mcp-patterns
Model Context Protocol (MCP) server patterns for building integrations with Claude Code. Triggers on: mcp server, model context protocol, tool handler, mcp resource, mcp tool.
82
75%
Does it follow best practices?
Impact
97%
2.15xAverage score across 3 eval scenarios
Passed
No known issues
Optimize this skill with Tessl
npx tessl skill review --optimize ./data/skills-md/0xdarkmatter/claude-mods/mcp-patterns/SKILL.mdQuality
Discovery
62%Based on the skill's description, can an agent find and select it at the right time? Clear, specific descriptions lead to better discovery.
The description has strong trigger terms and clear distinctiveness for MCP server development, but lacks specificity about what concrete actions the skill enables. The absence of an explicit 'Use when...' clause and the vague 'patterns for building integrations' language weaken its completeness and specificity.
Suggestions
Replace 'patterns for building integrations' with specific concrete actions like 'Create MCP tool handlers, define resources and prompts, implement server transports, and configure server registration in Claude Code'.
Add an explicit 'Use when...' clause, e.g., 'Use when the user wants to build an MCP server, create custom tools for Claude Code, or implement Model Context Protocol integrations.'
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Specificity | The description says 'patterns for building integrations' which is vague. It does not list concrete actions like 'create tool handlers', 'define resources', or 'implement server endpoints'. The phrase 'patterns for building integrations' is abstract. | 1 / 3 |
Completeness | The 'what' is weakly stated ('patterns for building integrations'), and while trigger terms are listed, there is no explicit 'Use when...' clause explaining when Claude should select this skill. The trigger list partially compensates but doesn't fully replace an explicit when clause. | 2 / 3 |
Trigger Term Quality | Includes good natural trigger terms: 'mcp server', 'model context protocol', 'tool handler', 'mcp resource', 'mcp tool'. These are terms users would naturally use when asking about MCP development. | 3 / 3 |
Distinctiveness Conflict Risk | MCP server development is a clear, specific niche. The trigger terms like 'mcp server', 'model context protocol', 'mcp tool', and 'mcp resource' are highly distinctive and unlikely to conflict with other skills. | 3 / 3 |
Total | 9 / 12 Passed |
Implementation
87%Reviews the quality of instructions and guidance provided to agents. Good implementation is clear, handles edge cases, and produces reliable results.
This is a well-structured MCP skill with strong conciseness, actionability, and progressive disclosure. The main weakness is the lack of an explicit workflow sequence with validation steps for the end-to-end process of building, testing, and deploying an MCP server. The reference table and troubleshooting sections are particularly effective.
Suggestions
Add a numbered workflow section (e.g., '## Getting Started Workflow') with explicit steps: create server → test locally → validate tool listing → configure Claude Desktop → verify integration, including validation checkpoints at each stage.
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Conciseness | The content is lean and efficient. It doesn't explain what MCP is conceptually or waste tokens on things Claude already knows. Every section provides concrete, useful information without padding. | 3 / 3 |
Actionability | The basic server example is fully executable and copy-paste ready. Configuration examples are concrete JSON. The project layout, common issues table, and troubleshooting guidance are all specific and actionable. | 3 / 3 |
Workflow Clarity | While the content provides clear patterns and a project layout, there's no explicit workflow sequence for building and testing an MCP server. There are no validation checkpoints—e.g., no step saying 'test the server responds' before configuring Claude Desktop. For a multi-step process like building an MCP integration, this is a gap. | 2 / 3 |
Progressive Disclosure | Excellent progressive disclosure with a concise overview in the main file and clearly signaled one-level-deep references to detailed pattern files (tool-patterns.md, resource-patterns.md, etc.). The quick reference table maps use cases to specific reference files. | 3 / 3 |
Total | 11 / 12 Passed |
Validation
90%Checks the skill against the spec for correct structure and formatting. All validation checks must pass before discovery and implementation can be scored.
Validation — 10 / 11 Passed
Validation for skill structure
| Criteria | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|
frontmatter_unknown_keys | Unknown frontmatter key(s) found; consider removing or moving to metadata | Warning |
Total | 10 / 11 Passed | |
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