Microsoft Code Reference

What it does

When your agent uses it

• The user is writing
• Reviewing code that touches any Microsoft SDK
• Azure client library
• Microsoft API—even if they dont ask for a reference. Catches hallucinated methods

Example prompts

• “t ask for a”
• “/microsoft-code-reference”

Requirements

• Node.js
• Compatibility (from SKILL.md): Primarily uses the Microsoft Learn MCP Server (https://learn.microsoft.com/api/mcp); if that is unavailable, fall back to the mslearn CLI (`npx @microsoft/learn-cli`).

Workflow steps

3 steps, taken from the first numbered list in SKILL.md.

1. 1Confirm method or package exists — microsoft_docs_search(query: "[ClassName] [MethodName] [Namespace]")
2. 2Fetch full details (for overloads/complex params) — microsoft_docs_fetch(url: "...")
3. 3Find working sample — microsoft_code_sample_search(query: "[task]", language: "[lang]")

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit f8ffde1. 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

  Shell commands in SKILL.md call:

  • npx
  • npm

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

• Network

  No URLs in SKILL.md. Its commands use npx and npm, which can reach the network depending on how they are called.

  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.

• Compatibility

  Primarily uses the Microsoft Learn MCP Server (https://learn.microsoft.com/api/mcp); if that is unavailable, fall back to the mslearn CLI (`npx @microsoft/learn-cli`).

  From compatibility in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

Context cost

Microsoft Code Reference loads about 1.1k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 119 tokens; SKILL.md has 289 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it

~119

When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches

~1.1k

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

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); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from MicrosoftDocs/mcp at commit f8ffde1, republished under its CC-BY-4.0 licence (© MicrosoftDocs). 289 words, ~1,076 tokens.

name

microsoft-code-reference

description

Find working code samples, verify API signatures, and fix Microsoft SDK errors using official docs. Use whenever the user is writing, debugging, or reviewing code that touches any Microsoft SDK, .NET library, Azure client library, or Microsoft API—even if they don't ask for a "reference." Catches hallucinated methods, wrong signatures, and deprecated patterns. If the task involves producing or fixing Microsoft-related code, this is the right skill.

compatibility

Primarily uses the Microsoft Learn MCP Server (https://learn.microsoft.com/api/mcp); if that is unavailable, fall back to the mslearn CLI (`npx @microsoft/learn-cli`).

context

fork

microsoft_code_sample_search(query: "upload file to blob storage", language: "csharp")
microsoft_code_sample_search(query: "authenticate with managed identity", language: "python")
microsoft_code_sample_search(query: "send message service bus", language: "javascript")

# Verify method exists (include namespace for precision)
"BlobClient UploadAsync Azure.Storage.Blobs"
"GraphServiceClient Users Microsoft.Graph"

# Find class/interface
"DefaultAzureCredential class Azure.Identity"

# Find correct package
"Azure Blob Storage NuGet package"
"azure-storage-blob pip package"

# Run directly (no install needed)
npx @microsoft/learn-cli search "BlobClient UploadAsync Azure.Storage.Blobs"

# Or install globally, then run
npm install -g @microsoft/learn-cli
mslearn search "BlobClient UploadAsync Azure.Storage.Blobs"

© MicrosoftDocs, CC-BY-4.0. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

Just SKILL.md in skills/microsoft-code-reference of MicrosoftDocs/mcp.

Open the folder on GitHubat commit f8ffde1

Used in 4 other repositories

We found 9 copies of this SKILL.md (exact, near-identical or edited) in other folders, from 4 other GitHub owners. This page covers the copy in MicrosoftDocs/mcp, which our catalogue first saw on October 7, 2026.

• github/awesome-copilotskills/microsoft-code-reference
• majiayu000/claude-skill-registryskills/api/microsoft-code-referenceskills/api/microsoft-code-reference-microsoftdocs-mcp+4 more
• Kilo-Org/kilo-marketplaceskills/microsoft-code-reference
• boshi-xixixi/TraeSkill.trae/Skills/.agents/skills/microsoft-code-reference