mcp-cli
Interface for MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers via CLI. Use when you need to interact with external tools, APIs, or data sources through MCP servers, list available MCP servers/tools, or call MCP tools from command line.
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Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --skill mcp-cli- 01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
- 02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads mcp-cli automatically when relevant.
- 03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.
Security audits
Independent scans of the skill's instructions and bundled files.
SKILL.md
The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.
MCP-CLI
Access MCP servers through the command line. MCP enables interaction with external systems like GitHub, filesystems, databases, and APIs.
Commands
| Command | Output |
|---|---|
mcp-cli | List all servers and tool names |
mcp-cli <server> | Show tools with parameters |
mcp-cli <server>/<tool> | Get tool JSON schema |
mcp-cli <server>/<tool> '<json>' | Call tool with arguments |
mcp-cli grep "<glob>" | Search tools by name |
Add -d to include descriptions (e.g., mcp-cli filesystem -d)
Workflow
- Discover:
mcp-cli→ see available servers and tools - Explore:
mcp-cli <server>→ see tools with parameters - Inspect:
mcp-cli <server>/<tool>→ get full JSON input schema - Execute:
mcp-cli <server>/<tool> '<json>'→ run with arguments
Examples
# List all servers and tool names
mcp-cli
# See all tools with parameters
mcp-cli filesystem
# With descriptions (more verbose)
mcp-cli filesystem -d
# Get JSON schema for specific tool
mcp-cli filesystem/read_file
# Call the tool
mcp-cli filesystem/read_file '{"path": "./README.md"}'
# Search for tools
mcp-cli grep "*file*"
# JSON output for parsing
mcp-cli filesystem/read_file '{"path": "./README.md"}' --json
# Complex JSON with quotes (use heredoc or stdin)
mcp-cli server/tool <<EOF
{"content": "Text with 'quotes' inside"}
EOF
# Or pipe from a file/command
cat args.json | mcp-cli server/tool
# Find all TypeScript files and read the first one
mcp-cli filesystem/search_files '{"path": "src/", "pattern": "*.ts"}' --json | jq -r '.content[0].text' | head -1 | xargs -I {} sh -c 'mcp-cli filesystem/read_file "{\"path\": \"{}\"}"'
Options
| Flag | Purpose |
|---|---|
-j, --json | JSON output for scripting |
-r, --raw | Raw text content |
-d | Include descriptions |
Exit Codes
0: Success1: Client error (bad args, missing config)2: Server error (tool failed)3: Network error
FAQ
What does the mcp-cli skill do?
Interface for MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers via CLI. Use when you need to interact with external tools, APIs, or data sources through MCP servers, list available MCP servers/tools, or call MCP tools from command line.
How do I install mcp-cli?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --skill mcp-cli in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/mcp-cli/ (personal) or .claude/skills/mcp-cli/ (project).
Which AI agents can use mcp-cli?
Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.
Is mcp-cli safe to install?
Security partners have reviewed it: Gen Agent Trust Hub passed; Socket passed; Snyk passed; Runlayer passed; ZeroLeaks passed. As with any skill, read the SKILL.md and bundled scripts before installing.
Who maintains mcp-cli?
It is published by github in github/awesome-copilot, and it is an official skill from the maker of the technology it covers. It has 9,652 recorded installs.
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