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Installation Guide

Complete step-by-step installation guide for systemprompt.io. Whitelist the domain, connect the MCP server, import your plugin, and run onboarding.

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This guide walks you through the complete installation of systemprompt.io in Claude Desktop. There are five steps, each taking about a minute. By the end you will have a fully connected workspace with personalized AI skills.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

  • A systemprompt.io account — Register here if you don't have one. Registration is free and takes under a minute.
  • Claude Desktop — The desktop app from Anthropic with Cowork enabled. Download from claude.ai if you haven't already.

Step 1: Whitelist systemprompt.io

Claude Desktop restricts which domains the sandbox can access. You need to add systemprompt.io to the allowlist so Claude can communicate with the Skill Manager MCP server.

Instructions

  1. Open Claude Desktop
  2. Go to Settings (gear icon)
  3. Select Capabilities in the left sidebar
  4. Scroll to Code execution and file creation
  5. Enable Allow network egress (toggle on)
  6. Set Domain allowlist to Package managers only
  7. Under Additional allowed domains, add the following two entries:
Domain Purpose
systemprompt.io Main API and dashboard access
*.systemprompt.io Tenant subdomains for multi-tenant cloud

Why "Package managers only"?

This is the safest option that still allows systemprompt.io to work. It restricts Claude's network access to known package managers (npm, pip, etc.) plus any domains you explicitly whitelist. You could also choose "All domains" but whitelisting is more secure.

Verification

After adding the domains, they should appear in the "Additional allowed domains" list with a delete icon next to each one.

Step 2: Add the MCP connector

The Skill Manager is an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server hosted by systemprompt.io. It gives Claude live access to your skills, agents, and analytics. Adding the connector is how Claude communicates with the platform.

Instructions

  1. In Claude Desktop, go to Settings
  2. Select Connectors in the left sidebar
  3. Click Add custom connector
  4. Enter name: Skill manager
  5. Enter Remote MCP server URL:
https://systemprompt.io/api/v1/mcp/skill-manager/mcp
  1. Click Add

What does the MCP connector provide?

The Skill Manager gives Claude live tools to:

  • Create and update skills — Build new skills or refine existing ones without leaving your conversation
  • Analyse skill usage — See which skills are effective and which need improvement
  • Manage agents and secrets — Configure agents and store API keys securely
  • Track conversations — Every conversation appears in your Control Center with analytics

Authentication

The connector uses OAuth2 authentication. The first time you use a Skill Manager tool, Claude will prompt you to log in to systemprompt.io. After authenticating once, the connection persists across sessions.

Verification

After adding, the connector should appear in your Connectors list. Ask Claude "What tools do you have from systemprompt?" in a new conversation to confirm.

Step 3: Add global instructions

Global instructions tell Claude how to behave in all Cowork conversations. Adding the systemprompt.io instructions ensures Claude always uses the Skill Manager for skill management rather than trying to create files locally.

Instructions

  1. In Claude Desktop Settings, select Cowork in the left sidebar
  2. Find the Global instructions text area
  3. Paste the following text:
We use systemprompt mcp skills to manage all skills, plugins and agents. Always use the MCP server for CRUD operations to ensure complete consistency.
  1. Save settings

Why is this needed?

Without global instructions, Claude might try to create skill files locally on your machine instead of using the Skill Manager. The instructions ensure that all skill creation, updates, and deletions go through the Skill Manager, which keeps your dashboard and Claude in sync.

Verification

The text should appear in the global instructions field. It takes effect immediately for new Cowork conversations.

Step 4: Export and import the plugin

Your systemprompt.io marketplace contains all your skills, agents, and connectors across multiple plugins. The Cowork export merges everything into a single plugin ZIP that Claude Desktop can import directly.

Instructions

  1. Log in to your systemprompt.io dashboard
  2. Go to My Marketplace
  3. Click Export for Cowork to download your merged plugin ZIP
  4. In Claude Desktop, go to Settings > Plugins > Import
  5. Upload the ZIP file you downloaded

What gets installed?

The merged plugin contains everything from your marketplace in a single package:

Component Description
All skills Every skill from every plugin in your marketplace, including onboarding, skill creator, agent creator, and secrets creator
All agents Every agent, including Marketplace Consultant and Marketplace Editor
All connectors MCP server connections, including the Skill Manager
Hooks Event tracking hooks for analytics in your Control Center
Forked plugins Skills and agents from any plugins you selected during registration

Verification

After importing, you should see the merged plugin in your Cowork sidebar. Skills and slash commands from all your plugins are available immediately.

Step 5: Run /onboarding

With everything connected, the final step is to run the onboarding assistant. This is a guided Socratic interview that learns about your business and creates personalized AI skills.

Instructions

  1. Open Claude Desktop
  2. Switch to Cowork (use the tab bar at the top)
  3. Start a new conversation
  4. Type:
/onboarding

What happens during onboarding?

The onboarding assistant follows a structured four-phase process:

Phase 1: Business Discovery The assistant asks about your business type, customers, time-consuming tasks, tools you use, and workflows you want to automate. It asks one question at a time and builds on your previous answers.

Phase 2: Capability Mapping Based on your answers, the assistant digs deeper into your specific workflows — inputs and outputs, required expertise, quality standards, brand voice, and whether you prefer specialist or generalist AI agents.

Phase 3: Recommendation The assistant presents a concrete plan of skills, agents, and secrets to create, tailored to your business. You review and approve before anything is created.

Phase 4: Execution The assistant creates each item using the Skill Manager. Skills are created first (agents reference them), then secrets (for external API access), then agents. Each creation is confirmed before moving to the next.

No technical knowledge required

The entire process is conversational. You never see YAML, config files, or technical specifications. Just answer questions about your business and the assistant handles everything.

Verification

After onboarding, check your systemprompt.io dashboard to see the skills and agents that were created. They should appear in the visual editor where you can refine them further.

Next steps

After completing the installation:

  • Edit skills in the visual dashboard — changes sync to Claude automatically
  • Create more skills by typing /skill_creator in Cowork
  • Configure agents by typing /agent_creator in Cowork
  • Manage secrets for external services with /secrets_creator
  • Read the Account Setup guide to configure your profile and workspace

Troubleshooting

Plugin import fails

  • Ensure the ZIP file was downloaded completely — try exporting again from My Marketplace
  • Check that the ZIP file is not corrupted (try opening it in a file manager)
  • Ensure you have a Claude Pro or Team plan — plugin import requires a paid plan

MCP connector not working

  • Verify that systemprompt.io and *.systemprompt.io are in your domain allowlist
  • Check the connector URL is exactly https://systemprompt.io/api/v1/mcp/skill-manager/mcp
  • Try removing and re-adding the connector

/onboarding not found

  • Confirm the plugin was imported successfully (check the Cowork sidebar for the systemprompt.io plugin)
  • Try re-importing the plugin ZIP
  • The onboarding skill is bundled with the plugin — if the plugin is installed, the skill should be available

Authentication issues

  • The Skill Manager uses OAuth2 — when prompted, log in with the same email you used to register at systemprompt.io
  • If authentication fails, try clearing your Claude Desktop cache and reconnecting
  • Passwordless login via email is supported

Skills not syncing

  • Check that the global instructions are set correctly in Cowork settings
  • Verify the MCP connector is active in the Connectors list
  • Try creating a skill through the dashboard and checking if it appears in Claude