| name | skill-finder |
| description | This skill should be used when the user asks to "find a skill", "discover plugins", "search for an MCP", "what plugins exist for X", "fill my skill gaps", "improve my setup", or when Claude recognizes it lacks tools for a task. Searches GitHub and marketplaces to suggest installations. |
Skill Finder
Proactively identify capability gaps and discover Claude Code plugins, skills, and MCP servers through targeted web searches. Recommend marketplace installations with exact commands.
When to Use This Skill
Explicit Triggers
- User says: "find a skill for X", "search for a plugin", "I need an MCP for Y"
- User says: "what plugins exist for X?", "is there a skill for Y?"
- User says: "fill my skill gaps", "what am I missing?", "improve my setup"
Implicit Triggers (Proactive Gap Detection)
Recognize these situations and proactively offer to search:
| Situation | Example | Action |
|---|
| Task beyond current skills | User asks for Kubernetes help but no K8s skill | Offer: "I notice I don't have a K8s skill. Want me to search for one?" |
| Repeated tool limitations | Claude struggles with browser automation | Offer: "A browser automation plugin would help. Shall I find one?" |
| Missing integrations | User mentions Jira but no Jira MCP | Offer: "I could search for a Jira integration MCP" |
| Complex domain tasks | DAX, Terraform, GraphQL without skills | Offer: "There might be specialized skills for this domain" |
Gap Detection Framework
Step 1: Analyze Current Capability State
Before searching, assess what's already available:
1. Check installed plugins: Read .claude/settings.json or .claude/settings.local.json
2. Check local skills: Glob for SKILL.md files
3. Check MCP servers: Read mcp.json or settings for "mcpServers"
4. Check CLAUDE.md: Any custom instructions?
Step 2: Identify the Gap Category
| Gap Type | Indicators | Search Strategy |
|---|
| Language/Framework | User working in unfamiliar stack | Search: "[language] claude code plugin" |
| Tool Integration | User mentions external service | Search: "[service] MCP server claude" |
| Workflow | User describes process Claude can't do | Search: "[workflow] claude code skill" |
| Domain Knowledge | Specialized field (finance, bio, etc.) | Search: "[domain] claude code plugin" |
| Automation | Repetitive task needs automation | Search: "[task] automation claude MCP" |
Step 3: Formulate Search Strategy
For each gap, create targeted searches:
Primary Search (GitHub-focused):
- "[capability] claude code plugin site:github.com"
- "[capability] MCP server site:github.com"
- "[capability] claude skills site:github.com"
Secondary Search (Broader):
- "[capability] claude code marketplace"
- "[capability] anthropic plugin"
- "awesome claude code [capability]"
MCP-Specific:
- "[service] MCP server"
- "model context protocol [capability]"
- "mcp-server-[service] github"
Search Execution
Primary Sources to Search
| Source | URL Pattern | What to Find |
|---|
| GitHub Topics | github.com/topics/claude-code | Community plugins |
| GitHub Search | github.com/search?q=claude+code+plugin | All repos |
| Anthropic Official | github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-official | Official/Endorsed |
| MCP Registry | github.com/topics/mcp-server | MCP servers |
| Awesome Lists | Search "awesome claude code" | Curated collections |
| npm Registry | npmjs.com/search?q=mcp-server | Published MCPs |
Search Query Templates
For Skills/Plugins:
Search: "[need] claude code plugin github"
Search: "[need] skill claude anthropic"
Search: "claude-code [need] site:github.com"
For MCP Servers:
Search: "[service] MCP server github"
Search: "mcp-server-[service]"
Search: "[service] model context protocol"
For Marketplaces:
Search: "claude code marketplace [category]"
Search: "claude plugins official [need]"
Search Execution Protocol
Step 1: Execute Web Search
Use WebSearch or mcp__tavily__tavily_search:
Query: "[specific need] claude code plugin github"
Focus: site:github.com for code repositories
Timeframe: Recent (prefer actively maintained)
Step 2: Evaluate Results
For each result, extract:
| Field | What to Look For |
|---|
| Repository | Full GitHub URL |
| Stars | Popularity indicator (>10 = decent, >100 = popular) |
| Last Update | Activity (<6 months = active) |
| Install Method | How to install (marketplace, manual, npm) |
| Plugin Type | Skill, Agent, Command, Hook, or MCP |
Step 3: Verify Compatibility
Before recommending, check:
