Use the ctx7 CLI to fetch library documentation

by upstash · MIT license · ★ 62,297 on GitHub · updated Sep 21

Use the ctx7 CLI to fetch library documentation, manage AI coding skills, and configure Context7 MCP. Activate when the user mentions "ctx7" or "context7", needs current docs for any library, wants to install/search/generate skills, or…

---
name: context7-cli
description: Use the ctx7 CLI to fetch library documentation, manage AI coding skills, and configure Context7 MCP. Activate when the user mentions "ctx7" or "context7", needs current docs for any library, wants to install/search/generate skills, or needs to set up Context7 for their AI coding agent.
---

# ctx7 CLI

The Context7 CLI does three things: fetches up-to-date library documentation, manages AI coding skills, and sets up Context7 MCP for your editor.

Make sure the CLI is up to date before running commands:

```bash
npm install -g ctx7@latest
```

Or run directly without installing:

```bash

Overview

The Context7 CLI does three things: fetches up-to-date library documentation, manages AI coding skills, and sets up Context7 MCP for your editor.

Manual install (npx, ZIP)

Claude Codenpx skills add upstash/context7 --skill context7-cli -g -a claude-code

Claude Code (degit)npx degit upstash/context7/skills/context7-cli#master ~/.claude/skills/context7-cli

Claude.ai / desktopZip the folder and upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.

Codex, Cursor, other agentsPoint them at SKILL.md. The other files are plain text.

Connects with Agent Alley MCP · agentalley.io/mcp

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ctx7 CLI

The Context7 CLI does three things: fetches up-to-date library documentation, manages AI coding skills, and sets up Context7 MCP for your editor.

Make sure the CLI is up to date before running commands:

npm install -g ctx7@latest

Or run directly without installing:

npx ctx7@latest <command>

What this skill covers

Documentation — Fetch current docs for any library. Use when writing code, verifying API signatures, or when training data may be outdated.
Skills management — Install, search, suggest, list, remove, and generate AI coding skills.
Setup — Configure Context7 MCP for Claude Code / Cursor / OpenCode.

Quick Reference

# Documentation
ctx7 library <name> <query>           # Step 1: resolve library ID
ctx7 docs <libraryId> <query>         # Step 2: fetch docs

# Skills
ctx7 skills install /owner/repo       # Install from a repo (interactive)
ctx7 skills install /owner/repo name  # Install a specific skill
ctx7 skills search <keywords>         # Search the registry
ctx7 skills suggest                   # Auto-suggest based on project deps
ctx7 skills list                      # List installed skills
ctx7 skills remove <name>             # Uninstall a skill
ctx7 skills generate                  # Generate a custom skill with AI (requires login)

# Setup
ctx7 setup                            # Configure Context7 MCP (interactive)
ctx7 login                            # Log in for higher rate limits + skill generation
ctx7 whoami                           # Check current login status

Authentication

ctx7 login               # Opens browser for OAuth
ctx7 login --no-browser  # Prints URL instead of opening browser
ctx7 logout              # Clear stored tokens
ctx7 whoami              # Show current login status (name + email)

Most commands work without login. Exceptions: skills generate always requires it; ctx7 setup requires it unless --api-key or --oauth is passed. Login also unlocks higher rate limits on docs commands.

Set an API key via environment variable to skip interactive login entirely:

export CONTEXT7_API_KEY=your_key

Common Mistakes

Library IDs require a / prefix — /facebook/react not facebook/react
Always run ctx7 library first — ctx7 docs react "hooks" will fail without a valid ID
Repository format for skills is /owner/repo — e.g., ctx7 skills install /anthropics/skills
skills generate requires login — run ctx7 login first

1	---
2	name: context7-cli
3	description: Use the ctx7 CLI to fetch library documentation, manage AI coding skills, and configure Context7 MCP. Activate when the user mentions "ctx7" or "context7", needs current docs for any library, wants to install/search/generate skills, or needs to set up Context7 for their AI coding agent.
4	---
5
6	# ctx7 CLI
7
8	The Context7 CLI does three things: fetches up-to-date library documentation, manages AI coding skills, and sets up Context7 MCP for your editor.
9
10	Make sure the CLI is up to date before running commands:
11
12	```bash
13	npm install -g ctx7@latest
14	```
15
16	Or run directly without installing:
17
18	```bash
19	npx ctx7@latest <command>
20	```
21
22	## What this skill covers
23
24	- [Documentation](references/docs.md) — Fetch current docs for any library. Use when writing code, verifying API signatures, or when training data may be outdated.
25	- [Skills management](references/skills.md) — Install, search, suggest, list, remove, and generate AI coding skills.
26	- [Setup](references/setup.md) — Configure Context7 MCP for Claude Code / Cursor / OpenCode.
27
28	## Quick Reference
29
30	```bash
31	# Documentation
32	ctx7 library <name> <query> # Step 1: resolve library ID
33	ctx7 docs <libraryId> <query> # Step 2: fetch docs
34
35	# Skills
36	ctx7 skills install /owner/repo # Install from a repo (interactive)
37	ctx7 skills install /owner/repo name # Install a specific skill
38	ctx7 skills search <keywords> # Search the registry
39	ctx7 skills suggest # Auto-suggest based on project deps
40	ctx7 skills list # List installed skills
41	ctx7 skills remove <name> # Uninstall a skill
42	ctx7 skills generate # Generate a custom skill with AI (requires login)
43
44	# Setup
45	ctx7 setup # Configure Context7 MCP (interactive)
46	ctx7 login # Log in for higher rate limits + skill generation
47	ctx7 whoami # Check current login status
48	```
49
50	## Authentication
51
52	```bash
53	ctx7 login # Opens browser for OAuth
54	ctx7 login --no-browser # Prints URL instead of opening browser
55	ctx7 logout # Clear stored tokens
56	ctx7 whoami # Show current login status (name + email)
57	```
58
59	Most commands work without login. Exceptions: `skills generate` always requires it; `ctx7 setup` requires it unless `--api-key` or `--oauth` is passed. Login also unlocks higher rate limits on docs commands.
60
61	Set an API key via environment variable to skip interactive login entirely:
62
63	```bash
64	export CONTEXT7_API_KEY=your_key
65	```
66
67	## Common Mistakes
68
69	- Library IDs require a `/` prefix — `/facebook/react` not `facebook/react`
70	- Always run `ctx7 library` first — `ctx7 docs react "hooks"` will fail without a valid ID
71	- Repository format for skills is `/owner/repo` — e.g., `ctx7 skills install /anthropics/skills`
72	- `skills generate` requires login — run `ctx7 login` first
73