# setup-serena-mcp

Step-by-step assistant workflow to configure the Serena MCP server for semantic code exploration and symbol editing.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 1200 installs · ★ 1787
- Author: NeoLabHQ
- License: GPL-3.0 · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit/tree/HEAD/skills/setup-serena-mcp/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-08-26
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/setup-serena-mcp

## What it does

The skill guides the assistant through integrating Serena into your development environment. It determines where settings should live: a shared team file, a private untracked file, or a global user profile. It also checks if tools like symbol search respond before altering files.

You need the `uv` package manager installed beforehand, or the setup will stall immediately. The script pulls documentation, configures client parameters, kicks off repository indexing, and asks for a session restart via `claude --continue`. Once connected, it writes strict guidelines into `CLAUDE.md` so the agent relies on symbol indexing instead of plain text searches.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill setup-serena-mcp -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/setup-serena-mcp/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/setup-serena-mcp/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill setup-serena-mcp -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/setup-serena-mcp/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill setup-serena-mcp -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/setup-serena-mcp/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit setup-serena-mcp
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/setup-serena-mcp/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill setup-serena-mcp -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --path skills/setup-serena-mcp
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/setup-serena-mcp/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill setup-serena-mcp -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit/tree/HEAD/skills/setup-serena-mcp/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- configure the Serena MCP server for code search
- set up symbol navigation instructions in `CLAUDE.md`
- verify prerequisite tools before server initialization
- initialize codebase indexing for semantic retrieval

## Example prompts
- Set up Serena MCP for this repository
- Guide me through configuring Serena MCP tools
- Check Serena availability and update CLAUDE.md

## Similar
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- [Serena MCP: the IDE for your agent](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/serena-mcp-the-ide-for-your-agent.md) — MCP server · ★ 30677
- [ast-grep-outline](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/ast-grep-outline.md) — skill · 2400 installs
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From the same set: [neolabhq/context-engineering-kit](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/neolabhq/context-engineering-kit.md) — 64 cards

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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