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Overview

CodeAlive offers three integration methods that complement each other:

MCP Server

Provides tools. Gives your agent direct access to semantic_search, grep_search, fetch_artifacts, get_artifact_relationships, chat, and get_data_sources via the Model Context Protocol. codebase_consultant remains available as a deprecated alias.

Agent Skill

Teaches workflows. Teaches your agent effective query patterns, cost-aware tool selection, and multi-step exploration workflows.

Claude Code Plugin

Bundles everything. Includes the skill plus authentication hooks and a code exploration subagent. Claude Code only.
The skill and MCP server work best together: the MCP server provides the tools, and the skill teaches the agent how to use them effectively.

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Installing the Skill

1

Via Installer (Recommended)

The universal installer auto-detects your agents and installs the skill:
npx @codealive/installer
Select “CodeAlive Skill” when prompted. See the Installation Guide for details.
2

Via npx

Install the skill directly using the skills CLI:
npx skills add CodeAlive-AI/codealive-skills@codealive-context-engine
This works with any agent that supports the skills.sh standard.
3

Manual Installation

Copy the skills/codealive-context-engine folder into your agent’s skills directory:
AgentProject scopeUser scope
Claude Code.claude/skills/~/.claude/skills/
Cursor.cursor/skills/~/.cursor/skills/
GitHub Copilot.github/skills/~/.copilot/skills/
Windsurf.windsurf/skills/~/.codeium/windsurf/skills/
Gemini CLI.gemini/skills/~/.gemini/skills/
Codex.codex/skills/~/.codex/skills/
Goose.goose/skills/~/.config/goose/skills/
Amp.agents/skills/~/.config/agents/skills/
Roo Code.roo/skills/~/.roo/skills/
OpenCode.opencode/skill/~/.config/opencode/skill/
OpenClawskills/~/.openclaw/skills/

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Installing the Claude Code Plugin

For Claude Code users, the plugin provides the best experience — it includes the skill plus Claude-specific enhancements.
1

Add the Marketplace

In Claude Code, run:
/plugin marketplace add CodeAlive-AI/codealive-skills
2

Install the Plugin

/plugin install codealive@codealive-marketplace
The plugin includes:
  • The CodeAlive Context Engine skill
  • Authentication hooks for automatic API key injection
  • A code exploration subagent for guided analysis
Already using the plugin in Claude Code and want another agent (for example Codex CLI) to load the same skill files? See Share the plugin with Codex CLI for a symlink-based bridge that follows every claude plugin update.

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Setup & Authentication

After installing, run the interactive setup: 
python setup.py
This will ask for your API key, verify it, and store it securely in your OS credential store. For self-hosted CodeAlive, set CODEALIVE_BASE_URL to your deployment origin, for example https://codealive.yourcompany.com. https://host/api is also accepted and normalized automatically.

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API Key Resolution Order

  1. CODEALIVE_API_KEY environment variable
  2. OS credential store:
PlatformStoreManual command
macOSKeychainsecurity add-generic-password -a "$USER" -s "codealive-api-key" -w "KEY"
LinuxSecret Servicesecret-tool store --label="CodeAlive API Key" service codealive-api-key
WindowsCredential Managercmdkey /generic:codealive-api-key /user:codealive /pass:"KEY"

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Available Tools

The skill provides six tools, each optimized for different use cases:
ToolScriptSpeedCostBest For
List Data Sourcesdatasources.pyInstantFreeDiscovering indexed repos and workspaces
Semantic Searchsearch.pyFastLowFinding relevant artifacts by meaning
Grep Searchgrep.pyFastLowExact text and regex matches with line previews
Fetch Artifactsfetch.pyFastLowRetrieving full content for search results
Artifact Relationshipsrelationships.pyFastLowExpanding call graph, inheritance, and references for one artifact
Chat with Codebasechat.pySlowHighSynthesized answers, architectural explanations
Cost guidance: semantic_search and grep_search should be the default starting point. Chat invokes an LLM on the server side, can take up to 30 seconds, and is usually unnecessary unless you specifically need a synthesized answer after search.

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Supported Agents

The skill works with 30+ agents that support the skills.sh standard, including: Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf, Gemini CLI, Codex, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, OpenCode, OpenClaw, Claude Code, and many more.

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Troubleshooting

Run the setup script:
python setup.py
Or set the environment variable:
export CODEALIVE_API_KEY="your_key"
  1. Verify the skill files are in the correct directory for your agent
  2. Check that the SKILL.md file exists in the skill folder
  3. Restart your agent
The skill requires Python 3.8+. No third-party packages are needed — it uses only the standard library.
If the OS credential store fails:
  • macOS: Ensure Keychain Access is unlocked
  • Linux: Install libsecret-tools (sudo apt install libsecret-tools)
  • Windows: Run as Administrator
  • Fallback: Use the CODEALIVE_API_KEY environment variable
For more solutions, see the Troubleshooting Guide.

Installation Guide

Universal installer for all components

MCP Integration

Set up the MCP server for direct tool access

GitHub

Skills source code

skills.sh

Agent skills standard