1. Is it for Claude Code specifically? (not Claude.ai or API)
2. Does it have a plugin.json or SKILL.md?
3. Is it in the official marketplace already?
4. Are there known issues or deprecation notices?
Result Presentation Format
Discovery Report
## 🔍 Skill/Plugin Discovery Results
**Search Query:** [what you searched for]
**Gap Identified:** [capability that's missing]
---
### Found Options
#### Option 1: [Plugin Name] ⭐ Recommended
- **Source:** [GitHub URL]
- **Stars:** ⭐ [count] | **Updated:** [date]
- **Type:** [Plugin/MCP/Skill]
- **Capabilities:** [what it does]
- **Install Command:**
```bash
# If in official marketplace:
claude mcp add [name]
# If external marketplace:
claude plugins add [name]@[marketplace]
# If manual install:
git clone [url] ~/.claude/plugins/[name]
Option 2: [Alternative]
- Source: [URL]
- Why Consider: [unique features]
- Install: [command]
No Plugin Found?
If no suitable plugin exists:
- DIY Option: Create a custom SKILL.md for this capability
- Request: Open an issue on claude-plugins-official
- Workaround: [alternative approach without plugin]
---
## MCP Server Discovery
### MCP-Specific Search
When looking for MCP servers:
```text
1. Search GitHub: "mcp-server-[service]" or "[service] MCP"
2. Check npm: npm search mcp-server-[service]
3. Check official MCP registry: github.com/anthropics/mcp-servers
MCP Result Format
## 🔌 MCP Server Discovery
**Service Needed:** [e.g., Notion, Slack, PostgreSQL]
### Found MCP Servers
#### [mcp-server-name]
- **Repository:** [GitHub URL]
- **npm Package:** [if available]
- **Capabilities:**
- [tool 1]
- [tool 2]
- **Install:**
```bash
# Add to .mcp.json or settings:
{
"mcpServers": {
"[name]": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "[package-name]"],
"env": {
"API_KEY": "${[SERVICE]_API_KEY}"
}
}
}
}
- Required Env Vars: [list any needed]
Official MCP Servers
Check: https://github.com/anthropics/mcp-servers
- filesystem, git, github, gitlab, google-drive, postgres, sqlite, slack, memory, fetch, brave-search, puppeteer, sequential-thinking
---
## Marketplace Priority
When multiple options exist, recommend in this order:
| Priority | Source | Trust Level | Recommendation |
|----------|--------|-------------|----------------|
| 1 | `@claude-plugins-official` (Anthropic) | Highest | **Strong recommend** |
| 2 | `@claude-plugins-official` (Endorsed) | High | **Recommend** |
| 3 | Official MCP servers (Anthropic) | High | **Recommend** |
| 4 | Popular GitHub repos (>100 stars) | Medium | Consider |
| 5 | Active GitHub repos (<6mo update) | Medium | Consider |
| 6 | New/unverified repos | Low | Use caution |
---
## Proactive Gap Detection Examples
### Example 1: Browser Automation Gap
```text
User: "I need to scrape data from this website"
Claude thinks: "I don't have browser automation capability"
Claude responds:
"I can help with web scraping. However, I notice I don't currently have
browser automation tools. Let me search for a suitable plugin...
[Executes search: "browser automation claude code plugin github"]
Found: playwright@claude-plugins-official (Microsoft, Endorsed)
- Full browser control, screenshots, PDF generation
- Install: `claude mcp add playwright`
Shall I help you install this?"
