Agent skill

Kegg Database

by davila7 in davila7/claude-code-templates

Direct REST API access to KEGG (academic use only). An agent skill from davila7/claude-code-templates.

MITAuto-check passedBackend & APIs

Install Kegg Database

skills CLI
$ npx skills add davila7/claude-code-templates --skill kegg-database -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install davila7/claude-code-templates kegg-database --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/davila7/claude-code-templates.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/cli-tool/components/skills/scientific/kegg-database .claude/skills/kegg-database && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
kegg-database
GitHub stars
32k
Used in
10 other repos
Token cost
~2.9k tokens
SKILL.md length
779 words
Files
3 (incl. scripts, references)
Skills in repo
477
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

Direct REST API access to KEGG (academic use only). An agent skill from davila7/claude-code-templates.

  • Works in 7 steps: Database Information (kegg_info) → Listing Entries (kegg_list) → Searching (kegg_find) → …
  • Tasks that involve REST APIs
  • SKILL.md covers Overview, When to Use This Skill, Quick Start and Core Operations, plus 7 more sections
  • Runs Python scripts from its folder

What it does

Kegg Database is an agent skill from davila7/claude-code-templates. Direct REST API access to KEGG (academic use only). Pathway analysis, gene-pathway mapping, metabolic pathways, drug interactions, ID conversion. For Python workflows with multiple databases, prefer bioservices. Use this for direct HTTP/REST work or KEGG-specific control.

Its SKILL.md is about 2.9k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 4 other files, including scripts and reference files (for example `references/kegg_reference.md` and `scripts/kegg_api.py`).

It sits in Backend & APIs, covering REST APIs. It works with Python. The repository describes itself as: CLI tool for configuring and monitoring Claude Code. The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • Tasks that involve REST APIs

Example prompts

  • “/kegg-database”

Requirements

  • Python 3

Workflow steps

7 steps, taken from the step headings in SKILL.md.

  1. Database Information (kegg_info)
  2. Listing Entries (kegg_list)
  3. Searching (kegg_find)
  4. Retrieving Entries (kegg_get)
  5. ID Conversion (kegg_conv)
  6. Cross-Referencing (kegg_link)
  7. Drug-Drug Interactions (kegg_ddi)

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 14680ec. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    Ships 1 file in scripts/ (Python), which the agent can run.

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    Links to these hosts (documentation or services it may open):

    • kegg.jp

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Kegg Database loads about 2.9k tokens when it runs, and up to ~5.6k if it reads all its reference files. Until then it costs about 72 tokens; SKILL.md has 779 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~72
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~2.9k
With references · SKILL.md plus every file in references/, read only if the agent opens them
~5.6k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); the scripts in this folder are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from davila7/claude-code-templates at commit 14680ec, republished under its MIT licence (© davila7). 779 words, ~2,914 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/kegg-database/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 2 other files; get the full folder from GitHub.
name
kegg-database
description
Direct REST API access to KEGG (academic use only). Pathway analysis, gene-pathway mapping, metabolic pathways, drug interactions, ID conversion. For Python workflows with multiple databases, prefer bioservices. Use this for direct HTTP/REST work or KEGG-specific control.

KEGG Database

Overview

KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) is a comprehensive bioinformatics resource for biological pathway analysis and molecular interaction networks.

Important: KEGG API is made available only for academic use by academic users.

When to Use This Skill

This skill should be used when querying pathways, genes, compounds, enzymes, diseases, and drugs across multiple organisms using KEGG's REST API.

Quick Start

The skill provides:

  1. Python helper functions (scripts/kegg_api.py) for all KEGG REST API operations
  2. Comprehensive reference documentation (references/kegg_reference.md) with detailed API specifications

When users request KEGG data, determine which operation is needed and use the appropriate function from scripts/kegg_api.py.

Core Operations

1. Database Information (kegg_info)

Retrieve metadata and statistics about KEGG databases.

When to use: Understanding database structure, checking available data, getting release information.

Usage:

python
from scripts.kegg_api import kegg_info

# Get pathway database info
info = kegg_info('pathway')

# Get organism-specific info
hsa_info = kegg_info('hsa')  # Human genome

Common databases: kegg, pathway, module, brite, genes, genome, compound, glycan, reaction, enzyme, disease, drug

2. Listing Entries (kegg_list)

List entry identifiers and names from KEGG databases.

