This skill enables Claude to discover, analyze, and execute MCP server capabilities without polluting the main context window. Perfect for context-efficient MCP integration using subagent-based architecture.

Features

Multi-Server Management: Connect to multiple MCP servers from single config
Intelligent Tool Discovery: Analyze which tools are relevant for specific tasks
Progressive Disclosure: Load only necessary tool definitions
Execution Engine: Call MCP tools with proper parameter handling
Context Efficiency: Delegate MCP operations to mcp-manager subagent

Quick Start

1. Install Dependencies

cd .claude/skills/mcp-management/scripts
npm install

2. Configure MCP Servers

Create .claude/.mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "memory": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-memory"]
    },
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/allowed/path"]
    }
  }
}

See .claude/.mcp.json.example for more examples.

3. Test Connection

cd .claude/skills/mcp-management/scripts
npx ts-node cli.ts list-tools

Usage Patterns

Pattern 1: Discover Available Tools

npx ts-node scripts/cli.ts list-tools
npx ts-node scripts/cli.ts list-prompts
npx ts-node scripts/cli.ts list-resources

Pattern 2: LLM-Driven Tool Selection

The LLM reads assets/tools.json and intelligently selects tools. No separate analysis command needed - the LLM's understanding of context and intent is superior to keyword matching.

Pattern 3: Execute MCP Tools

npx ts-node scripts/cli.ts call-tool memory add '{"key":"name","value":"Alice"}'

Pattern 4: Use with Subagent

In main Claude conversation:

User: "I need to search the web and save results"
Main Agent: [Spawns mcp-manager subagent]
mcp-manager: Discovers brave-search + memory tools, reports back
Main Agent: Uses recommended tools for implementation

Architecture

Main Agent (Claude)
    ↓ (delegates MCP tasks)
mcp-manager Subagent
    ↓ (uses skill)
mcp-management Skill
    ↓ (connects via)
MCP Servers (memory, filesystem, etc.)

Benefits:

Main agent context stays clean
MCP discovery happens in isolated subagent context
Only relevant tool definitions loaded when needed
Reduced token usage

File Structure

mcp-management/
├── SKILL.md                    # Skill definition
├── README.md                   # This file
├── scripts/
│   ├── mcp-client.ts          # Core MCP client manager
│   ├── analyze-tools.ts       # Intelligent tool selection
│   ├── cli.ts                 # Command-line interface
│   ├── package.json           # Dependencies
│   ├── tsconfig.json          # TypeScript config
│   └── .env.example           # Environment template
└── references/
    ├── mcp-protocol.md        # MCP protocol reference
    └── configuration.md       # Config guide

Scripts Reference

mcp-client.ts

Core client manager class:

Load config from .claude/.mcp.json
Connect to multiple MCP servers
List/execute tools, prompts, resources
Lifecycle management

cli.ts

Command-line interface:

list-tools - Show all tools and save to assets/tools.json
list-prompts - Show all prompts
list-resources - Show all resources
call-tool <server> <tool> <json> - Execute tool

Note: Tool analysis is performed by the LLM reading assets/tools.json, which provides better context understanding than algorithmic matching.

Configuration

Environment Variables

Scripts check for variables in this order:

process.env (runtime)
.claude/skills/mcp-management/.env
.claude/skills/.env
.claude/.env

MCP Config Format

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "server-name": {
      "command": "executable",          // Required
      "args": ["arg1", "arg2"],        // Required
      "env": {                          // Optional
        "VAR": "value",
        "API_KEY": "${ENV_VAR}"        // Reference env vars
      }
    }
  }
}

Common MCP Servers

Install with npx:

@modelcontextprotocol/server-memory - Key-value storage
@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem - File operations
@modelcontextprotocol/server-brave-search - Web search
@modelcontextprotocol/server-puppeteer - Browser automation
@modelcontextprotocol/server-fetch - HTTP requests

Integration with mcp-manager Agent

The mcp-manager agent (.claude/agents/mcp-manager.md) uses this skill to:

Discover: Connect to MCP servers, list capabilities
Analyze: Filter relevant tools for tasks
Execute: Call MCP tools on behalf of main agent
Report: Send concise results back to main agent

This architecture keeps main context clean and enables efficient MCP integration.

Troubleshooting

"Config not found"

Ensure .claude/.mcp.json exists and is valid JSON.

"Server connection failed"

Check:

Server command is installed (npx packages installed?)
Server args are correct
Environment variables are set

"Tool not found"

List available tools first:

npx ts-node scripts/cli.ts list-tools

Resources

License

MIT