Claude Code - Context7 MCP

Context7 integrates with Claude Code to provide current library documentation instead of relying on training data. Claude Code supports skills, agents, and commands that make documentation lookups more powerful.

Installation#

Run the setup command to configure Context7 for Claude Code:

npx ctx7 setup --claude

This flow authenticates via OAuth, generates an API key, and installs the appropriate skill. You can choose between CLI or MCP mode. Login uses the OAuth device flow — it shows a verification link and short code you open on any device, so it works the same locally or on a remote, headless, or SSH host.

Create or manage API keys in the Context7 dashboard. For manual MCP installation or other configuration options, see All MCP Clients.

Using Context7#

With ctx7 setup, a skill is installed that triggers automatically when you ask about libraries — no need to say "use context7". You can also invoke it explicitly:

use context7 to show me how to set up middleware in Next.js 15use context7 for Prisma query examples with relationsuse context7 for the Supabase syntax for row-level security

If you know the library ID, use it directly to skip resolution:

use context7 with /supabase/supabase for authentication docsuse context7 with /vercel/next.js for app router setup

Tip

With the Context7 plugin installed, you get additional agents and commands on top of the skill.

The Context7 Plugin#

The full Context7 plugin for Claude Code includes more than just the MCP server:

MCP Server

The tools for fetching documentation (resolve-library-id, query-docs)

Skills

Auto-triggers documentation lookups when you ask about libraries

Agents

A docs-researcher agent for focused lookups that keep context lean

Commands

/context7:docs for manual documentation queries

Installing the Plugin#

The plugin is available from the Context7 marketplace. Run these commands in Claude Code:

/plugin marketplace add upstash/context7/plugin install context7@context7-marketplace

This adds the Context7 marketplace and installs the plugin with skills, agents, and commands.

Using Your API Key with the Plugin#

Without an API key, the plugin connects anonymously and shares the anonymous rate limits. To use your own plan, create an API key in the Context7 dashboard and export it as an environment variable before launching Claude Code:

# e.g. in ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrcexport CONTEXT7_API_KEY="your-api-key"

The plugin reads CONTEXT7_API_KEY from your environment automatically. Restart Claude Code after setting it, then confirm requests are counted against your plan in the dashboard.

Note

If the variable is not set, the plugin still works — requests just go through the anonymous tier, which has lower rate limits.

Skills#

Documentation Lookup Skill#

This skill triggers automatically when you ask about libraries, frameworks, or need code examples. You don't need to type "use context7" — the skill recognizes when documentation would help.

What triggers the skill

Setup questions: "How do I configure Next.js middleware?"
Code generation: "Write a Prisma query for user relations"
API references: "What are the Supabase auth methods?"
Framework mentions: React, Vue, Svelte, Express, Tailwind, etc.

How it works

Resolve: Finds the library ID using resolve-library-id with your question as context
Select: Picks the best match based on name accuracy and quality scores
Fetch: Calls query-docs with the library ID and your specific question
Return: Provides code examples and explanations from current documentation

Agents#

docs-researcher Agent#

When you're in the middle of a long task and don't want documentation tool calls cluttering your context, spawn the docs-researcher agent. It runs in a separate context and returns just the answer.

You need docs but want to keep your main context clean
You're working on something complex and context is getting long
You want a focused answer without side effects

spawn docs-researcher to look up React hooks documentationspawn docs-researcher: how do I set up Prisma with PostgreSQL?spawn docs-researcher to find Tailwind CSS grid utilities

The agent uses the same tools (resolve-library-id and query-docs) but runs on a lighter model (Sonnet) to keep things fast.

When to Use Agents vs Inline Tools#

Scenario	Use
Deep into a task with long context	Agent
Want to avoid context bloat	Agent
Context is short	Inline tools
Want docs visible in conversation	Inline tools

Commands#

/context7:docs#

Manual command for documentation lookups.

Format:

/context7:docs <library> [query]

Examples:

/context7:docs react hooks/context7:docs next.js authentication/context7:docs prisma relations

/context7:docs /vercel/next.js app router/context7:docs /supabase/supabase row level security

Using a library ID directly skips the resolution step.

When to use:

You know exactly which library and topic you need
You want a quick lookup without explaining your full context
You're testing what documentation is available