skl mcp runs a Model Context Protocol server over stdio. It combines three read-only local session tools from txcript with five Skillsync account and skill tools.
There is no daemon, listening port, or separate package. Your MCP client starts skl mcp when needed.
Before connecting
Confirm the client can find the binary:
which skl
Local session tools work without a Skillsync account. Sign in if you also want the assistant to list, inspect, install, or publish Skillsync-hosted skills:
skl login
Claude Code
Register for the current project and user:
claude mcp add --transport stdio skl -- skl mcp
Register for every project owned by the current user:
claude mcp add --scope user --transport stdio skl -- skl mcp
Register in the repository's .mcp.json so the configuration can be shared:
claude mcp add --scope project --transport stdio skl -- skl mcp
Confirm the connection with claude mcp list or /mcp inside Claude Code.
JSON configuration
Clients that use an mcpServers JSON object can use:
{
"mcpServers": {
"skl": {
"command": "skl",
"args": ["mcp"]
}
}
}
Claude Desktop reads ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json on macOS and %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json on Windows. Cursor supports project .cursor/mcp.json and user ~/.cursor/mcp.json files. Restart or reload the client after changing its configuration.
Local session tools
These tools do not require login and operate on session stores on the same machine as skl.
| Tool | Arguments | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
list_sessions | from?, cwd?, limit?, offset? | List local session metadata. Defaults to all agents and directories. |
search_sessions | pattern, from?, cwd? | Search local transcript content and return ranked snippets. |
read_session | id, from? | Read a local session. The ID can include a message range such as #5-12. |
Large read_session results may ask the client to request a smaller message range. A single message is always returned even when it is large.
Skillsync tools
These tools require login except auth_status itself.
| Tool | Arguments | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
auth_status | none | Report whether the CLI is logged in and as whom. |
list_skills | limit? | List Skillsync skills available to the account. |
get_skill | slug | Read a skill before installing it. |
install_skill | slug, project?, force? | Install into user or project skill directories. |
upload_skill | skill, public?, project? | Publish a local skill, privately by default. |
The MCP server does not expose session upload, published-thread search, workspace listing, or remote-thread reading tools.
Useful requests
- "Search my local sessions for the relay timeout and read the relevant messages."
- "Find the session where we changed the migration strategy and summarize the decision."
- "List the skills available to me and show the code-review skill before installing it."
- "Install this skill for the current project."
Troubleshooting
Client cannot spawn skl
If the client reports spawn skl ENOENT, replace "skl" with the absolute path returned by which skl or where.exe skl.
No local search results
The session tools default to all directories. Check that the source appears in skl list, remove an incorrect cwd or from filter, and try the same pattern with skl query.
Skills tools fail
Run skl whoami. If needed, run skl login again and ask the client to call auth_status.
Protocol output is corrupted
skl mcp reserves stdout for JSON-RPC. Configure the client to run the command directly rather than wrapping it in a shell script that prints banners or debug output.