# tiger-skills

MCP server that adds skills to an agent — modular packages with instructions, scripts and references for specific tasks. Loads skills from local directories or GitHub repositories.

- MCP server · `type=mcp` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf (Devin Desktop), Cline, Zed, Gemini CLI · ★ 7
- Author: timescale
- License: Apache-2.0 · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/timescale/tiger-skills-mcp-server
- Updated: 2026-10-01
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/tiger-skills

## What it does

The server implements Anthropic's skill format for any MCP-compatible IDE. A skill is a directory with a `SKILL.md` file describing the workflow, and optionally scripts in `scripts/`, reference docs in `references/`, and templates in `assets/`. The agent sees metadata for all skills, loads instructions when triggered, and reads or runs bundled files as needed.

Configuration is done via a `skills.yaml` file, where each skill is specified as a local directory (`type: local`) or a GitHub repository (`type: github` for a single skill, `github_collection` for a set). GitHub skills require a `GITHUB_TOKEN` environment variable. You can disable individual skills via `disabled_skills` or keep only selected ones via `enabled_skills`.

The server caches loaded skills for 5 minutes (override with `SKILLS_TTL`). Skill names must be unique: duplicates are ignored with a warning.

## Requirements
- Needs: Node.js (commands run via npx)
- Environment variables: `GITHUB_TOKEN`, `SKILLS_FILE` — keys and tokens: ask the human for the values, never commit them or put them in shared files.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

**Platform CLI**
```bash
claude mcp add --env GITHUB_TOKEN=<GITHUB_TOKEN> --env SKILLS_FILE=<SKILLS_FILE> --transport stdio tiger-skills -- npx -y @tigerdata/tiger-skills-mcp-server
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Codex

**Platform CLI**
```bash
codex mcp add tiger-skills --env GITHUB_TOKEN=<GITHUB_TOKEN> --env SKILLS_FILE=<SKILLS_FILE> -- npx -y @tigerdata/tiger-skills-mcp-server
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Cursor

**Config file**
File `.cursor/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "tiger-skills": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "@tigerdata/tiger-skills-mcp-server"
            ],
            "env": {
                "GITHUB_TOKEN": "<GITHUB_TOKEN>",
                "SKILLS_FILE": "<SKILLS_FILE>"
            }
        }
    }
}
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### GitHub Copilot

**Config file**
File `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "servers": {
        "tiger-skills": {
            "type": "stdio",
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "@tigerdata/tiger-skills-mcp-server"
            ],
            "env": {
                "GITHUB_TOKEN": "<GITHUB_TOKEN>",
                "SKILLS_FILE": "<SKILLS_FILE>"
            }
        }
    }
}
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Gemini CLI

**Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini mcp add -e GITHUB_TOKEN=<GITHUB_TOKEN> -e SKILLS_FILE=<SKILLS_FILE> tiger-skills npx -y @tigerdata/tiger-skills-mcp-server
```
Replace <…> with your own values

## When to use it
- load a set of specialized instructions for the agent from a local directory or GitHub
- add a skill with ready-made scripts the agent runs without rewriting
- keep reference documentation and schemas in separate files, loading them only when needed
- reuse Anthropic skills in any IDE with MCP support
- configure which skills from a collection are enabled and which are disabled

## Example prompts
- Show the list of available skills and their descriptions
- Load the `financial-models` skill and build a revenue forecast using the template from `references/finance.md`
- Run the `scripts/rotate_pdf.py` script to rotate pages in `report.pdf`

## Similar
- [Tiger MCP](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/tiger-mcp.md) — MCP server · ★ 127
- [mcp-me](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/mcp-me.md) — MCP server · ★ 21
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- [Open Source Release Checklist Builder (YAML)](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/prompts/open-source-release-checklist-builder-yaml.md) — prompt · ★ 174676

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NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md