# Ki Binding

> Codify and audit the portable Knowledge Islands MCP binding: the canonical XDG `mcp-servers.yaml` source, its server schema and `clients:` targeting, and drift at the vendor-neutral mcporter target. Use when defining a shared MCP inventory, validating client targeting, or finding mcporter drift. Runtime-native surfaces belong to `ki-binding-claude` and `ki-binding-codex`; chezmoi rendering belongs to `ki-binding-chezmoi`.

- Skill: `knowledgeislands/ki-binding` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 12 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add knowledgeislands/ki-binding`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/knowledgeislands/ki-binding/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- Author: knowledgeislands (https://skillmd.com/u/knowledgeislands)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/knowledgeislands/ki-binding

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# Knowledge Islands MCP binding

`ki-binding` owns the portable canonical MCP declaration, not any vendor's configuration files. The one source resolves explicit `$KI_MCP_SOURCE` first, then `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/ki/mcp-servers.yaml` (default `~/.config/ki/mcp-servers.yaml`). Each `mcpServers` entry has a unique `name`, non-empty `clients:`, and one closed stdio or URL definition. URL entries declare one supported transport for every targeted client.

The source has client tokens because it serves several clients, but a client adapter owns that client's native configuration and safe writer. This root itself audits only the vendor-neutral mcporter projection. Read [the standard](references/standards-cross-surface-binding.md), [generated rubric](references/rubric.md), and [sources](references/sources.md) for the contract.

## Operating modes

### Mode AUDIT

Run `ki repo audit --skill ki-binding --repo <project>`. It checks source validity (`BIND-2`) and, only when `MCPORTER_CONFIG` selects a readable target, compares full non-secret mcporter definitions (`BIND-1`). Missing target evidence is unavailable, never a clean or health result. Judge whether each target set is intentional (`BIND-J1`).

### Mode CONFORM

Run AUDIT first. Edit the canonical source, then use the renderer or client adapter that owns the target. This root never hand-edits a rendered target and proposes no writes.

### Mode EDUCATE

Explain the canonical source and target separation with `ki repo educate --skill ki-binding --repo <project>`; it scaffolds no duplicate source.

### Mode REFRESH

Refresh this root only in `ki-agentic-harness` when the portable source/schema or mcporter contract changes. From an installed copy, stop and redirect to the canonical harness. Runtime-specific configuration changes are refreshed by their adapter.

### Mode HELP

Explain this portable boundary and stop without changing anything.

## Runtime bindings and renderer composition

- `ki-binding-claude` owns Claude Code, Desktop, Cowork, web convention, and the plugin builder.
- `ki-binding-codex` owns Codex TOML comparison and the merge-safe native renderer.
- `ki-binding-chezmoi` composes this root with `ki-repo-dotfiles-chezmoi` for a renderer-specific source-repository path.