MCP Server Builder
anthropics/skills
Guides the design and implementation of Model Context Protocol servers in TypeScript or Python, from tool naming and error messages to evaluation.
Guide for setup Serena MCP server for semantic code retrieval and editing capabilities
Install Setup Serena MCP
$ npx skills add NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill setup-serena-mcp -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit setup-serena-mcp --agent claude-codeProject scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/setup-serena-mcp .claude/skills/setup-serena-mcp && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.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/
Install the "setup-serena-mcp" agent skill from https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit/tree/master/skills/setup-serena-mcp into .claude/skills/setup-serena-mcp/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "setup-serena-mcp", then confirm the skill loads.Claude Code copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$skill-installer install https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit/tree/master/skills/setup-serena-mcpType this inside Codex. $skill-installer <name> installs a curated skill from openai/skills. The installer writes to $CODEX_HOME/skills (default ~/.codex/skills). Restart Codex if the skill does not show up.
$ npx skills add NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill setup-serena-mcp -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit setup-serena-mcp --agent codexProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/setup-serena-mcp .agents/skills/setup-serena-mcp && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "setup-serena-mcp" agent skill from https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit/tree/master/skills/setup-serena-mcp into .agents/skills/setup-serena-mcp/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "setup-serena-mcp", then confirm the skill loads.Codex copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill setup-serena-mcp -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit setup-serena-mcp --agent cursorProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/setup-serena-mcp .cursor/skills/setup-serena-mcp && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.
Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/
Install the "setup-serena-mcp" agent skill from https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit/tree/master/skills/setup-serena-mcp into .cursor/skills/setup-serena-mcp/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "setup-serena-mcp", then confirm the skill loads.Cursor copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gemini skills install https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit.git --path skills/setup-serena-mcp--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.
$ npx skills add NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill setup-serena-mcp -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit setup-serena-mcp --agent gemini-cliProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/setup-serena-mcp .gemini/skills/setup-serena-mcp && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.gemini/skills/ instead of .gemini/skills for a personal install, then run /skills reload.
Gemini CLI skills documentation · loads skills from .gemini/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "setup-serena-mcp" agent skill from https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit/tree/master/skills/setup-serena-mcp into .gemini/skills/setup-serena-mcp/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "setup-serena-mcp", then confirm the skill loads.Gemini CLI copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gh skill install NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit setup-serena-mcpInstalls for Copilot at project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Preview a skill first with gh skill preview. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ npx skills add NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill setup-serena-mcp -a github-copilotProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/setup-serena-mcp .github/skills/setup-serena-mcp && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.copilot/skills/ instead of .github/skills for a personal install. Commit .github/skills so cloud agent and code review can use it.
GitHub Copilot skills documentation · loads skills from .github/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "setup-serena-mcp" agent skill from https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit/tree/master/skills/setup-serena-mcp into .github/skills/setup-serena-mcp/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "setup-serena-mcp", then confirm the skill loads.GitHub Copilot copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill setup-serena-mcp -a opencodeOpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.
$ gh skill install NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit setup-serena-mcp --agent opencodeProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/setup-serena-mcp .opencode/skills/setup-serena-mcp && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.
OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "setup-serena-mcp" agent skill from https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit/tree/master/skills/setup-serena-mcp into .opencode/skills/setup-serena-mcp/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "setup-serena-mcp", then confirm the skill loads.OpenCode copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
Facts
- Skill name
setup-serena-mcp- GitHub stars
- 1.8k
- Token cost
- ~1.2k tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 439 words
- Files
- 1
- Skills in repo
- 57
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- GPL-3.0
At a glance
Guide for setup Serena MCP server for semantic code retrieval and editing capabilities
- Works in 6 steps: Determine setup context → Check if Serena MCP server is already… → Load Serena documentation → …
- Tasks that involve MCP servers
- SKILL.md covers 1. Determine setup context, 2. Check if Serena MCP server…, 3. Load Serena documentation and 4. Guide user through setup…, plus 2 more sections
- Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md
What it does
Setup Serena MCP is an agent skill from NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit. Guide for setup Serena MCP server for semantic code retrieval and editing capabilities
Its SKILL.md is about 1.2k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. It is a single SKILL.md file with no bundled scripts.
