# back1ply/agent-skill-loader [Health: Active]

**Category:** 🤖 Coding Agents  
**Repository:** https://github.com/back1ply/agent-skill-loader  
**GitHub Stars:** 15  
**npm Downloads (last month):** 248  
**Views:** 3  
**Installs:** 0  
**Upvotes:** 0  
**Directory Page:** https://allmcps.com/mcp/back1ply-agent-skill-loader

## Description
Dynamically load Claude Code skills into AI agents without copying files. Discover, read, and install skills on demand.

## Tools
Capabilities this server exposes over MCP:

- **query**
- **target_path**

## Claude Desktop Quick Installation
Install path detected from listing signals. Uses `npx` (confidence: high):

```json
"mcpServers": {
  "agent-skill-loader": {
    "command": "npx",
    "args": ["-y","agent-skill-loader"],
    "env": {
      "MCP_SKILL_PATHS": "",
      "MCP_WORKSPACE_ROOT": "",
      "MCP_NO_WATCH": ""
    }
  }
}
```

**Requires environment variables:** `MCP_SKILL_PATHS`, `MCP_WORKSPACE_ROOT`, `MCP_NO_WATCH` — the values above are empty placeholders; fill in real credentials before running (see the repository for what each one is for).

## Documentation

## What back1ply/agent-skill-loader MCP server does

The back1ply/agent-skill-loader MCP server connects a collection of Claude Code skills with MCP clients such as Claude Desktop and Cursor. It discovers skill folders containing `SKILL.md` files, extracts their available descriptions, and exposes the results for agent use. Agents can locate a relevant skill, load its markdown instructions, and optionally copy the skill into the current project.

Skills can be presented as MCP Prompts, which allows clients that support prompts to show them as slash commands. They are also available through programmatic MCP operations. This makes the server suitable for shared skill directories where agents should choose instructions at runtime rather than receive a manually maintained copy.

## How it works

At startup, the server combines its standard Claude plugin cache location with paths from configuration. It can also read additional locations from `skill-paths.json` in the workspace. The effective paths are scanned for skills, and an optional search query can filter the discovered results by name or description.

After finding a skill, an agent can retrieve the contents of its `SKILL.md`. Installation copies the selected skill folder into `.agent/skills/<name>`. The destination must remain inside the current workspace, providing a path boundary for this operation. Search paths can be added, removed, or listed while the server is running.

A file watcher monitors configured directories by default. When skills are added or removed, the server sends a list-change notification so supporting clients can refresh their available prompts. Set `MCP_NO_WATCH=1` when file watching is unsuitable, such as in a CI environment.

## Setup and configuration

Node.js 18 or newer is required. The documented npm setup installs the package globally:

```bash
npm install -g agent-skill-loader
```

Register the `agent-skill-loader` command in the MCP client's configuration. Alternatively, clone the repository, install its dependencies, and run its build process; the resulting `build/index.js` can be launched with Node.js.

Configuration accepts `MCP_SKILL_PATHS`, which can contain a JSON array or a semicolon- or comma-separated list of extra skill directories. `MCP_WORKSPACE_ROOT` overrides automatic workspace detection. The default search location is `%USERPROFILE%\\.claude\\plugins\\cache`, and runtime path changes are stored in `skill-paths.json`.

## Tools and capabilities

Discovery supports an optional case-insensitive substring filter. Diagnostic output reports the workspace root, configured paths, whether each path exists and is readable, discovered skill count, and scan warnings.

The README additionally describes operations named `list_skills`, `read_skill`, `install_skill`, `manage_search_paths`, and `debug_info`; verify the names exposed by the version you deploy before writing client-side tool calls.

## Limitations and notes

Prompt-based use depends on the MCP client supporting MCP Prompts. Installation is restricted to the active workspace, and invalid or unreadable search paths are reported as warnings rather than silently treated as valid sources.

The project is distributed under the MIT license and does not document an API key or external paid service requirement. Its npm package requires Node.js 18 or later. The back1ply/agent-skill-loader MCP server can disable watching, but the material does not describe a separate remote-hosted deployment mode.

_Full upstream README: https://allmcps.com/mcp/back1ply-agent-skill-loader/readme_