DPS Superskills

DPS SuperSkills v5.2.1 deployed as an MCP server — exposes 16 MCP tools plus 31 read-only skill resources for any MCP-compatible client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf, Antigravity, or any IDE/chatbot supporting MCP).

Package: dps-superskills-mcp Default transport: stdio Skills content: docs/DPS-superskills-v5.2.1/ (31 skills, 31 nano references) Runtime entrypoint: dist/index.js Base layer: SUPER-MCP Framework (TypeScript / ESM)

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DPS SuperSkills — MCP Tools & Resources

This server exposes both MCP Tools (for on-demand invocation) and MCP Resources (for context auto-injection) to give any AI agent structured access to the full DPS SuperSkills v5.2.1 framework.

MCP Resources

All 31 skills are exposed as read-only MCP Resources at skill://<name> (for example, skill://using-super-skills or skill://complexity-gate). Resource annotations prioritize DISCIPLINE skills so clients that support resource ranking can inject the Iron Laws first. Compatible MCP clients can discover the skill://{skill_name} template, call resources/list, and read individual skills with resources/read. When resources are enabled, the server advertises standard MCP resources capability during initialize.

Note: Resources inherit the SUPER-MCP governance pipeline scaled by endpoint: resources/read enforces rate-limiting, quota, and Output Firewall (like Tools); resources/list enforces rate-limiting and quota; resources/templates/list is lightweight discovery. Enabled by default; can be disabled via MCP_ENABLE_SKILL_RESOURCES=false.

MCP Tools

Skills (skills.tool.js — 5 tools)

MCP Tool	Purpose
skill_list	List all 31 skills with descriptions, register (DISCIPLINE / TECHNIQUE / KNOWLEDGE LAYER / REFERENCE), and curated suggested next: routing hints. Optionally filter by register.
skill_read	Return the full SKILL.md content for a specific skill. Optionally include nano (compressed) version.
skill_run	Invoke a skill with caller context. Returns the structured workflow (ANNOUNCE, GOAL, CONSTRAINTS, CHECKLIST, OUTPUT TEMPLATE, active GOTCHAS, NANO REFERENCE) scaled by depth (nano / checklist / full). Set format="json" to also receive a structuredContent payload for agent-to-agent dispatch.
skill_dispatch	Generate a role-specific prompt template (implementer / reviewer / specialist) for spawning a focused subagent, pre-loaded with tier-appropriate skills and nano references. C0 tasks return a simplified "implement directly" prompt.
skill_search	Search skills by keyword across names, descriptions, and registers. Use when unsure which skill applies — faster than reading skill_list manually.

Knowledge base (knowledge.tool.js — 4 tools, persistent cross-session memory)

MCP Tool	Purpose
kb_write	Record a single knowledge entry (gotcha / pattern-debt / domain-term / decision / bug-pattern) to docs/superskills/<category>.md by default, or MCP_KB_PATH/<category>.md when overridden. Slug is validated as kebab-case. Active gotchas auto-inject into future skill_run responses.
kb_update	Update an existing KB entry in-place by slug. Use when a gotcha or decision is no longer accurate and needs replacing.
kb_query	Search the KB. Default returns a compact id + 1-line summary per match (token-efficient); pass detail=true for full entry bodies. Supports category filter and limit.
kb_health	Report entry counts per category, flag stale entries (>90 days), and surface coverage gaps.

Code retrieval (code_index.tool.js — 3 tools, local data-plane over the user's repo)

MCP Tool	Purpose
code_search	Semantic-ish local code search (native zero-dependency BM25 + symbol/path/proximity rerank). Use instead of grep+read to locate where something is implemented — returns the most relevant chunks as path:line + a match-centred preview, typically ~80–97% fewer tokens. Auto-builds the index on first use (gitignored cache in <workspace>/.dps/index/; disable with MCP_INDEX_AUTO=false). Fuses DPS spec files (source=spec) when present.
code_index	Build / incrementally refresh the local index. Only changed files (size+mtime) are re-read; a no-op refresh short-circuits in ~25ms.
code_index_status	Report whether the index exists, its manifest, and how stale it is (added/modified/removed files).

