MCP in 30 Seconds: Expert Skills in Claude Code

Three steps. One config block. Then you have 1,000+ expert skills available inside Claude Code.

Step 1: Get Your API Key

Go to supaskills.ai/signup and create a free account. Navigate to API Keys in your dashboard. Generate a key. It starts with sk_supa_.

Copy it. You will need it once.

Step 2: Add the MCP Config

Open your Claude Code settings and add the SupaSkills MCP server:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "supaskills": {
      "url": "https://www.supaskills.ai/api/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer sk_supa_YOUR_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Replace sk_supa_YOUR_KEY with your actual key. Save the file. That is the entire setup.

Step 3: Use It

Start Claude Code. The MCP connection gives you five tools:

• search_skills — Find skills by topic, domain, or use case
• load_skill — Activate a skill into your session
• load_powerpack — Load a curated bundle of skills for a workflow
• list_categories — Browse the full taxonomy
• suggest_skill — Request a skill that does not exist yet

Example: Loading a Skill

Ask Claude Code to search for a skill:

Search for contract review skills

Claude Code calls search_skills and returns matches. Pick one:

Load the contract-review skill

Claude Code calls load_skill. The skill is now active in your session. From this point, every question you ask about contract review benefits from expert-level domain knowledge — evaluation frameworks, risk flags, clause-specific analysis patterns, and guardrails that prevent common oversights.

Before vs. After

Without a skill loaded:

> Review this vendor contract for risks

Generic summary. Lists obvious terms like payment and termination.
Misses auto-renewal traps, IP assignment creep, and
jurisdiction-specific issues.

With the right skill loaded:

> Review this vendor contract for risks

Structured risk assessment. Flags auto-renewal in section 14.3,
identifies missing liability cap for consequential damages,
notes non-standard IP assignment language in section 9.2,
and suggests three specific negotiation points.

Same model. Same prompt. Different depth — because the skill provides the domain-specific framework that shapes the analysis.

The REST API Alternative

If you prefer direct HTTP calls or want to integrate SupaSkills into your own tooling, the REST API works the same way:

# Search for skills
curl https://www.supaskills.ai/api/v1/skills/search?q=contract+review \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_supa_YOUR_KEY"

# Load a specific skill by slug
curl https://www.supaskills.ai/api/v1/skills/contract-review-specialist \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_supa_YOUR_KEY"

The response includes the full skill prompt, metadata, sources, and score. Use it however you want — paste it into a system prompt, feed it to another tool, or build it into your workflow.

PowerPacks: Loading Skill Bundles

Some workflows need more than one skill. A security audit involves architecture review, code scanning, and compliance checking. Loading three skills one at a time works. Loading a PowerPack is faster.

Load the security-audit powerpack

PowerPacks are curated bundles of skills designed to work together. One command loads the full set. Currently 19 PowerPacks are available, covering workflows like security audits, SaaS metrics analysis, contract review pipelines, and full-stack architecture review.

The CLAUDE.md Template Approach

For teams that want skills baked into their project setup, SupaSkills provides a CLAUDE.md template. Add it to your repository root and Claude Code picks it up automatically on every session.

The template points Claude Code at the MCP endpoint and pre-loads skills relevant to your stack. Your team gets consistent, expert-level assistance without each developer configuring anything individually.

Here is what the relevant section of a CLAUDE.md looks like:

## MCP Servers

This project uses SupaSkills for domain-specific AI skills.
MCP endpoint: https://www.supaskills.ai/api/mcp
Recommended skills: code-review-expert, testing-strategy-architect

Download the full template from your dashboard or at supaskills.ai/docs.

What You Get on Free

The free tier includes 3 active skill slots, 2 loads per minute, and access to all Gold-tier skills and below. That covers the majority of the catalog.

For Platinum-tier skills and higher slot counts, Pro and Max plans are available. But start free. Three slots is enough to see the difference.

Quick Reference

| Action | MCP Tool | REST Endpoint | |--------|----------|---------------| | Search | search_skills | GET /api/v1/skills/search?q=... | | Load | load_skill | GET /api/v1/skills/{slug} | | PowerPack | load_powerpack | GET /api/v1/powerpacks/{slug} | | Categories | list_categories | GET /api/v1/categories | | Suggest | suggest_skill | POST /api/v1/skills/suggest | | Activations | — | GET /api/v1/me/activations |

Setup takes 30 seconds. The difference shows up on the first question you ask.