context7-cli

name	context7-cli
description	Context7 CLI(`ctx7`)로 라이브러리·프레임워크 공식 문서와 API 예시를 조회할 때 사용한다.
compatibility	Requires bash plus either `ctx7` in PATH or `npx -y ctx7`; Node.js 18+ recommended.

Context7 CLI

Last verified: 2026-04-06

What this skill is for

Use this skill when you need Context7 documentation lookup but do not want MCP tool registration.

Typical cases:

• 라이브러리/프레임워크 공식 문서 기반 답변이 필요할 때
• 패키지 사용법, API, 버전별 예시를 빠르게 찾을 때
• searcher가 bash로 Context7를 직접 호출해야 할 때

Preferred flow

1. Check how to run Context7 CLI
   • Prefer ctx7 if it is already installed.
   • Otherwise retry with npx -y ctx7.
2. Resolve the library ID
   • Run ctx7 library <name> [query]
3. Fetch docs with the resolved ID
   • Run ctx7 docs <library-id> <query>
4. Prefer JSON when machine-readable output helps
   • Add --json
   • If JSON is malformed, sparse, or hard to parse, retry without --json
5. Report fallback path clearly
   • If Context7 fails, fall back to official docs / web_search / fetch_content
   • State that confidence is reduced

If you already know the exact library ID, skip library and go straight to docs.

Command patterns

1) Check availability

ctx7 --help

If that fails:

npx -y ctx7 --help

2) Resolve a library ID

ctx7 library react
ctx7 library nextjs "app router authentication"
ctx7 library prisma "relations"

JSON mode:

ctx7 library react --json

3) Query docs

ctx7 docs /facebook/react "useEffect cleanup"
ctx7 docs /vercel/next.js "middleware authentication"
ctx7 docs /prisma/prisma "one-to-many relations"

JSON mode:

ctx7 docs /facebook/react "hooks" --json

Bash usage guidance

When you are unsure whether ctx7 is installed, prefer a bash pattern like this:

if command -v ctx7 >/dev/null 2>&1; then
  ctx7 library react --json
else
  npx -y ctx7 library react --json
fi

For doc queries:

if command -v ctx7 >/dev/null 2>&1; then
  ctx7 docs /facebook/react "useEffect cleanup" --json
else
  npx -y ctx7 docs /facebook/react "useEffect cleanup" --json
fi

Authentication

For automation, prefer environment-variable auth when needed:

export CONTEXT7_API_KEY=your_key_here

Interactive auth may also be available:

ctx7 login
ctx7 whoami
ctx7 logout

Optional telemetry disable:

export CTX7_TELEMETRY_DISABLED=1

If unauthenticated access works but appears rate-limited, mention that limitation in the report.

Output handling rules

• Prefer --json when you need to extract IDs or structured fields.
• Treat the JSON schema as unstable unless verified in the current environment.
• If parsing fails, retry in plain-text mode and summarize manually.
• Keep the resolved library ID in the final answer when it matters.
• Quote exact commands used whenever possible.

Search quality rules

• Prefer the most relevant official/primary library result, not just the first fuzzy match.
• If library returns ambiguous results, refine the query with framework version, feature, or vendor name.
• Use focused doc queries such as:
  • feature name
  • API name
  • error message
  • migration topic
• If the Context7 result looks thin, cross-check with official docs or repository sources.

Failure recovery

ctx7 command not found

Retry with:

npx -y ctx7 ...

Auth / rate-limit issues

• Try CONTEXT7_API_KEY
• Report reduced confidence if only partial results are available

JSON output is hard to parse

• Retry without --json
• Extract the important lines manually

Library resolution is ambiguous

• Add a clarifying query, for example:

ctx7 library nextjs "vercel app router"

Guidance for searcher

When answering library/framework questions:

• load this skill first when available
• prefer Context7 CLI over MCP tools
• use bash for the exact command execution
• report the exact command path used (ctx7 or npx -y ctx7)
• if Context7 fails, fall back explicitly and say why

Reference points

Re-check these in the current environment when accuracy matters:

• ctx7 --help
• ctx7 library --help
• ctx7 docs --help

External references used to shape this workflow:

• Context7 repository: https://github.com/upstash/context7
• Authentication implementation reference: https://github.com/upstash/context7/blob/6cba6fb2/packages/cli/src/utils/auth.ts#L42-L50
• CLI overview reference: https://deepwiki.com/upstash/context7/8-cli-tools-(ctx7)
• Authentication commands reference: https://deepwiki.com/upstash/context7/8.5-authentication-commands