DPS living-spec (dps.tool.js — 2 tools)

MCP Tool	Purpose
dps_init	Initialize/inject the 4 DPS living-spec files (README/CONTRACTS/BLUEPRINT/ADR) into <workspace>/.dps/spec/ from the bootstrap templates. Detects an existing spec and asks for consent (MCP elicitation, or explicit confirm=true). Pure filesystem → runs under safe mode.
dps_check	Validate the DPS spec via dps.py (every Ref<X> resolves to CONTRACTS, single-definition rule, version sync). Requires python3 (degrades to a manual checklist). Spawns a process → disabled under MCP_SAFE_MODE=true.

System (system.tool.js — 2 tools)

MCP Tool	Purpose
super_mcp_ping	Health check — confirm the server is alive and responding.
super_mcp_pattern_debt	View the active pattern-debt registry.

31 Skills Available

DISCIPLINE (Iron Laws — non-negotiable): complexity-gate · tdd-verified · verification-before-completion · context-reanchor · epistemic-health-check · privacy-secrets-gate

TECHNIQUE (Goal + constraints — adapt approach): brainstorming · dps-init · audit-design · dps-promote · writing-plans · task-risk-score systematic-debugging · pattern-globalize · specialist-review · release-readiness subagent-driven-development · executing-plans · dispatching-parallel-agents receiving-code-review · using-git-worktrees · session-handoff

KNOWLEDGE LAYER (Cross-cycle compounding): domain-alignment · knowledge-compound · audit-distill · adr-commit

REFERENCE (Lookup only): kb-query · skill-init · writing-super-skills · framework-doctor · using-super-skills

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Client Configuration

To automatically generate the correct configuration with absolute paths for your environment, run:

./install.sh

Manual Configuration (Claude Desktop / Claude Code / Cursor / Antigravity / Codex)

Replace <absolute-path-to> with your actual full path, or run ./install.sh to get it pre-filled.

MCP_SAFE_MODE=false is required for dps_check (it spawns python3 — process.spawn is blocked in safe mode). Everything else runs under safe mode: kb_write / kb_update use the local kb.write capability, and code_search / code_index / dps_init only write into the workspace (fs.write.workspace). Use false when you want the full tool set including dps_check; use true for the smallest local permission profile when you do not need DPS linting.

MCP_WORKSPACE_ROOT — the code retrieval + DPS tools operate on the user's project. Under stdio they default to the server's working directory (process.cwd()); if your IDE does not launch the server with the project as cwd, set MCP_WORKSPACE_ROOT to the absolute project path. Under http (remote/control-plane) the indexer disables itself.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dps-superskills": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["<absolute-path-to>/DPS-Superskills/dist/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "TRANSPORT_DRIVER": "stdio",
        "STORAGE_DRIVER": "fs",
        "MCP_SAFE_MODE": "false",
        "MCP_PLUGIN_ALLOWLIST": "system.tool.js,skills.tool.js,knowledge.tool.js,code_index.tool.js,dps.tool.js",
        "MCP_PLUGIN_ISOLATION_MODE": "policy",
        "MCP_ENABLE_SKILL_RESOURCES": "true",
        "MCP_PROJECT_ID": "dps-superskills",
        "MCP_TENANT_ID": "tenant_local"
      }
    }
  }
}

VS Code / Windsurf (stdio)

{
  "mcp": {
    "servers": {
      "dps-superskills": {
        "command": "node",
        "args": ["<absolute-path-to>/DPS-Superskills/dist/index.js"],
        "env": {
          "TRANSPORT_DRIVER": "stdio",
          "STORAGE_DRIVER": "fs",
          "MCP_SAFE_MODE": "false",
          "MCP_PLUGIN_ALLOWLIST": "system.tool.js,skills.tool.js,knowledge.tool.js,code_index.tool.js,dps.tool.js",
          "MCP_PLUGIN_ISOLATION_MODE": "policy",
          "MCP_ENABLE_SKILL_RESOURCES": "true",
          "MCP_PROJECT_ID": "dps-superskills",
          "MCP_TENANT_ID": "tenant_local"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Cursor (~/.cursor/mcp.json or .cursor/mcp.json)

