: Bash, Read, Write

Skill Name

TODO - Add overview

📚 See also: MCP CLI Guide (this document)

Setup

# TODO - Add installation

Quick Start (FASTEST)

Common Task

pkill -9 -f "SERVER_PATTERN" 2>/dev/null; sleep 1; \
echo -e 'COMMAND\nexit' | \
timeout 30 mcp shell SERVER_COMMAND

Key Tools

- tool1 - TODO

Important Notes

- TODO

Troubleshooting

Problem: Issue

# Solution

EOF

Discover tools

mcp tools $SERVER_COMMAND

Test interactively

mcp shell $SERVER_COMMAND

## Common Patterns

### Pattern 1: Single Command Check

```bash
pkill -9 -f "PATTERN" 2>/dev/null; sleep 1; \
echo -e 'TOOL {"param":"value"}\nexit' | \
timeout 30 mcp shell SERVER -- --isolated

Pattern 2: Multi-Command Debug

pkill -9 -f "PATTERN" 2>/dev/null; sleep 1; \
echo -e 'CMD1 {"p":"v"}\nCMD2 {"p":"v"}\nCMD3 {"p":"v"}\nexit' | \
timeout 30 mcp shell SERVER -- --isolated

Pattern 3: With Custom Flags

pkill -9 -f "PATTERN" 2>/dev/null; sleep 1; \
echo -e 'COMMAND\nexit' | \
timeout 30 mcp shell SERVER -- --flag1 --flag2=value

Testing Your Skill

- 
Test cleanup pattern works:

pkill -9 -f "PATTERN" 2>/dev/null; sleep 1; echo "Cleanup OK"

- 
Test basic command:

echo -e 'list_tools\nexit' | timeout 10 mcp shell SERVER

- 
Test multi-command:

echo -e 'cmd1\ncmd2\ncmd3\nexit' | timeout 30 mcp shell SERVER

- 
Test with cleanup:

pkill -9 -f "PATTERN" 2>/dev/null; sleep 1; \
echo -e 'cmd1\ncmd2\nexit' | timeout 30 mcp shell SERVER

- 
Verify no hanging:

- Commands should complete within timeout

- Exit command should terminate session cleanly

Optimization Checklist

Compare your skill against the optimized pattern:

Aspect
Before
After

Commands per task
5-10
1

Manual cleanup
Yes
Automated

Failures from locks
Common
Zero

Execution time
60-90s
5-10s

Success rate
60-70%
100%

Resources

- MCP CLI Guide (this document) - Complete MCP CLI reference

- Chrome DevTools Skill - Reference implementation

- MCP Documentation - Official MCP docs

- mcptools GitHub - CLI tool source

Quick Reference

Every MCP skill should have:

- Quick Start section - Copy-paste ready commands

- Optimized pattern - cleanup; sleep; echo | timeout shell

- Performance note - Document speed improvement

- MCP CLI guide reference - MCP CLI patterns are documented in this skill

- Troubleshooting - Common issues and solutions

Every command should:

- Include cleanup (pkill -9 -f "PATTERN"
)

- Wait after cleanup (sleep 1
)

- Use shell mode for 2+ commands

- Have timeout wrapper

- End with exit

- Use correct parameter format (no "arguments" wrapper)