# Smithery AI CLI

Find, connect, and use MCP tools and skills via the Smithery CLI.

- Repository: https://github.com/arcadeai-labs/smithery-cli (849 stars)
- Category: AI and agents
- License: AGPL-3.0
- Last updated: 2026-05-31
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add arcadeai-labs/smithery-cli --skill smithery-ai-cli -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add arcadeai-labs/smithery-cli --skill smithery-ai-cli -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add arcadeai-labs/smithery-cli --skill smithery-ai-cli -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add arcadeai-labs/smithery-cli --skill smithery-ai-cli -g -a gemini-cli -y`

## Description

Find, connect, and use MCP tools and skills via the Smithery CLI. Use when the user searches for new tools or skills, wants to discover integrations, connect to an MCP, install a skill, or wants to interact with an external service (email, Slack, Discord, GitHub, Jira, Notion, databases, cloud APIs, monitoring, etc.).

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# Smithery

The marketplace for AI agents. Connect to 100K+ tools and skills instantly.

Use `smithery --help` and `<command> --help` for flags, arguments, and full examples.
This skill focuses on concepts and canonical workflows.

## Quick Start

```bash
# 1. Install
npm install -g @smithery/cli

# 2. Authenticate (requires human to confirm in browser)
smithery auth login

# 3. Search for MCP servers
smithery mcp search "github"

# 4. Connect to a server (URL or qualified name both work)
smithery mcp add "https://github.run.tools" --id github

# 5. Browse tools (tree view, drill into groups by passing the prefix)
smithery tool list github
smithery tool list github issues.

# 6. Inspect tool input/output JSON schema
smithery tool get github issues.create

# 7. Call a tool
smithery tool call github issues.create '{"repo": "owner/repo", "title": "Bug"}'
```

## Core Concepts

### [Namespaces](https://smithery.ai/docs/concepts/namespaces.md)

A namespace is the workspace boundary for Smithery resources. Servers, connections, and skills all live in a namespace.
Use one namespace per app/environment (for example, `my-app-dev`, `my-app-prod`), then set it as your active context.
Canonical flow:

```bash
smithery namespace list
smithery namespace create my-app-prod
smithery namespace use my-app-prod
```

For namespace-specific flags and overrides, run `smithery namespace --help` and `smithery mcp --help`.

### [Connect (MCP Connections)](https://smithery.ai/docs/use/connect.md)

A connection is a managed, long-lived MCP session.
Smithery Connect handles OAuth flow, credential storage, token refresh, and session lifecycle.
Connection status model:
- `connected`: ready to list/call tools
- `auth_required`: human must open authorization URL
- `error`: inspect details and retry/fix config

Canonical flow (single user-scoped connection):

```bash
smithery mcp add https://github.run.tools \
  --id user-123-github \
  --metadata '{"userId":"user-123"}'

The rest: https://github.com/arcadeai-labs/smithery-cli/blob/HEAD/skills/smithery-ai-cli/SKILL.md