Docs

MCP client install matrix & skill paths

Get REA registered with your coding agent — and make sure investigation skills land where the client actually loads them.

Setup in one line

Most hosts should use the package runner so the version matches what you expect:

npx rea-agents@latest setup

Review the plan, approve changes, then restart or reconnect the client. README / FAQ debt notes that docs sometimes say rea setup after a global install — both shapes exist; pin a version when you need reproducibility.

Client matrix (illustrative)

Upstream setup historically targets MCP-capable agents such as Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Qwen Code, Grok Build, Windsurf, and other stdio MCP clients. Exact support moves with releases — treat this table as orientation, then confirm with doctor --client ….

Client family	Typical path	Check
CLI agents (Claude Code, Gemini CLI, …)	`npx rea-agents@latest setup` → pick client	`doctor --client …`
IDE MCP (Cursor, Windsurf, …)	Setup or manual `mcp` stdio entry	Reconnect MCP; list tools
Desktop chat hosts	Follow setup plan for that host	Restart app after skill/MCP write

Skill path pitfall

Setup may write an investigation skill to a directory the package considers canonical (for example under ~/.agents/skills), while a specific client only auto-loads skills from its own tree (for example Claude Code reading ~/.claude/skills). Symptom: MCP tools appear, but the agent never picks up REA’s workflow instructions.

After setup, confirm where the skill file was written.
If the client ignores that path, copy or symlink into the client’s skills directory — or re-run setup after upgrading past fixes that align discovery.
Third-party skill installers (for example skills.sh-style flows) may install instructions only and do not register the MCP server. You still need MCP registration via setup or manual JSON.

npx -y rea-agents@latest doctor --client claude_code --json
npx -y rea-agents@latest doctor --skill --json

Manual MCP shape

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "rea": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "rea-agents@latest", "mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Pin rea-agents@VERSION for lockstep environments.