# Kolodkin Devpowers Setup MCP > Setup MCP - Skill: `tomevault-io/kolodkin-devpowers-setup-mcp` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/kolodkin-devpowers-setup-mcp` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/kolodkin-devpowers-setup-mcp/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: AI & ML - Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/kolodkin-devpowers-setup-mcp --- # Setup MCP Register one of the MCP servers listed in `./mcps.json` into either the project's `.mcp.json`, the user's Claude Code config, or via a manual file edit. The skill is bounded — it will not install MCPs outside the manifest. To add a new server, append an entry to `mcps.json` first (see "Adding a new MCP" below). ## Invocation ``` /setup-mcp # list known MCPs, prompt to pick one /setup-mcp # set up the named MCP ``` ## Flow ### 1. Resolve which MCP Read `./mcps.json`. It maps each `` to its config template, prerequisites, detection tool, and source URL. - No argument → present a numbered list of ` — description` and ask the user to pick. - `` in the manifest → use that entry. - `` not in the manifest → tell the user: "`` isn't in the bounded list. Append an entry to `skills/setup-mcp/mcps.json` first, then re-run." Show them an existing entry as a template. Stop — do not search the web for install instructions. ### 2. Detect whether it's already configured Two checks: - Is the entry's `detection_tool` (e.g. `mcp__github__list_pull_requests`) visible in your tool list right now? - Is `` already registered? Try `claude mcp list 2>/dev/null` and grep for it; also check `./.mcp.json` (if it exists) for `mcpServers.`. If already configured, report where it's registered and stop. Don't reconfigure unless the user explicitly asks ("force", "reconfigure", "overwrite"). ### 3. Verify prerequisites For each command in the entry's `required_cli`, run `command -v >/dev/null && echo OK || echo MISSING`. If anything is missing, surface the entry's `notes` (which should explain how to install it) and stop. Don't write any config until prerequisites are in place. ### 4. Show the proposed config Print the exact JSON snippet that would be added under `mcpServers.` — i.e. the entry's `config_template` verbatim. Also list any `required_env` and `auth_alternatives` so the user knows which env vars / tokens need to be set in their shell. `${VAR}` expansion inside MCP `env` blocks is unreliable across Claude Code versions — don't depend on it. Env vars should be inherited from the shell that launched Claude Code, or passed through with `-e VAR` for Docker-based servers. ### 5. Ask for scope Use `AskUserQuestion` with these three options: - **Project (`./.mcp.json`, shared)** — `claude mcp add --scope project ...`. Checked into the repo so teammates get the same MCP. Use this for MCPs the whole project needs. - **User (personal, all projects)** — `claude mcp add --scope user ...`. Lives in your Claude Code user config; applies to every project on this machine. Not shared. - **Manual `./.mcp.json` edit** — Read the file, merge in the entry, write it back. Use this when the `claude mcp` CLI isn't available, or when you want to review the file diff before applying. ### 6. Apply **Project or User scope** — build a `claude mcp add` invocation from the entry: - **stdio server** (`config_template` has `command` + `args`): ```bash claude mcp add --scope -- ``` Use `--` to separate the MCP command's args from Claude's own flags. Add `--env KEY=value` only if the entry's `config_template.env` block specifies values (most entries don't — env vars are inherited from the launching shell). - **HTTP/SSE server** (`config_template` has `type: http` or `type: sse` and `url`): ```bash claude mcp add --scope --transport ``` Pass headers via `--header "Name: value"` if the entry specifies them. Run the command, then verify with `claude mcp list`. **Manual scope** — operate on `./.mcp.json`: 1. Read the file if it exists; if not, start from `{"mcpServers": {}}`. 2. Parse, set `mcpServers[] = entry.config_template`, write back with 2-space indent + trailing newline. 3. If `mcpServers[]` already exists with a different value, ask before overwriting. Don't clobber other servers or other top-level keys. ### 7. Note env vars If the entry has `required_env` or `auth_alternatives`, list them with `export KEY=...` examples and (where applicable) the URL to obtain a token. Encourage the user to add the exports to their shell rc (`~/.zshrc` / `~/.bashrc`) so they survive new shells. Do NOT edit the shell rc here — that's the user's call and out of this skill's scope. ### 8. Prompt restart End with: "Restart Claude Code (or run `/mcp`) so the new server registers. Then re-run whatever skill needed it." Mid-session MCP registrations are not picked up — do not try to use the new server in the current session. ## Adding a new MCP to the manifest **Transport preference, in order:** 1. **HTTP / SSE** — official hosted endpoint provided by the upstream (e.g. GitHub's `api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/`). No local install, no daemon. 2. **`uvx` or `npx`** — official PyPI / npm package published by the upstream. 3. Anything else (binary download, source build) only if the upstream offers no HTTP/uvx/npx path. **Do not seed `docker run` entries.** Even when the upstream documents Docker as one option, prefer uvx / npx / HTTP if any of those is also officially supported. Docker adds a daemon dependency, a pull on first run, and image-tag drift — all avoidable when a lighter official channel exists. Append an entry to `mcps.json` with this shape: ```json { "": { "description": "one-line summary", "source": "https://github.com/owner/repo", "config_template": { "...": "the mcpServers[] value" }, "required_cli": ["uvx"], "required_env": ["FOO_URL"], "auth_alternatives": [["FOO_USER", "FOO_TOKEN"], ["FOO_PAT"]], "detection_tool": "mcp____", "notes": "Docker / pipx alternatives, token scopes, anything the user should know." } } ``` Only `description`, `source`, and `config_template` are required. The rest tighten the flow but aren't mandatory. Keep entries to MCPs you've actually used — the value of the bounded list is curation. --- > Source: [kolodkin/devpowers](https://github.com/kolodkin/devpowers) — distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io).