Context7 Documentation Lookup Skill

Fetch current library documentation, API references, and code examples without MCP context overhead.

Works on all platforms via REST API.

When to Use

Activate automatically when:

• •User asks about library APIs or framework patterns
• •User requests code generation using specific libraries/frameworks
• •Import statements suggest documentation needs: import, require, from
• •Questions about specific library versions or migration
• •Need for official documentation patterns vs generic solutions
• •Setting up or configuring third-party tools
• •"How do I use X library?", "What's the API for Y?"

Examples:

• •"Create Next.js middleware with authentication" → Use context7
• •"Set up Prisma with PostgreSQL" → Use context7
• •"Implement Supabase authentication" → Use context7

Workflow

Quick Start (If You Know the Library)

Skip the search when you already know the library:

scripts/context7.py docs "/vercel/next.js" "middleware authentication"

Common library IDs:

• •React: /facebook/react
• •Next.js: /vercel/next.js
• •Prisma: /prisma/prisma
• •Supabase: /supabase/supabase
• •Express: /expressjs/express

Full Workflow

Step 1: Search for Library ID (if unknown)

Search first to get the correct library ID:

scripts/context7.py search "library-name"

Example output shows library IDs you can use:

ID: /facebook/react
Name: React
Snippets: 2135 | Score: 79.4

Step 2: Fetch Documentation

scripts/context7.py docs "<library-id>" "[topic]" "[mode]"

Parameters:

• •library-id: From search results (e.g., /facebook/react) or known library ID
• •topic: Optional focus area (e.g., hooks, routing, authentication)
• •mode: code (default) for API/examples, info for guides

Version-Specific Docs:

# Request specific version by adding it to the library ID
scripts/context7.py docs "/vercel/next.js/14" "middleware"

# Or mention in topic
scripts/context7.py docs "/facebook/react" "hooks in React 18"

Examples:

# Get React hooks documentation
scripts/context7.py docs "/facebook/react" "hooks"

# Get Next.js routing docs
scripts/context7.py docs "/vercel/next.js" "routing"

# Get conceptual guide (info mode)
scripts/context7.py docs "/vercel/next.js" "app router" info

# Get version-specific docs
scripts/context7.py docs "/vercel/next.js/14" "server components"

Step 3: Apply to User's Question

Use the returned documentation to:

1. •Provide accurate, version-specific answers
2. •Show official code patterns and examples
3. •Reference correct API signatures
4. •Include relevant caveats or deprecations
5. •Cite the source URL when available

Script Reference

Requirements:

• •Python 3.6+ (built-in on most systems)
• •No external dependencies - uses Python standard library only

Documentation Modes

Example Workflow

# User asks: "How do I use React hooks?"

# Option A: If you know the library ID, skip search
scripts/context7.py docs "/facebook/react" "hooks"

# Option B: If you don't know the library ID
# Step 1: Search for React
scripts/context7.py search "react"
# Output shows: ID: /facebook/react

# Step 2: Fetch hooks docs
scripts/context7.py docs "/facebook/react" "hooks"

# Step 3: Use the returned documentation to answer

Validation & Recovery

If results are unsatisfactory, follow this recovery workflow:

1. •

   Empty or irrelevant results?

   • •Try a broader topic (e.g., "hooks" instead of "useEffect cleanup")
   • •Switch mode: use info if code returns nothing, or vice versa
   • •Verify library ID is correct with a fresh search
2. •

   Library not found?

   • •Search with alternative names (e.g., "nextjs" vs "next.js")
   • •Try the organization name (e.g., "vercel next")
   • •Check for typos in the library ID format (/org/repo)
3. •

   Rate limited?

   • •Inform user about CONTEXT7_API_KEY for higher limits
   • •Provide cached/general knowledge as fallback

Always verify the documentation matches the user's version requirements before providing answers.

Common Use Cases

Use Case 1: Direct Library Lookup

When you know the exact library the user is asking about:

# User: "Create a Next.js API route with authentication"
scripts/context7.py docs "/vercel/next.js" "api routes authentication"

Use Case 2: Version-Specific Documentation

When the user mentions or needs a specific version:

# User: "How do I use Next.js 14 server actions?"
scripts/context7.py docs "/vercel/next.js/14" "server actions"

# Or search for the version
scripts/context7.py search "next.js 14"

Use Case 3: Conceptual Understanding

When the user needs to understand concepts, not just code:

# User: "Explain how Next.js app router works"
scripts/context7.py docs "/vercel/next.js" "app router architecture" info

Use Case 4: Discovery Search

When you're unsure which library the user means:

# User: "I need a database ORM for Node.js"
scripts/context7.py search "node.js ORM"
# Review results, pick most relevant (e.g., /prisma/prisma)
scripts/context7.py docs "/prisma/prisma" "getting started"

Error Handling

If the script fails:

1. •Dependencies: Verify Python 3.6+ is installed (python3 --version)
2. •Library ID format: Check the format is /org/project (with leading slash)
3. •Topic too narrow: Try a broader topic or no topic filter
4. •Wrong mode: Try info mode if code returns insufficient results
5. •Network issues: Check connectivity and firewall settings
6. •Rate limiting: If using without API key, you may be rate-limited. Get a free key at context7.com/dashboard

Debug mode:

# Check Python version
python3 --version

# Test basic connectivity
python3 scripts/context7.py search "react"

Notes

• •Script path: All scripts/context7.py commands are relative to this skill's directory
• •No MCP overhead: Uses REST API directly, no tool schemas in context
• •API key optional: Works without key, but rate-limited. Get free key at context7.com/dashboard
• •Topic filtering: Use specific topics for focused results
• •Search first (when needed): Search to find the correct library ID only if you don't know it
• •Skip search (when possible): Use known library IDs directly (e.g., /facebook/react, /vercel/next.js)
• •Caching: Results are not cached; each call fetches fresh data
• •Version support: Append version to library ID (e.g., /vercel/next.js/14) or mention in topic
• •Cross-platform: Python 3.6+ works on Windows, macOS, and Linux
• •No external dependencies: Uses only Python standard library

Performance Tips:

• •Keep known library IDs in memory (React = /facebook/react, Next.js = /vercel/next.js, etc.)
• •Skip search when you know the library
• •Use specific topics to get focused results faster
• •Use code mode (default) for implementation details, info mode for concepts

Environment Variables:

# Set API key (all platforms)
export CONTEXT7_API_KEY="your-api-key"

# Windows Command Prompt
set CONTEXT7_API_KEY=your-api-key

# Windows PowerShell
$env:CONTEXT7_API_KEY="your-api-key"

Related skills: Use with angular, typescript-docs when you need up-to-date library docs while coding.

License: MIT License Author: Arvind Menon Based on: Context7 REST API by Upstash