It sits in Agent Workflows, covering MCP servers. It works with Model Context Protocol. The repository describes itself as: Hand-crafted Claude Code Skills focused on improving agent results quality. Compatible with OpenCode, Cursor, Antigravity, Gemini CLI, and others. Includes CodeRabbit open-source… The licence is GPL-3.0.
When your agent uses it
- Tasks that involve MCP servers
Example prompts
- “/setup-serena-mcp”
Workflow steps
6 steps, taken from the step headings in SKILL.md.
What it can do on your machine
Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 23e2428. 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
No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md (its code samples are markdown).
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):
oraios.github.ioraw.githubusercontent.com
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
Setup Serena MCP loads about 1.2k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 26 tokens; SKILL.md has 439 words of instructions outside code blocks.
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); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.
SKILL.md
The full file from NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit at commit 23e2428, republished under its GPL-3.0 licence (© NeoLabHQ). 439 words, ~1,179 tokens.
Download SKILL.mdSave it as
.claude/skills/setup-serena-mcp/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).- name
- setup-serena-mcp
- description
- Guide for setup Serena MCP server for semantic code retrieval and editing capabilities
User Input:
$ARGUMENTSGuide for setup Serena MCP server
1. Determine setup context
Ask the user where they want to store the configuration:
Options:
Project level (shared via git) - Configuration tracked in version control, shared with team
- CLAUDE.md updates go to:
./CLAUDE.md
- CLAUDE.md updates go to:
Project level (personal preferences) - Configuration stays local, not tracked in git
- CLAUDE.md updates go to:
./CLAUDE.local.md - Verify these files are listed in
.gitignore, add them if not
- CLAUDE.md updates go to:
User level (global) - Configuration applies to all projects for this user
- CLAUDE.md updates go to:
~/.claude/CLAUDE.md
- CLAUDE.md updates go to:
Store the user's choice and use the appropriate paths in subsequent steps.
2. Check if Serena MCP server is already setup
Check whether you have access to Serena MCP server by attempting to use one of its tools (e.g., find_symbol or get_symbols_overview).
If no access, proceed with setup.
3. Load Serena documentation
Read the following documentation to understand Serena's capabilities and setup process:
- Load https://raw.githubusercontent.com/oraios/serena/refs/heads/main/README.md to understand what Serena is and its capabilities
- Load https://oraios.github.io/serena/02-usage/020_running.html to learn how to run Serena
- Load https://oraios.github.io/serena/02-usage/030_clients.html to learn how to configure your MCP client
- Load https://oraios.github.io/serena/02-usage/040_workflow.html to learn how to setup Serena for your project
4. Guide user through setup process
Based on the loaded documentation:
- Check prerequisites: Verify that
uvis installed (required for running Serena) - Identify client type: Determine which MCP client the user is using (Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VSCode, etc.)
- Provide setup instructions: Guide through the configuration specific to their client if it not already configured
- Setup project: Guide through the project setup process if it not already setup
- Start indexing project: Guide through the project indexing process if it was just setup
- If MCP was just setup, ask user to restart Claude Code to load the new MCP server, write to user explisit instructions, including "exit claude code console, then run 'claude --continue' and then write "continue" to continue setup process"
- Test connection: Verify that Serena tools are accessible after setup
- If not yet, run initial_instructions
- Check if onboarding was performered, if not then run it.
- Then try to read any file
Show full SKILL.md (87 more words)Show less
After adding MCP server, but before testings connection write to user this message EXACTLY:
You must restart Claude Code to load the new MCP server:
1. Exit Claude Code console (type exit or press Ctrl+C)
2. Run claude --continue
3. Type "continue" to resume setup
After restart, I will:
- Verify Serena tools are accessible
- Run initial_instructions if needed
- Perform onboarding for this project (if not already done)
5. Update CLAUDE.md file
Use the path determined in step 1. Once Serena is successfully set up, update the appropriate CLAUDE.md file with the following content EXACTLY:
### Use Serena MCP for Semantic Code Analysis instead of regular code search and editing
Serena MCP is available for advanced code retrieval and editing capabilities.
