skills MCP — Use Cases, Install & Live Demo

Why use it

Key features

R-first: tidyverse idioms, {{data-masking}}, S3/S4 method guidance
Quarto authoring (documents, dashboards, websites)
R package development (devtools/usethis conventions)
Reproducible environments (renv, Positron)
Vendor-maintained quality bar
Compatible with Claude Code and Posit's own agents

Live Demo

What it looks like in practice

skills-skill-2.replay ▶ ready

0/0

Install

Pick your client

~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json · Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "skills-skill-2": {
      "command": "git",
      "args": [
        "clone",
        "https://github.com/posit-dev/skills",
        "~/.claude/skills/skills"
      ],
      "_inferred": true
    }
  }
}

Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config. Restart after saving.

~/.cursor/mcp.json · .cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "skills-skill-2": {
      "command": "git",
      "args": [
        "clone",
        "https://github.com/posit-dev/skills",
        "~/.claude/skills/skills"
      ],
      "_inferred": true
    }
  }
}

Cursor uses the same mcpServers schema as Claude Desktop. Project config wins over global.

VS Code → Cline → MCP Servers → Edit

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "skills-skill-2": {
      "command": "git",
      "args": [
        "clone",
        "https://github.com/posit-dev/skills",
        "~/.claude/skills/skills"
      ],
      "_inferred": true
    }
  }
}

Click the MCP Servers icon in the Cline sidebar, then "Edit Configuration".

~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "skills-skill-2": {
      "command": "git",
      "args": [
        "clone",
        "https://github.com/posit-dev/skills",
        "~/.claude/skills/skills"
      ],
      "_inferred": true
    }
  }
}

Same shape as Claude Desktop. Restart Windsurf to pick up changes.

~/.continue/config.json

{
  "mcpServers": [
    {
      "name": "skills-skill-2",
      "command": "git",
      "args": [
        "clone",
        "https://github.com/posit-dev/skills",
        "~/.claude/skills/skills"
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Continue uses an array of server objects rather than a map.

~/.config/zed/settings.json

{
  "context_servers": {
    "skills-skill-2": {
      "command": {
        "path": "git",
        "args": [
          "clone",
          "https://github.com/posit-dev/skills",
          "~/.claude/skills/skills"
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

Add to context_servers. Zed hot-reloads on save.

claude mcp add skills-skill-2 -- git clone https://github.com/posit-dev/skills ~/.claude/skills/skills

One-liner. Verify with claude mcp list. Remove with claude mcp remove.

Use Cases

Real-world ways to use skills

How to scaffold a proper R package

👤 R developers starting a new package and wanting usethis/devtools conventions ⏱ ~30 min intermediate

When to use: You're tired of hand-writing DESCRIPTION, NAMESPACE, and roxygen2 boilerplate.

Prerequisites

Skill installed — git clone https://github.com/posit-dev/skills ~/.claude/skills/posit-skills
R + devtools — install.packages('devtools')

Flow

Scaffold

Use Posit R-package skill. Create a new package 'tidylaundry' with 2 exported functions: wash() and fold().✓ Copied

→ Directory with DESCRIPTION, NAMESPACE, R/, tests/testthat/, README
Add roxygen

Add roxygen2 docs with @param, @return, @examples for each function.✓ Copied

→ Inline docs that devtools::document() converts to man/
Smoke test

Write testthat tests covering happy path + one edge case each.✓ Copied

→ Tests passing under devtools::test()

Outcome: A package that passes R CMD check on day one.

Pitfalls

Generated code uses base R where tidyverse would be clearer (or vice versa) — State the style preference upfront

Author a reproducible Quarto report

👤 Analysts publishing reports with code + narrative ⏱ ~45 min intermediate

When to use: You need to share analysis with stakeholders in a reproducible format.

Flow

Scaffold Quarto doc

Use Posit Quarto skill. Create a report template with YAML header, exec defaults, and Tufte theme.✓ Copied

→ .qmd file with chunked code + narrative
Fill with analysis

Load data/sales.csv and produce a monthly revenue chart with ggplot + a 2-paragraph insight.✓ Copied

→ Chunks that render to HTML/PDF
Pin environment

Capture versions with renv::snapshot().✓ Copied

→ renv.lock produced

Outcome: A reproducible report anyone can re-render given the data.

Pitfalls

Quarto render fails silently on missing system deps — Check quarto check output; common issue is missing tinytex or chromium for PDF

Scaffold a Shiny app with modern patterns

👤 R developers building internal apps ⏱ ~40 min intermediate

When to use: New Shiny app, want modules + bslib theming from the start.

Flow

Scaffold

Use Posit Shiny skill. Create an app with bslib::page_fluid, 2 modules: upload + plot.✓ Copied

→ app.R with module files in R/
Add reactive flow

Wire upload module's reactive output into plot module's input.✓ Copied

→ Reactives connected; app runs

Outcome: A modular Shiny app that's easy to extend.

Combinations

Pair with other MCPs for X10 leverage

skills-skill-2 + claude-code-skill-factory-skill

Use Posit skills as reference patterns when authoring new skills

Show me the structure of a Posit skill, then /build a parallel skill for Julia package dev.✓ Copied

Tools

What this MCP exposes

Tool	Inputs	When to call
R package scaffolding	-	New package
Quarto authoring	-	Reports and docs
Shiny patterns	-	Internal app dev
Reproducibility (renv)	-	Pinning environment

Cost & Limits

What this costs to run

API quota: None
Tokens per call: Varies per skill
Monetary: Free
Tip: R package scaffolds are small token-wise; Quarto with data analysis can balloon.

Security

Permissions, secrets, blast radius

Credential storage: No credentials

Data egress: None by default

Troubleshooting

Common errors and fixes

Generated R code uses outdated tidyverse APIs

State target package versions: 'dplyr 1.1+, tidyselect 1.2+'

Skill not triggered on R contexts

Claude auto-triggers on file extensions; explicitly invoke 'Use Posit R skills ...' to guarantee

Alternatives

skills vs others

Alternative	When to use it instead	Tradeoff
Hand-written with usethis	You already know the conventions cold	More control, slower setup

More

Resources

📖 Read the official README on GitHub

🐙 Browse open issues

🔍 Browse all 400+ MCP servers and Skills