When to use: Getting all pathways for an organism, listing genes, retrieving compound catalogs.

Usage:

python
from scripts.kegg_api import kegg_list

# List all reference pathways
pathways = kegg_list('pathway')

# List human-specific pathways
hsa_pathways = kegg_list('pathway', 'hsa')

# List specific genes (max 10)
genes = kegg_list('hsa:10458+hsa:10459')

Common organism codes: hsa (human), mmu (mouse), dme (fruit fly), sce (yeast), eco (E. coli)

3. Searching (kegg_find)

Search KEGG databases by keywords or molecular properties.

When to use: Finding genes by name/description, searching compounds by formula or mass, discovering entries by keywords.

Usage:

python
from scripts.kegg_api import kegg_find

# Keyword search
results = kegg_find('genes', 'p53')
shiga_toxin = kegg_find('genes', 'shiga toxin')

# Chemical formula search (exact match)
compounds = kegg_find('compound', 'C7H10N4O2', 'formula')

# Molecular weight range search
drugs = kegg_find('drug', '300-310', 'exact_mass')

Search options: formula (exact match), exact_mass (range), mol_weight (range)

4. Retrieving Entries (kegg_get)

Get complete database entries or specific data formats.

When to use: Retrieving pathway details, getting gene/protein sequences, downloading pathway maps, accessing compound structures.

Usage:

python
from scripts.kegg_api import kegg_get

# Get pathway entry
pathway = kegg_get('hsa00010')  # Glycolysis pathway

# Get multiple entries (max 10)
genes = kegg_get(['hsa:10458', 'hsa:10459'])

# Get protein sequence (FASTA)
sequence = kegg_get('hsa:10458', 'aaseq')

# Get nucleotide sequence
nt_seq = kegg_get('hsa:10458', 'ntseq')

# Get compound structure
mol_file = kegg_get('cpd:C00002', 'mol')  # ATP in MOL format

# Get pathway as JSON (single entry only)
pathway_json = kegg_get('hsa05130', 'json')

# Get pathway image (single entry only)
pathway_img = kegg_get('hsa05130', 'image')

Output formats: aaseq (protein FASTA), ntseq (nucleotide FASTA), mol (MOL format), kcf (KCF format), image (PNG), kgml (XML), json (pathway JSON)

Important: Image, KGML, and JSON formats allow only one entry at a time.

5. ID Conversion (kegg_conv)

Convert identifiers between KEGG and external databases.

When to use: Integrating KEGG data with other databases, mapping gene IDs, converting compound identifiers.

Usage:

python
from scripts.kegg_api import kegg_conv

# Convert all human genes to NCBI Gene IDs
conversions = kegg_conv('ncbi-geneid', 'hsa')

# Convert specific gene
gene_id = kegg_conv('ncbi-geneid', 'hsa:10458')

# Convert to UniProt
uniprot_id = kegg_conv('uniprot', 'hsa:10458')

# Convert compounds to PubChem
pubchem_ids = kegg_conv('pubchem', 'compound')

# Reverse conversion (NCBI Gene ID to KEGG)
kegg_id = kegg_conv('hsa', 'ncbi-geneid')

Supported conversions: ncbi-geneid, ncbi-proteinid, uniprot, pubchem, chebi

Find related entries within and between KEGG databases.

When to use: Finding pathways containing genes, getting genes in a pathway, mapping genes to KO groups, finding compounds in pathways.

Usage:

python
from scripts.kegg_api import kegg_link

# Find pathways linked to human genes
pathways = kegg_link('pathway', 'hsa')

# Get genes in a specific pathway
genes = kegg_link('genes', 'hsa00010')  # Glycolysis genes

# Find pathways containing a specific gene
gene_pathways = kegg_link('pathway', 'hsa:10458')

# Find compounds in a pathway
compounds = kegg_link('compound', 'hsa00010')

# Map genes to KO (orthology) groups
ko_groups = kegg_link('ko', 'hsa:10458')

Common links: genes ↔ pathway, pathway ↔ compound, pathway ↔ enzyme, genes ↔ ko (orthology)

7. Drug-Drug Interactions (kegg_ddi)

Check for drug-drug interactions.

