Shipkit Get Mcps

shipkit-get-mcps - MCP Discovery & Installation

Purpose: Discover and install MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers to extend Claude's capabilities.

Core value: User knows to ask — Claude handles discovery and installation.

Why This Skill Exists

You don't naturally know what MCPs exist or that they could help.

When to Invoke

User says:

• "Get MCPs for database"
• "Is there an MCP for Playwright?"
• "I need browser automation"
• "Find MCPs", "Search MCPs"
• "Add an MCP for Supabase"
• "What MCPs are available?"
• "Show me popular MCPs"
• "Recommend an MCP"

Auto-suggest when:

• User struggles with a task that an MCP could help with
• User asks about external service integration

For catalog questions: Load references/popular-mcps.md and present options.

Prerequisites

Required:

• Node.js installed (most MCPs use npx)
• Internet connection for discovery

Not required:

• No manifest or registry account needed
• Claude searches on behalf of user

Completion Tracking

When installing an MCP, create tasks:

• TaskCreate: "Search/discover MCP options"
• TaskCreate: "Read existing .mcp.json (merge, don't overwrite)"
• TaskCreate: "Detect platform (Windows/Mac/Linux) for correct config"
• TaskCreate: "Write updated .mcp.json"
• TaskCreate: "Post-install: restart reminder + prerequisite warnings"

TaskUpdate each task to in_progress when starting it, completed when done.

Writing .mcp.json must MERGE with existing MCPs, not overwrite. Platform detection determines whether to use npx directly or cmd wrapper.

Process

Step 1: Understand Need

When user mentions a need:

User: I need to interact with my database

Claude: I can search for MCPs that provide database integration.
        What database are you using? (Postgres, Supabase, MongoDB, etc.)

If user invokes directly with query:

User: /get-mcps supabase

→ Skip to Step 2

Step 2: Find MCPs

First, check the curated catalog: → Read references/popular-mcps.md for common MCPs (databases, browsers, dev tools, etc.)

If user asks "what's available" or wants to browse: → Present options from the catalog grouped by category

If not in catalog, USE PARALLEL SUBAGENTS to search multiple registries:

Launch these Agent subagents IN PARALLEL (single message, multiple tool calls):

1. OFFICIAL REGISTRY AGENT (subagent_type: "Explore")
   Prompt: "Search for '[query]' MCP server on official registry.
   WebFetch: registry.modelcontextprotocol.io
   Return: matching MCPs with name, description, install command."

2. COMMUNITY DIRECTORY AGENT (subagent_type: "Explore")
   Prompt: "Search for '[query]' MCP server on community sites.
   WebSearch: '[query] MCP server site:mcp.so'
   WebSearch: '[query] site:mcpservers.org'
   Return: matching MCPs with name, description, source URL."

3. GITHUB SEARCH AGENT (subagent_type: "Explore")
   Prompt: "Search for '[query]' MCP server on GitHub.
   WebSearch: '[query] MCP server site:github.com'
   Return: matching repos with name, stars, description, install command."

Why parallel: Network fetches to different registries are independent - run simultaneously for faster discovery.

After agents return:

1. Merge results from all sources
2. Deduplicate (same MCP may appear in multiple registries)
3. Rank by relevance and popularity (stars, official status)
4. Present consolidated list to user

Step 3: Present Options

Format results clearly:

Found 2 MCPs for "supabase":

  [1] @supabase/mcp-server (official)
      Database queries, auth, storage, realtime
      Source: npm

  [2] supabase-mcp (community)
      Lightweight Supabase integration
      Source: github.com/user/supabase-mcp

Install one? Enter number, or [s] to search again

Step 4: Install Selected MCP

Read current config:

cat .mcp.json 2>/dev/null || echo "{}"

Add new MCP entry:

For Unix/Mac:

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

For Windows (detect via platform):

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

Write updated config:

• Merge with existing mcpServers
• Preserve other MCPs
• Validate JSON before writing

Step 5: Post-Install

✓ Added supabase to .mcp.json

⚠ Restart Claude Code to activate the new MCP.

The MCP will be available after restart. You'll have access to:
  - Database query tools
  - Auth management
  - Storage operations

Step 6: Handle Edge Cases

MCP requires prerequisites

⚠ playwright MCP requires browser binaries.

Run this first:
  npx playwright install

Then restart Claude Code.

No .mcp.json exists

No .mcp.json found. Creating one...

✓ Created .mcp.json with supabase MCP

Create minimal config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "supabase": { ... }
  }
}

MCP already installed

supabase is already in .mcp.json

Current config:
  command: npx
  args: ["-y", "@supabase/mcp-server"]

[u] Update args  [r] Remove  [b] Back

No results found

No MCPs found for "quantum computing".

Try:
  - Broader terms: "database", "api", "automation"
  - Check mcp.so directly: https://mcp.so
  - The capability might not have an MCP yet

Commands

Discovery Sources

Platform Detection

Detect platform and adjust config:

Windows:
  command: "cmd"
  args: ["/c", "npx", "-y", "<package>"]

Unix/Mac:
  command: "npx"
  args: ["-y", "<package>"]

Check platform via environment or ask user if unclear.

Context Files This Skill Reads

• .mcp.json — Current MCP configuration

Context Files This Skill Writes

• .mcp.json — Add/update MCP entries

Write Strategy: MERGE

• Read existing config
• Add new MCP to mcpServers
• Preserve existing MCPs
• Write back

When This Skill Integrates with Others

Relationship: Standalone Utility

This skill operates independently. It helps users extend Claude's capabilities.

Complements:

• /shipkit-project-context — Stack detection might suggest MCPs

Sibling:

• /shipkit-get-skills — Same pattern for skill discovery

After Completion

Guardrails Check: Before moving to next task, verify:

1. Persistence - Has important context been saved to .shipkit/?
2. Prerequisites - Does the next action need a spec or plan first?
3. Session length - Long session? Consider /shipkit-work-memory for continuity.

Natural capabilities (no skill needed): Implementation, debugging, testing, refactoring, code documentation.

Suggest skill when: User needs to make decisions, create persistence, or check project status.

Success Criteria

• User can discover MCPs through conversation
• Search covers official and community sources
• Installation handles platform differences
• Restart reminder always shown
• Prerequisites flagged when known