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Posted on Originally published at skillgild.dev

Cursor MCP setup for agent skills

#ai #cursor #devtools #tutorial

To connect SkillGild to Cursor, install and sign in to the SkillGild CLI, then register its absolute executable path in Cursor's mcp.json as a local stdio server. An optional skill wrapper in ~/.cursor/skills/ helps the agent recognize when to use a hosted workflow.

Choose a project or personal connection

Cursor supports .cursor/mcp.json inside a project and ~/.cursor/mcp.json for your personal setup. Project configuration takes precedence when the same server name appears in both. The official Cursor MCP guide explains configuration, tool approvals and logs.

Use personal configuration if you want the connection available across projects. Use project configuration when the team needs the same server definition. Each teammate still signs in on their own machine; the configuration below contains no account credential.

Connect SkillGild to Cursor

1. Install the CLI and approve your device

Follow Install the CLI. The current method uses Go 1.26 or later and the SkillGild source checkout. Then run:

skillgild login
skillgild status
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Confirm the browser's device code. The CLI stores its credential in the operating system's credential store, which the MCP process uses.

2. Find the executable path

On macOS or Linux:

command -v skillgild
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On Windows, use where.exe skillgild. Use the resulting absolute path because an application launched outside the terminal may have a different PATH.

3. Add the MCP configuration

Open your chosen mcp.json. Merge the skillgild entry into its existing mcpServers object so other connections stay intact. Replace the placeholder command with your executable's absolute path:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "skillgild": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "/absolute/path/to/skillgild",
      "args": ["mcp"]
    }
  }
}
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An annotated mcp.json entry: type stdio marks a local process, command holds the absolute executable path and args starts the MCP bridge. No API key appears in the file.

On Windows, use forward slashes or escaped backslashes in JSON paths. Save the file and restart Cursor. Inspect the connection in its MCP controls; the current interface exposes MCPs through Customize. Follow your configured tool approval policy when starting a workflow.

4. Install an optional Cursor skill wrapper 

skillgild install logo-design --agent cursor
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The CLI writes ~/.cursor/skills/logo-design/SKILL.md. Cursor's skills documentation explains local skill discovery. The wrapper identifies the workflow and how to call it; it requires the MCP connection for hosted tools.

5. Ask Agent to use a skill 

Use the SkillGild Logo Design skill for a fictional cycling club called
North Loop. Start with three geometric concepts. Check one-color use
and small sizes, and show the proposed files before finalizing them.
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For a hybrid skill, the agent starts a session, receives its instructions, calls the declared hosted tools where needed and closes the session. For a prompt skill, it calls skillgild_run_skill. Inspect the Logo Design listing for current inputs and access.

If Cursor cannot connect to the MCP server

Symptom Check
Server executable cannot be found Use the actual absolute path; test skillgild status in a terminal
Configuration is not recognized Validate the JSON, its mcpServers object and the correct project/user file
The wrong server definition is used Look for the same name in project and user configuration
Server appears but hosted calls fail Check the CLI's account connection, then inspect the returned error
No tool is called for your task Ask explicitly for the installed skill and review the available/enabled tools

For server logs, open Cursor's Output panel and select MCP Logs. A local wrapper appearing in the skill list does not confirm that the server is connected. See SkillGild's agent error handling for access and quota failures.

These configuration details were checked against Cursor documentation and the SkillGild CLI. An authenticated task still depends on your account approval and local environment.

Choose a workflow or another client

Browse hosted agent skills, compare skills and MCP, or follow the Claude Code and Codex CLI guides. The Claude Code install guide connects these setup routes.

Originally published at skillgild.dev.

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