When to use: Analyzing drug combinations, checking for contraindications, pharmacological research.

Usage:

python
from scripts.kegg_api import kegg_ddi

# Check single drug
interactions = kegg_ddi('D00001')

# Check multiple drugs (max 10)
interactions = kegg_ddi(['D00001', 'D00002', 'D00003'])

Common Analysis Workflows

Workflow 1: Gene to Pathway Mapping

Use case: Finding pathways associated with genes of interest (e.g., for pathway enrichment analysis).

python
from scripts.kegg_api import kegg_find, kegg_link, kegg_get

# Step 1: Find gene ID by name
gene_results = kegg_find('genes', 'p53')

# Step 2: Link gene to pathways
pathways = kegg_link('pathway', 'hsa:7157')  # TP53 gene

# Step 3: Get detailed pathway information
for pathway_line in pathways.split('\n'):
    if pathway_line:
        pathway_id = pathway_line.split('\t')[1].replace('path:', '')
        pathway_info = kegg_get(pathway_id)
        # Process pathway information
Workflow 2: Pathway Enrichment Context

Use case: Getting all genes in organism pathways for enrichment analysis.

python
from scripts.kegg_api import kegg_list, kegg_link

# Step 1: List all human pathways
pathways = kegg_list('pathway', 'hsa')

# Step 2: For each pathway, get associated genes
for pathway_line in pathways.split('\n'):
    if pathway_line:
        pathway_id = pathway_line.split('\t')[0]
        genes = kegg_link('genes', pathway_id)
        # Process genes for enrichment analysis
Workflow 3: Compound to Pathway Analysis

Use case: Finding metabolic pathways containing compounds of interest.

python
from scripts.kegg_api import kegg_find, kegg_link, kegg_get

# Step 1: Search for compound
compound_results = kegg_find('compound', 'glucose')

# Step 2: Link compound to reactions
reactions = kegg_link('reaction', 'cpd:C00031')  # Glucose

# Step 3: Link reactions to pathways
pathways = kegg_link('pathway', 'rn:R00299')  # Specific reaction

# Step 4: Get pathway details
pathway_info = kegg_get('map00010')  # Glycolysis
Workflow 4: Cross-Database Integration

Use case: Integrating KEGG data with UniProt, NCBI, or PubChem databases.

python
from scripts.kegg_api import kegg_conv, kegg_get

# Step 1: Convert KEGG gene IDs to external database IDs
uniprot_map = kegg_conv('uniprot', 'hsa')
ncbi_map = kegg_conv('ncbi-geneid', 'hsa')

# Step 2: Parse conversion results
for line in uniprot_map.split('\n'):
    if line:
        kegg_id, uniprot_id = line.split('\t')
        # Use external IDs for integration

# Step 3: Get sequences using KEGG
sequence = kegg_get('hsa:10458', 'aaseq')
Workflow 5: Organism-Specific Pathway Analysis

Use case: Comparing pathways across different organisms.

python
from scripts.kegg_api import kegg_list, kegg_get

# Step 1: List pathways for multiple organisms
human_pathways = kegg_list('pathway', 'hsa')
mouse_pathways = kegg_list('pathway', 'mmu')
yeast_pathways = kegg_list('pathway', 'sce')

# Step 2: Get reference pathway for comparison
ref_pathway = kegg_get('map00010')  # Reference glycolysis

# Step 3: Get organism-specific versions
hsa_glycolysis = kegg_get('hsa00010')
mmu_glycolysis = kegg_get('mmu00010')
Show full SKILL.md (314 more words)Show less

Pathway Categories

KEGG organizes pathways into seven major categories. When interpreting pathway IDs or recommending pathways to users:

  1. Metabolism (e.g., map00010 - Glycolysis, map00190 - Oxidative phosphorylation)
  2. Genetic Information Processing (e.g., map03010 - Ribosome, map03040 - Spliceosome)
  3. Environmental Information Processing (e.g., map04010 - MAPK signaling, map02010 - ABC transporters)
  4. Cellular Processes (e.g., map04140 - Autophagy, map04210 - Apoptosis)
  5. Organismal Systems (e.g., map04610 - Complement cascade, map04910 - Insulin signaling)
  6. Human Diseases (e.g., map05200 - Pathways in cancer, map05010 - Alzheimer disease)
  7. Drug Development (chronological and target-based classifications)

Reference references/kegg_reference.md for detailed pathway lists and classifications.

