Readme

Using Create Standalone Tool

Create Standalone Tool

Use this skill for an MCP tool that is not tied to a skill. Do not assume the repository is identical to the template; inspect the chosen plugin and adapt while preserving these best practices.

Inputs

plugin: target plugin under plugins/.
tool: MCP tool id in kebab-case.
Tool title, description, input schema, and behavior.

Best-practice placement

plugins/<plugin>/tools/<tool-kebab>/<toolCamel>.ts

The tool must be registered in the plugin MCP server entrypoint, usually plugins/<plugin>/mcp-server/index.ts or the current repo's equivalent tool-registration file.

Steps

Inspect plugins/<plugin>/package.json, tsconfig.json, and MCP entrypoint/registration files. Confirm the plugin exists.
Create the tool file under tools/<tool-kebab>/.

Implement using @variant/mcp-server imports:

import type { McpServer } from '@variant/mcp-server';
import { log } from '@variant/mcp-server';
import { z } from 'zod';

export function registerToolCamel(server: McpServer): void {
  server.registerTool(
    '<tool-kebab>',
    {
      title: '<Tool Title>',
      description: '<Tool description>',
      inputSchema: {
        param: z.string().describe('Input parameter'),
      },
    },
    async ({ param }) => {
      log('info', '<tool-kebab>: called', { param });
      return { content: [{ type: 'text', text: param }] };
    },
  );
}

Register the tool in the plugin's MCP tool registration location. For an entrypoint using definePluginTools, add:
```
import { registerToolCamel } from '../tools/<tool-kebab>/<toolCamel>.js';
```
and include registerToolCamel in the tools array.

Return expected tool errors as:

return { content: [{ type: 'text', text: 'Error: explanation' }], isError: true };

Typecheck the plugin using the current package name or filter convention. If package names follow the template:
```
pnpm --filter @variant/plugin-<plugin> run typecheck
```

Rules

Standalone tools belong under tools/, not under a skill.
Shared infrastructure imports come from @variant/mcp-server, never relative shared paths.
Adapt file paths if the repo has intentionally moved registration, but preserve the standalone-tool concept.

Install / use