Codex skills for Model Context Protocol
MCP skills cover both sides of the Model Context Protocol: building servers and connecting them to Codex. Codex designs tools as contracts on the v2 TypeScript and Python SDKs, tests them with in-memory clients and the MCP Inspector, adds servers with codex mcp add, limits exposed tools and approval modes, and packages servers with skills into a plugin.
Start with these 3
- Codex MCP Servers Connect tools to Codex, scoped and debuggable Codex checks that an MCP server runs on its own, adds it with codex mcp add or a [mcp_servers] table, wires credentials through environment variables or OAuth login, and trims the exposed tools with allow lists and per-tool approval modes. A symptom table covers missing servers, startup timeouts, PATH problems, auth failures and tool output that floods the context.
- MCP Server Builder Tools an agent picks right the first time Codex designs each tool as a contract first, with a decisive name, a description that separates it from neighbouring tools, typed and bounded inputs, compact structured output and accurate annotations, then implements it with the current TypeScript or Python MCP SDK. It tests through in-memory clients and the MCP Inspector, connects the server with codex mcp add, and fixes descriptions when real prompts pick the wrong tool.
- Codex Plugin Packaging Ship skills and MCP servers as one install Codex assembles finished skills and MCP servers into a plugin with a portable plugin.json, skills folder and mcp.json, declares server authentication without shipping secrets, and lists the plugin in a repo or personal marketplace. It installs the result on a throwaway CODEX_HOME with codex plugin commands, checks every skill and server loads, then prepares versioning and workspace or public publishing.
4 more Model Context Protocol skills
General skills with Model Context Protocol guidance
Not built around Model Context Protocol, but they include steps or tools for it. Not part of the install-all command.
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Codex Security Hardening
Least privilege for your coding agent -
Skill Scripts and Packaging
Helper scripts and files that earn their place -
Codex Profiles
Switch Codex presets with one flag -
Codex Migration Guide
Bring your agent setup over without losing rules -
Codex Cost Control
Know tokens per task, then cut the waste
Every Model Context Protocol skill in one command
Installs these 7 into ~/.agents/skills/. Add --project after -- to install into the current repository instead.
The installer is a 104-line POSIX shell script. It fetches the skills you name from codexskills.dev and unpacks each into its own folder in your skills directory. No sudo, no telemetry, and every skill page shows the full SKILL.md first. Read install.sh
curl -fsSL codexskills.dev/install.sh | sh -s -- codex-mcp-servers mcp-server-builder codex-plugin-packaging codex-context-budget codex-troubleshooting agent-tool-design figma-to-code Model Context Protocol FAQ
Is there a Codex skill for building an MCP server?
MCP Server Builder uses the official TypeScript SDK v2 (@modelcontextprotocol/server with registerTool and zod schemas) or the Python SDK v2 (MCPServer and @mcp.tool), and checks current versions with npm view and pip index before writing code. It ports servers from SDK v1, sets annotations such as readOnlyHint and destructiveHint, and logs to stderr only, since stdout output corrupts a stdio server's JSON-RPC stream. Agent Tool Design covers naming and describing tools so the model picks the right one.
How do I add an MCP server to Codex and limit its tools?
Codex MCP Servers adds servers with codex mcp add or an [mcp_servers.NAME] table in ~/.codex/config.toml, over stdio or streamable HTTP. It forwards credentials with env, env_vars, bearer tokens or OAuth login, trims tools with enabled_tools and disabled_tools, and sets default_tools_approval_mode so write tools prompt for approval. A symptom table covers servers missing from /mcp, startup timeouts, PATH problems and auth failures.
Can I ship MCP servers together with Codex skills?
Codex Plugin Packaging bundles skills and MCP servers into a plugin with a portable plugin.json, a skills folder and mcp.json, declares server authentication without shipping secrets, and lists the plugin in a repo or personal marketplace. It installs the result on a throwaway CODEX_HOME with codex plugin commands to check that every skill and server loads. Simply renaming a compatibility .mcp.json to mcp.json is not enough, because the portable format needs a transport type per server.
How do I install all 7 Model Context Protocol skills at once?
Pass every name to the installer in one command: curl -fsSL https://codexskills.dev/install.sh | sh -s -- codex-mcp-servers mcp-server-builder codex-plugin-packaging codex-context-budget codex-troubleshooting agent-tool-design figma-to-code. Add --project right after -- to put them in the current repository's .agents/skills/ so your team gets them too.
Which Model Context Protocol skill should I try first?
Codex MCP Servers is the closest fit for most Model Context Protocol work. Mention it with $codex-mcp-servers in a prompt to load it on purpose; after that, Codex picks it up on its own whenever a task matches.