Important Identifiers and Formats

Pathway IDs
  • map##### - Reference pathway (generic, not organism-specific)
  • hsa##### - Human pathway
  • mmu##### - Mouse pathway
Gene IDs
  • Format: organism:gene_number (e.g., hsa:10458)
Compound IDs
  • Format: cpd:C##### (e.g., cpd:C00002 for ATP)
Drug IDs
  • Format: dr:D##### (e.g., dr:D00001)
Enzyme IDs
  • Format: ec:EC_number (e.g., ec:1.1.1.1)
KO (KEGG Orthology) IDs
  • Format: ko:K##### (e.g., ko:K00001)

API Limitations

Respect these constraints when using the KEGG API:

  1. Entry limits: Maximum 10 entries per operation (except image/kgml/json: 1 entry only)
  2. Academic use: API is for academic use only; commercial use requires licensing
  3. HTTP status codes: Check for 200 (success), 400 (bad request), 404 (not found)
  4. Rate limiting: No explicit limit, but avoid rapid-fire requests

Detailed Reference

For comprehensive API documentation, database specifications, organism codes, and advanced usage, refer to references/kegg_reference.md. This includes:

  • Complete list of KEGG databases
  • Detailed API operation syntax
  • All organism codes
  • HTTP status codes and error handling
  • Integration with Biopython and R/Bioconductor
  • Best practices for API usage

Troubleshooting

404 Not Found: Entry or database doesn't exist; verify IDs and organism codes 400 Bad Request: Syntax error in API call; check parameter formatting Empty results: Search term may not match entries; try broader keywords Image/KGML errors: These formats only work with single entries; remove batch processing

Additional Tools

For interactive pathway visualization and annotation:

© davila7, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

SKILL.md and 2 other files (scripts, references) in cli-tool/components/skills/scientific/kegg-database of davila7/claude-code-templates.

  • SKILL.md
  • references/kegg_reference.md
  • scripts/kegg_api.py

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 14680ec

Used in 10 other repositories

We found 18 copies of this SKILL.md (exact, near-identical or edited) in other folders, from 10 other GitHub owners. This page covers the copy in davila7/claude-code-templates, which our catalogue first saw on October 7, 2026.

Compare with similar skills

Kegg Database next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

Kegg Database compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
Kegg Database this skilldavila7/claude-code-templates32k10 repos~2.9kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Zhihu Searchitwanger/toBeBetterJavaer18k—~1.5kAutomated safety check: PassNone
Fastcrudbenavlabs/fastcrud1.6k—~5kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Cloudflare Email Servicehodgef/apiker1273 repos~2kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
FastAPI Project Templateswshobson/agents40k12 repos~901Automated safety check: PassMIT
Build X402 Clientcoinbase/cdp-sdk204—~3kAutomated safety check: PassMIT

Similar skills

  • Zhihu Search

    itwanger/toBeBetterJavaer

    Search Zhihu for content using the searchv3 API. An agent skill from itwanger/toBeBetterJavaer.

    18k GitHub stars~1.5k tokensUpdated today
    Backend & APIsAuto-check passed
  • Fastcrud

    benavlabs/fastcrud

    A skill your agent uses when building or modifying CRUD endpoints with FastCRUD (the fastcrud PyPI package) in a FastAPI project — covers FastCRUD, crudrouter, EndpointCreator, FilterConfig…

    1.6k GitHub stars~5k tokensUpdated 13 days ago
    Backend & APIsAuto-check passed
  • Send and receive transactional emails with Cloudflare Email Service (Email Sending + Email Routing).

    127 GitHub starsUsed in 3 repos~2k tokens
    Backend & APIsAuto-check passed
  • Scaffolds FastAPI projects with a layered app layout, dependency injection through Depends, async handlers and database access, middleware and pytest setup.

    40k GitHub starsUsed in 12 repos~901 tokens
    Backend & APIsAuto-check passed
  • Build X402 Client

    coinbase/cdp-sdk

    Write code that pays for an HTTP API returning 402 Payment Required, using the x402 protocol and a CDP-managed wallet.

