How do I install the Setup MCP skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add terrazul-ai/setup-mcp in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Setup MCP safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Capability flags: reads secrets. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Setup MCP?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Setup MCP free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Setup MCP?

terrazul-ai (@terrazul-ai) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Setup MCP by terrazul-ai — Agent Skill

Name: Setup MCP
Rating: 4.666666666666667 (3 reviews)
Author: terrazul-ai

Setup MCP

Interactive wizard to set up MCP server credentials in your shell environment (~/.zshenv, ~/.bashrc, etc.). Activates when the user needs to configure API keys, tokens, or environment variables for MCP servers, or after adding new MCP integrations that require authentication.

terrazul-ai Updated Sep 10, 2026

File contents

MCP Server Credential Setup Wizard

Guides the user through setting up environment variables for MCP server authentication. Since Terrazul passes MCP configuration via CLI flags, credentials must be persisted in shell environment files.

Instructions

This is an interactive setup flow. Guide the user through ONE credential at a time using AskUserQuestion to confirm progress.

Workflow

Step 1: Detect Shell Environment

Determine the user's shell and appropriate config file:

echo $SHELL

Shell	Recommended File	Alternative
zsh	`~/.zshenv`	`~/.zshrc`
bash	`~/.bashrc`	`~/.bash_profile`

Why ~/.zshenv? Environment variables in .zshenv are loaded for all shell sessions (interactive and non-interactive), ensuring MCP servers always have access to credentials.

Ask the user which file they want to use if multiple options exist. Default to ~/.zshenv for zsh users.

Step 2: Identify Required Credentials

Read the project's MCP configuration to find which environment variables are needed. Check:

.claude/settings.local.json - Local project MCP config
templates/claude/mcp_servers.json.hbs - Package MCP template
.gemini/settings.json - Gemini MCP config

Look for ${VAR_NAME} patterns. Present a summary:

MCP servers configured
Environment variables needed for each
Which are already set vs missing (check with echo $VAR_NAME)

Step 3: Guide Through Each Credential

For each missing credential, provide service-specific instructions from reference.md. Ask the user to obtain the credential and provide it.

Step 4: Add to Shell Profile

For each credential, append to the chosen profile file:

# MCP Server: [Server Name]
export VAR_NAME="value_here"

Group related variables with comments. Use double quotes around values. Add blank lines between different server configurations.

Step 5: Verify Setup

Ask the user to source the profile:
```
source ~/.zshenv  # or ~/.bashrc
```
Verify variables are set:
```
echo $VAR_NAME
```
Run the test command for each service (see reference.md for test commands).

Step 6: Success Summary

Provide a summary:

List of configured credentials
Reminder that new terminal sessions will have these variables
Note that they may need to restart Claude Code for changes to take effect

Troubleshooting

Variable not found after sourcing

grep "VAR_NAME" ~/.zshenv

Wrong shell profile

If using bash but .bashrc isn't loaded, try .bash_profile instead.

Credentials not working

Verify the value is correct (no extra spaces or quotes)
Check that the token hasn't expired
Verify the token has required permissions/scopes
Try regenerating the credential

Claude Code not seeing variables

Restart Claude Code after setting up credentials. The terminal session used by Claude must have the updated environment.

---name: setup-mcpdescription: Interactive wizard to set up MCP server credentials in your shell environment (~/.zshenv, ~/.bashrc, etc.). Activates when the user needs to configure API keys, tokens, or environment variables for MCP servers, or after adding new MCP integrations that require authentication.---# MCP Server Credential Setup WizardGuides the user through setting up environment variables for MCP server authentication. Since Terrazul passes MCP configuration via CLI flags, credentials must be persisted in shell environment files.## InstructionsThis is an **interactive** setup flow. Guide the user through ONE credential at a time using `AskUserQuestion` to confirm progress.## Workflow### Step 1: Detect Shell EnvironmentDetermine the user's shell and appropriate config file:```bashecho $SHELL```| Shell | Recommended File | Alternative ||-------|------------------|-------------|| zsh | `~/.zshenv` | `~/.zshrc` || bash | `~/.bashrc` | `~/.bash_profile` |**Why ~/.zshenv?** Environment variables in `.zshenv` are loaded for all shell sessions (interactive and non-interactive), ensuring MCP servers always have access to credentials.Ask the user which file they want to use if multiple options exist. Default to `~/.zshenv` for zsh users.### Step 2: Identify Required CredentialsRead the project's MCP configuration to find which environment variables are needed. Check:1. `.claude/settings.local.json` - Local project MCP config2. `templates/claude/mcp_servers.json.hbs` - Package MCP template3. `.gemini/settings.json` - Gemini MCP configLook for `${VAR_NAME}` patterns. Present a summary:- MCP servers configured- Environment variables needed for each- Which are already set vs missing (check with `echo $VAR_NAME`)### Step 3: Guide Through Each CredentialFor each missing credential, provide service-specific instructions from `reference.md`. Ask the user to obtain the credential and provide it.### Step 4: Add to Shell ProfileFor each credential, append to the chosen profile file:```bash# MCP Server: [Server Name]export VAR_NAME="value_here"```Group related variables with comments. Use double quotes around values. Add blank lines between different server configurations.### Step 5: Verify Setup1. Ask the user to source the profile: ```bash source ~/.zshenv # or ~/.bashrc ```2. Verify variables are set: ```bash echo $VAR_NAME ```3. Run the test command for each service (see `reference.md` for test commands).### Step 6: Success SummaryProvide a summary:- List of configured credentials- Reminder that new terminal sessions will have these variables- Note that they may need to restart Claude Code for changes to take effect## Troubleshooting### Variable not found after sourcing```bashgrep "VAR_NAME" ~/.zshenv```### Wrong shell profileIf using bash but `.bashrc` isn't loaded, try `.bash_profile` instead.### Credentials not working1. Verify the value is correct (no extra spaces or quotes)2. Check that the token hasn't expired3. Verify the token has required permissions/scopes4. Try regenerating the credential### Claude Code not seeing variablesRestart Claude Code after setting up credentials. The terminal session used by Claude must have the updated environment.

Frequently asked questions