**When to use Serena:**
- Symbol-based code navigation (find definitions, references, implementations)
- Precise code manipulation in structured codebases
- Prefer symbol-based operations over file-based grep/sed when available
**Key tools:**
- `find_symbol` - Find symbol by name across the codebase
- `find_referencing_symbols` - Find all symbols that reference a given symbol
- `get_symbols_overview` - Get overview of top-level symbols in a file
- `read_file` - Read file content within the project directory
**Usage notes:**
- Memory files can be manually reviewed/edited in `.serena/memories/`
Add this section, if server setup at user level (global):
**Project setup (per project):**
1. Run `serena project create --index` in your project directory
2. Serena auto-detects language; creates `.serena/project.yml`
3. First use triggers onboarding and creates memory files in `.serena/memories/`6. Project initialization (if needed)
If this is a new project or Serena hasn't been initialized:
- Guide user to run project initialization commands
- Explain project-based workflow and indexing
- Configure project-specific settings if needed
© NeoLabHQ, GPL-3.0. 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/setup-serena-mcp of NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit.
Open the folder on GitHubat commit 23e2428
Compare with similar skills
Setup Serena MCP 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.
| Skill | Stars | Used in | Tokens | Auto-check | Licence | Repo updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Setup Serena MCP this skillNeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit | 1.8k | — | ~1.2k | Automated safety check: Pass | GPL-3.0 | |
| MCP Server Builderanthropics/skills | 180k | 63 repos | ~2.3k | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 | |
| MCP Server BuildershareAI-lab/learn-claude-code | 78k | 4 repos | ~1.2k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| MCP Integration for Pluginsanthropics/claude-plugins-official | 38k | 11 repos | ~3.1k | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 | |
| Crush Configurationcharmbracelet/crush | 29k | — | ~3.7k | Automated safety check: Pass | Custom licence | |
| Context Mode Output Sandboxmksglu/context-mode | 26k | — | ~4.1k | Automated safety check: Pass | Custom licence |
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Questions about Setup Serena MCP
What does Setup Serena MCP do?
Guide for setup Serena MCP server for semantic code retrieval and editing capabilities. Setup Serena MCP is an agent skill from NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit.
When should I use Setup Serena MCP?
Setup Serena MCP fits situations like: tasks that involve MCP servers.
How do I install Setup Serena MCP in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill setup-serena-mcp -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/setup-serena-mcp in NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit) into .claude/skills/setup-serena-mcp in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install Setup Serena MCP in Codex?
Run `npx skills add NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill setup-serena-mcp -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/setup-serena-mcp in NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit) into .agents/skills/setup-serena-mcp in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use Setup Serena MCP 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 NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill setup-serena-mcp -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/setup-serena-mcp, .gemini/skills/setup-serena-mcp, .github/skills/setup-serena-mcp and .opencode/skills/setup-serena-mcp in your project.
What does Setup Serena MCP need to run?
SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Setup Serena MCP is instructions for the agent only.
Does Setup Serena MCP access the network?
SKILL.md names 2 domains. As links in the text: oraios.github.io and raw.githubusercontent.com. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.
Is Setup Serena MCP 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. Review the folder before installing.
What licence does Setup Serena MCP use?
Setup Serena MCP is published under the GPL-3.0 licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.
How many tokens does Setup Serena MCP use?
About 1.2k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 4.7k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.
What are the alternatives to Setup Serena MCP?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with Setup Serena MCP: MCP Server Builder (anthropics/skills, 180k stars), MCP Server Builder (shareAI-lab/learn-claude-code, 78k stars), MCP Integration for Plugins (anthropics/claude-plugins-official, 38k stars) and Crush Configuration (charmbracelet/crush, 29k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
Who maintains Setup Serena MCP?
NeoLabHQ (a GitHub organization) maintains it in NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit, which has 1,750 GitHub stars. The repository holds 57 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on August 26, 2026.
Source: NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.