    204 GitHub stars~3k tokensUpdated 2 days ago
    Backend & APIsAuto-check passed
  • Writes a new Dinobase YAML connector for a REST API that has no verified dlt source, covering auth, pagination, read and write endpoints and incremental loading.

    263 GitHub stars~1.9k tokensUpdated 3 mo ago
    Backend & APIsAuto-check passed

More from davila7/claude-code-templates

All 477 skills in this repo
  • Perplexity Web Search

    davila7/claude-code-templates

    Runs web-grounded searches through Perplexity's Sonar models over OpenRouter for current events, recent literature and cited facts beyond the model's training cutoff.

    32k GitHub starsUsed in 12 repos~3.5k tokens
    Auto-check: notes
  • Neuropixels Data Analysis

    davila7/claude-code-templates

    Analyzes Neuropixels recordings from SpikeGLX or Open Ephys through preprocessing, drift correction, Kilosort4 spike sorting, quality metrics and curation.

    32k GitHub starsUsed in 10 repos~2.8k tokens
    Auto-check passed
  • Scientific Venue Templates

    davila7/claude-code-templates

    Supplies LaTeX templates and formatting rules for journals, conferences, posters, and grant proposals, then can check a draft against them.

    32k GitHub starsUsed in 9 repos~5.1k tokens
    Auto-check: notes
  • Brand Voice Content Creator

    davila7/claude-code-templates

    Analyzes a brand's existing writing to lock in a consistent voice, then builds SEO blog posts and platform-specific social content around it.

    32k GitHub starsUsed in 3 repos~1.9k tokens
    Auto-check passed
  • CAPA Officer

    davila7/claude-code-templates

    Guides corrective and preventive action (CAPA) work in a quality management system, from initiation and root cause analysis through effectiveness verification.

    32k GitHub starsUsed in 1 repo~2k tokens
    Auto-check passed
  • Fda Consultant Specialist

    davila7/claude-code-templates

    Senior FDA consultant and specialist for medical device companies including HIPAA compliance and requirement management.

    32k GitHub starsUsed in 1 repo~2.7k tokens
    Auto-check passed

Works with

Categories

Questions about Kegg Database

What does Kegg Database do?

Direct REST API access to KEGG (academic use only). An agent skill from davila7/claude-code-templates. Kegg Database is an agent skill from davila7/claude-code-templates. Direct REST API access to KEGG (academic use only).

When should I use Kegg Database?

Kegg Database fits situations like: tasks that involve REST APIs.

How do I install Kegg Database in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add davila7/claude-code-templates --skill kegg-database -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (cli-tool/components/skills/scientific/kegg-database in davila7/claude-code-templates) into .claude/skills/kegg-database in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Kegg Database in Codex?

Run `npx skills add davila7/claude-code-templates --skill kegg-database -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (cli-tool/components/skills/scientific/kegg-database in davila7/claude-code-templates) into .agents/skills/kegg-database in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Kegg Database in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add davila7/claude-code-templates --skill kegg-database -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/kegg-database, .gemini/skills/kegg-database, .github/skills/kegg-database and .opencode/skills/kegg-database in your project.

What does Kegg Database need to run?

Going by SKILL.md and its folder, Kegg Database needs Python for the scripts in its folder. Our summary lists: Python 3.

Does Kegg Database access the network?

SKILL.md names 1 domain. As links in the text: kegg.jp. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Kegg Database safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. The check reads SKILL.md only: the scripts in the folder are not scanned, so read them before running anything.

What licence does Kegg Database use?

Kegg Database is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Kegg Database use?

About 2.9k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 12k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full. Its references folder adds about 2.7k tokens, read only when the agent opens those files.

What are the alternatives to Kegg Database?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Kegg Database: Zhihu Search (itwanger/toBeBetterJavaer, 18k stars), Fastcrud (benavlabs/fastcrud, 1.6k stars), Cloudflare Email Service (hodgef/apiker, 127 stars) and FastAPI Project Templates (wshobson/agents, 40k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Kegg Database?

davila7 (a GitHub user) maintains it in davila7/claude-code-templates, which has 32,463 GitHub stars. The repository holds 477 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 8, 2026.

Source: davila7/claude-code-templates on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.