Derive vs Skillmd
A side-by-side look at the Derive and Skillmd MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Derive for developer tools work as a local process; choose Skillmd for developer tools as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Derive when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You have the keys it needs:
DERIVE_SERVER, DERIVE_TOKEN. - You want tools like
list_workspaces, list_artifacts, search.
Choose Skillmd when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You want tools like
skillmd_search, skillmd_get, skillmd_install.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Developer Tools | Developer Tools |
| Quality signal | 64/100 · Good | 67/100 · Great |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | Not declared | Not declared |
| Pricing | Not declared | Not declared |
| Required env vars | DERIVE_SERVERDERIVE_TOKEN | None listed |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 30 | 190 |
| Directory activity | 0 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 8 | 7 |
| Full listing | View Derive | View Skillmd |
Tools & capabilities
Derive tools 8
list_workspacesList every workspace signed in on this machine you can act in — id, name, your role, local description, and which is active. One login reaches them all; pass a workspace's id or name as the `workspace` argument to list_artifacts / read / catch_up / comment / publish to act there for that call.list_artifactsList the artifacts in your workspace — short id, title, kind, current version, access, and browse `tags`. Defaults to this session's workspace; pass `workspace` (id or name from list_workspaces) to list another. Pass `tag` to list only artifacts carrying that tag (organize shows the vocabulary). Start here to find what to work on, then catch_up or read it.searchFind text within ONE artifact, or across a WORKSPACE — same tool, same behavior as the remote MCP server's `search`. Pass short_id to grep one artifact: matching lines with line numbers (and optional context), ripgrep-style, so you can then `read` a narrow `lines` range or `edit` that spot. Omit short_id to search across the workspace — the artifacts you can see, ranked by relevance and grouped by artifact — find WHICH doc has something before opening it. Searches the exact source by default (in:'text' searches the visible text instead). The query is matched literally (metacharacters are not special).readRead an artifact's CONTENT by short id, as Markdown by default (HTML is converted). Omit `section` to see the outline first (heading slugs for a single-file doc, page paths for a bundle) — call again with a `section` (or "*" for the full document) once you know what you want. Pass `format:'html'` for the exact source (needed before publish `edits`), or a past `version` for history. Also accepts derive://guide, /connect, or /compatibility so the onboarding strings in server instructions work even when MCP resources do not. For what CHANGED or the comment threads, use catch_up instead.catch_upSTART HERE on an artifact. Its state in one call: a summary, the review round, the versions since `since_version`, the open (and outdated) comment threads, and the full version history. Pass `comments` (open / addressed / resolved / outdated) to instead get that filtered thread list — your feedback queue. Pass `response_format='detailed'` (optionally with `since_version`/`to_version`) to fold in a line diff between two versions — of their readable Markdown form, not raw HTML. WAITING ON A REVIEW? Pass `wait` (seconds, max 50) to block until the human sends back — chain these instead of sleeping between polls.commentLeave feedback, reply in a thread, react, and/or resolve or reopen a thread. Anchor a NEW comment to text with `quote`, or to a linked-bundle loop/graph part with `visual_target`. Reply by passing the thread id as `reply_to`.organizeTags and collections in one tool — the library's findability layer. • READ (no `short_ids`): the workspace's tag vocabulary (tag → count) and its collections. Call this before tagging to reuse an existing tag over a near-duplicate. • READ (with `short_ids`): those artifacts' current tags + collections, plus `suggested` tags drawn from the most semantically-similar docs (when one id is given). • WRITE: pass `add`/`remove`/`set` to change tags, `collection` to file artifacts, or `state:'archived'`/`'live'` to archive and restore. Each artifact is authorized on its own; ones you can't touch are skipped. Tag freely and reuse the vocabulary — a well-tagged library is findable. Collections are heavier: a tag for plain findability, a collection when a set is a real unit.publishPublish a single-file artifact and get a permanent URL, versions, and feedback (a chat-local artifact has none of these). OMIT short_id to create a NEW artifact (title recommended); PASS short_id to publish a new version (same URL). Provide the body as `content_path` (a local file this server reads and uploads — preferred, zero tokens) or `content` (inline text). To CHANGE PART of an existing artifact, prefer `edits` (exact-match search/replace against the stored source — read format:'html' first) over resending everything. Pass `addresses` with the thread ids this revision resolves. (Multi-page bundles are published via the web app or the remote /mcp server.) FULLY-STYLED HTML renders as-authored (own <style>/scripts/fonts) in the sandboxed viewer — declare your own <meta name="viewport"> to skip the mobile-reflow injection, and self-host binaries via POST /v1/assets (images and woff2 fonts) instead of inlining base64.
Skillmd tools 7
skillmd_searchSearch the SkillMD registry of Agent Skills (SKILL.md files) by task, name or keywords. Returns matching skills with their owner/name slug, description, category, safety verdict and install snippet, best match first.skillmd_getFetch one skill by owner/name slug, including its SKILL.md body, provenance (source repo and pinned commit), license, safety verdict and capability flags.skillmd_installInstall a skill by owner/name slug: validates it, then writes one canonical copy (.agents/skills/<name>) and links it into the chosen agents' skill directories. Never executes scripts. The response reports the skill's capability flags (docs_only, network_calls, executes_scripts, reads_secrets) as information.skillmd_trendingTop skills on the SkillMD leaderboard, ranked by installs, saves and ratings, optionally within one category and time window.skillmd_recommendRecommend skills. With based_on set to a skill's owner/name slug, returns the top skills in that skill's category (excluding itself); without it, returns what is trending over the last 30 days.skillmd_list_savedList the signed-in user's saved skills. Requires the SKILLMD_TOKEN environment variable (a SkillMD personal access token).skillmd_lintValidate a SKILL.md against the SkillMD format and return diagnostics, capability flags and a 0-100 quality score. Pass raw SKILL.md content, or a registry slug (owner/name) to fetch and lint that skill.
Ready-to-paste client configs
Paste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
Derive
{
"mcpServers": {
"derive": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@derive-to/mcp"
],
"env": {
"DERIVE_SERVER": "YOUR_DERIVE_SERVER_HERE",
"DERIVE_TOKEN": "YOUR_DERIVE_TOKEN_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Skillmd
{
"mcpServers": {
"skillmd": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"skillmds"
]
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Derive is categorized under Developer Tools and uses a local stdio subprocess. Skillmd belongs to Developer Tools and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Derive for developer tools work and Skillmd for developer tools.
Copy the mcpServers block from the config section on this page into your client's config (for example claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json), then fully restart the client.
Derive has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. Skillmd has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. If a server needs environment variables such as API keys, define them under the env key in your client's MCP config.
Yes. MCP clients support multiple servers: add derive and skillmd as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Derive has a quality signal of 64/100 (Good) with 0 views, 0 installs and 30 GitHub stars. Skillmd has 67/100 (Great) with 1 views, 0 installs and 190 GitHub stars.