name: skills description: Using Skillz MCP Server with Docker Summarize documentation files

Skillz MCP Server Integration

Skillz is an MCP server that turns Claude-style skills (SKILL.md files plus optional resources) into callable tools for any MCP client. It discovers each skill, exposes instructions and resources, and can run bundled helper scripts.

Repository: https://github.com/intellectronica/skillz

⚠️ Experimental proof-of-concept. Potentially unsafe. Treat skills like untrusted code and run in sandboxes/containers. Use at your own risk.

Quick Start

Basic Docker Configuration

To use Skillz with GitHub Agentic Workflows, add it as an MCP server in your workflow frontmatter:

on: issues
engine: copilot
mcp-servers:
  skillz:
    container: "intellectronica/skillz"
    args:
      - "-v"
      - "/path/to/skills:/skillz"
      - "/skillz"

# Your workflow with skills

Use skills from the skillz server to accomplish tasks.

Key points:

• Replace /path/to/skills with the actual path to your skills directory
• The skills directory is mounted at /skillz inside the container
• Pass /skillz as the argument to tell skillz where to find skills

Skills Directory Structure

Skillz looks for skills inside the root directory you provide (defaults to ~/.skillz). Each skill lives in its own folder or zip archive that includes a SKILL.md file with YAML front matter.

Example Directory Layout

skills/
├── summarize-docs/
│   ├── SKILL.md
│   ├── summarize.py
│   └── prompts/example.txt
├── translate.zip
└── web-search/
    └── SKILL.md

Skill Structure

Each skill folder must contain:

• SKILL.md - Required file with YAML frontmatter describing the skill
• Helper scripts - Optional Python, Node.js, or other scripts
• Resources - Optional datasets, examples, prompts, etc.

Example SKILL.md:

name: summarize-docs
description: Summarize documentation files

# Document Summarization Skill

This skill helps summarize long documentation files.

Use the provided `summarize.py` script to process documents.

Packaging Skills as Zip Files

Skills can be packaged as .zip archives:

translate.zip
├── SKILL.md
└── helpers/
    └── translate.js

Or with a top-level directory:

data-cleaner.zip
└── data-cleaner/
    ├── SKILL.md
    └── clean.py

Skillz vs Claude Code Directory Structure

Claude Code-Compatible Layout (Flat)

For compatibility with Claude Code, use a flat directory structure where every immediate subdirectory is a single skill:

skills/
├── hello-world/
│   ├── SKILL.md
│   └── run.sh
└── summarize-text/
    ├── SKILL.md
    └── run.py

Limitations: No nested directories, no .zip files.

Skillz-Only Layout (Flexible)

Skillz supports nested directories and .zip files:

skills/
├── text-tools/
│   └── summarize-text/
│       ├── SKILL.md
│       └── run.py
└── image-processing.zip

Note: This layout is NOT compatible with Claude Code.

Configuration Options

Environment Variables

When using Docker, you can pass environment variables to skills:

mcp-servers:
  skillz:
    container: "intellectronica/skillz"
    args:
      - "-v"
      - "/path/to/skills:/skillz"
      - "/skillz"
    env:
      API_KEY: "${{ secrets.SKILL_API_KEY }}"

Verbose Logging

Enable verbose logging for debugging:

mcp-servers:
  skillz:
    container: "intellectronica/skillz"
    args:
      - "-v"
      - "/path/to/skills:/skillz"
      - "/skillz"
      - "--verbose"