mcp server dev — Agent Skill
by anthropics · Updated
Skills for designing and building MCP servers that work seamlessly with Claude. Guides you through deployment models (remote HTTP, MCPB, local), tool design patterns, auth, and interactive MCP apps.
At a glance
mcp-server-dev is an Agent Skill by anthropics in the Design & Creative category. In Claude Code it installs with `/plugin install mcp-server-dev@claude-plugins-official` after adding the anthropics/claude-plugins-official marketplace; other assistants use its SKILL.md instructions as rules. Its source repository has 45,039 GitHub stars (as of Oct 27, 2026).
How to install mcp server dev in your AI client
Setup for Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, Codex, Windsurf, Cline and VS Code — copy-paste ready.
How to install mcp server dev in Claude CodeAnthropic's agentic CLI
Add the marketplace
claude/plugin marketplace add anthropics/claude-plugins-officialInstall the skill
claude/plugin install mcp-server-dev@claude-plugins-officialUse it
These are slash commands for a Claude Code session, not your shell. Claude auto-invokes the skill when your request matches its description — or type its slash command if it exposes one.
How to install mcp server dev in Claude DesktopDesktop app (MCP config)
Clone the source
bashgit clone https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-official.gitFind the skill
It lives in claude-plugins-official/plugins/mcp-server-dev — that folder contains the SKILL.md.
Add the SKILL.md to your Skills folder
Settings → Capabilities → Skills → add the folder containing SKILL.md. Claude picks it up automatically.
How to install mcp server dev in CursorAI-first code editor
Clone the source
bashgit clone https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-official.gitFind the skill
It lives in claude-plugins-official/plugins/mcp-server-dev — that folder contains the SKILL.md.
Convert to a Cursor rule
Create .cursor/rules/mcp-server-dev.mdc and paste the SKILL.md body. Set `alwaysApply` or a glob so the Agent loads it in context.
How to install mcp server dev in Codex CLIOpenAI coding agent
Clone the source
bashgit clone https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-official.gitFind the skill
It lives in claude-plugins-official/plugins/mcp-server-dev — that folder contains the SKILL.md.
Reference in AGENTS.md
Add the skill's instructions (or a link) to AGENTS.md at your repo root — Codex reads it on every run.
How to install mcp server dev in WindsurfCodeium's agentic IDE
Clone the source
bashgit clone https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-official.gitFind the skill
It lives in claude-plugins-official/plugins/mcp-server-dev — that folder contains the SKILL.md.
Add to your rules / context
Paste the SKILL.md instructions into this tool's custom rules or workspace instructions so the agent follows them.
How to install mcp server dev in ClineVS Code autonomous agent
Clone the source
bashgit clone https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-official.gitFind the skill
It lives in claude-plugins-official/plugins/mcp-server-dev — that folder contains the SKILL.md.
Add to your rules / context
Paste the SKILL.md instructions into this tool's custom rules or workspace instructions so the agent follows them.
How to install mcp server dev in VS CodeCopilot / MCP support
Clone the source
bashgit clone https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-official.gitFind the skill
It lives in claude-plugins-official/plugins/mcp-server-dev — that folder contains the SKILL.md.
Add to your rules / context
Paste the SKILL.md instructions into this tool's custom rules or workspace instructions so the agent follows them.
Documentation
Full READMEmcp-server-dev
Skills for designing and building MCP servers that work seamlessly with Claude.
What's inside
Three skills that compose into a full build path:
| Skill | Purpose | |---|---| | `build-mcp-server` | Entry point. Interrogates the use case, picks deployment model (remote HTTP / MCPB / local stdio), picks tool-design pattern, routes to a specialized skill. | | `build-mcp-app` | Adds interactive UI widgets (forms, pickers, confirm dialogs) rendered inline in chat. Works on remote servers and MCPB bundles. | | `build-mcpb` | Packages a local stdio server with its runtime so users can install it without Node/Python. For servers that must touch the local machine. |
How it works
build-mcp-server is the front door. It asks what you're connecting to, who'll use it, how big the action surface is, and whether you need in-chat UI. From those answers it recommends one of four paths:
- Remote streamable-HTTP (the default recommendation for anything wrapping a cloud API) — scaffolded inline
- MCP app — hands off to
build-mcp-app - MCPB — hands off to
build-mcpb - Local stdio prototype — scaffolded inline with an MCPB upgrade note
Each skill ships reference files for the parts that don't fit in the main instructions: auth flows (DCR/CIMD), tool-description writing, widget templates, manifest schemas, security hardening.
Usage
Ask Claude to "help me build an MCP server" and the entry skill will trigger. Or invoke directly:
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