Example 2: Database Integration Gap
User: "Query my PostgreSQL database for user stats"
Claude thinks: "No PostgreSQL MCP configured"
Claude responds:
"I'd need database access for this. Let me find a PostgreSQL MCP server...
[Executes search: "postgresql MCP server github"]
Found: mcp-server-postgres (Official)
- Direct SQL queries, schema inspection
- Install: Add to .mcp.json with your connection string
Would you like the setup instructions?"
Example 3: Domain Skill Gap
User: "Help me write complex DAX measures for Power BI"
Claude thinks: "DAX is specialized - likely skills exist"
Claude responds:
"DAX has specific patterns and gotchas. Let me check if there are
specialized skills for this...
[Executes search: "DAX power bi claude code skill github"]
Found: dax plugin with writing-dax-measures skill
- SQLBI patterns, performance optimization
- Install: Add to your plugins directory
This would give me DAX-specific knowledge. Want me to help install it?"
Search Result Evaluation Criteria
Quality Signals (Good)
| Signal | Indicator |
|---|
| ⭐ Popular | >50 GitHub stars |
| 🔄 Active | Updated within 6 months |
| 📚 Documented | Has README with examples |
| ✅ Tested | Has tests or CI/CD |
| 🏷️ Versioned | Semantic versioning |
| 📦 Published | On npm/marketplace |
Warning Signals (Caution)
| Signal | Indicator |
|---|
| ⚠️ Stale | No updates >1 year |
| ⚠️ Undocumented | No README or sparse docs |
| ⚠️ No stars | 0-5 stars (unverified) |
| ⚠️ Archived | Repository archived |
| ⚠️ Security | No security policy, hardcoded secrets |
Common Gap Categories & Search Terms
Development Tools
| Gap | Search Terms |
|---|
| TypeScript | "typescript claude code", "typescript-lsp" |
| Python | "python claude code", "pyright-lsp" |
| Testing | "testing claude plugin", "playwright", "jest" |
| Git workflow | "git claude code", "commit-commands" |
| Code review | "code review claude", "pr-review-toolkit" |
Integrations
| Gap | Search Terms |
|---|
| GitHub | "github MCP server", "github claude" |
| Slack | "slack MCP", "slack integration claude" |
| Notion | "notion MCP server" |
| Jira | "jira MCP", "atlassian claude" |
| Database | "[db-name] MCP server" |
Specialized Domains
| Gap | Search Terms |
|---|
| Data Engineering | "data engineering claude", "dbt skill" |
| DevOps | "kubernetes claude", "terraform plugin" |
| ML/AI | "machine learning claude skill" |
| Finance | "finance claude plugin", "trading MCP" |
Post-Discovery Actions
After Finding a Plugin
- Verify compatibility with user's Claude Code version
- Check dependencies (Node.js version, npm packages)
- Review permissions the plugin needs
- Offer install command with exact syntax
- Explain capabilities the plugin adds
Installation Guidance
## Installation Options
### Option A: Official Marketplace
```bash
# For official/endorsed plugins
claude mcp add [plugin-name]
Option B: External Marketplace
claude plugins add [name]@[marketplace-url]
Option C: Manual Install
git clone [repo-url] ~/.claude/plugins/[name]
{
"mcpServers": {
"[name]": { ... }
}
}
---
## Integration with Skill Curator
After installing new plugins, recommend running `skill-curator`:
```text
"New plugin installed! Run /skill-curator to:
- Verify it doesn't conflict with existing skills
- Check for duplicates you can now remove
- Update your skill health report"
Important Rules
- ALWAYS search before saying "I can't do X" — a plugin might exist
- ALWAYS prefer official/endorsed over external alternatives
- ALWAYS verify recency — don't recommend abandoned repos
- ALWAYS provide install commands — exact, copy-pasteable
- ALWAYS check if already installed before recommending
- NEVER recommend plugins with security red flags
- NEVER install without user confirmation
- OFFER proactively when you recognize capability gaps
- EXPLAIN what the plugin adds before recommending install
- SEARCH GitHub specifically — 99% of results will be there