{
  "dps-superskills": {
    "command": "node",
    "args": ["<absolute-path-to>/DPS-Superskills/dist/index.js"],
    "env": {
      "TRANSPORT_DRIVER": "stdio",
      "STORAGE_DRIVER": "fs",
      "MCP_SAFE_MODE": "false",
      "MCP_PLUGIN_ALLOWLIST": "system.tool.js,skills.tool.js,knowledge.tool.js,code_index.tool.js,dps.tool.js",
      "MCP_PLUGIN_ISOLATION_MODE": "policy",
      "MCP_ENABLE_SKILL_RESOURCES": "true",
      "MCP_PROJECT_ID": "dps-superskills",
      "MCP_TENANT_ID": "tenant_local"
    }
  }
}

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Quick Start

# Option A — auto build + print IDE configs with your absolute paths:
./install.sh

# Option B — manual:
pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
pnpm build
# Then copy a config block from docs/MCP-CONNECT.md into your IDE

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Project Structure

.
├── docs/DPS-superskills-v5.2.1/         <- 31 skills content (SKILL.md + nano.md)
│   ├── <skill-name>/SKILL.md
│   ├── <skill-name>/<skill-name>.nano.md
│   ├── shared/                          <- gotcha-schema, claim-grammar, etc.
│   ├── bootstrap-templates/
│   ├── quickstarts/
│   ├── tools/
│   └── README.md
├── docs/MCP-CONNECT.md                  <- IDE connection guide (all configs)
├── install.sh                           <- build + print IDE configs with abs paths
└── src/
    ├── index.ts
    ├── skills/                          <- DPS SuperSkills MCP bridge layer
    │   ├── skill_loader.ts              <- SKILL.md / nano.md parser + cache
    │   ├── skill_registry.ts            <- 31-skill static registry
    │   └── skill_executor.ts            <- structured workflow formatter
    ├── plugins/
    │   ├── skills.tool.ts               <- skill_list, skill_read, skill_run, skill_dispatch, skill_search
    │   ├── knowledge.tool.ts            <- kb_write, kb_update, kb_query, kb_health
    │   ├── code_index.tool.ts           <- code_search, code_index, code_index_status
    │   ├── dps.tool.ts                  <- dps_init, dps_check
    │   └── system.tool.ts               <- super_mcp_ping, super_mcp_pattern_debt
    ├── core/indexer/                    <- zero-dep BM25 code retrieval (walker, chunker, bm25, store)
    ├── core/dps/                        <- DPS spec scaffold + dps.py wrapper (init.ts)
    └── ...                              <- Layer 0 (SUPER-MCP runtime)

At runtime, the code-retrieval + DPS tools materialize a folder inside the user's own project (never this repo):

<user-project>/.dps/
├── spec/        <- DPS living-spec: README/CONTRACTS/BLUEPRINT/ADR.md (tracked)
├── agent/       <- generated projection sidecars (tracked)
├── index/       <- local code index cache (gitignored)
└── DPS_INDEX.yml, DPS_LOCK.yml

By default the server reads skills from <project_root>/docs/DPS-superskills-v5.2.1. Override with:

MCP_SKILLS_PATH=/custom/path/to/skills

The persistent knowledge base defaults to <project_root>/docs/superskills. Override it when you want project-local or test-isolated KB files:

MCP_KB_PATH=/abs/path/to/docs/superskills

Code-retrieval / DPS tools:

# Project root the indexer + DPS tools operate on (defaults to cwd under stdio).
MCP_WORKSPACE_ROOT=/abs/path/to/your/project
# Set false to stop code_search from auto-building the index on first use.
MCP_INDEX_AUTO=true

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Layer 0: SUPER-MCP Runtime

This MCP server is built on top of the hardened SUPER-MCP Boilerplate (Layer 0).

While the primary focus of this project is the DPS SuperSkills implementation, the underlying architecture provides:

• Dual transports: Native support for both stdio and http.
• Durable Storage: Extensible storage (fs, Redis) for task and state persistence.
• Output Firewall: Redaction of sensitive data before returning to the LLM.
• Security Primitives: Capability-based safety policies (MCP_SAFE_MODE), plugin allowlisting, and native tasks support.

(Note: Advanced configuration options for Redis, KMS encryption, OAuth, and HTTP deployments inherited from SUPER-MCP are supported but omitted from this README for brevity, as the standard local stdio usage is recommended for IDEs and Chatbots).