Complete command-line reference for the SkillSea binary.
Running skillsea without a subcommand starts the MCP server.
| Flag | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| --transport | stdio | Transport type: stdio, http, or sse |
| --db-url | — | Neo4j connection URL (bolt://host:port) |
| --username | neo4j | Neo4j username |
| --password | — | Neo4j password |
| --database | neo4j | Neo4j database name |
| --namespace | — | Tool name prefix for multi-database setups |
| --server-host | 0.0.0.0 | Server host (HTTP/SSE transport) |
| --server-port | 8000 | Server port (HTTP/SSE transport) |
| --server-path | /mcp/ | HTTP endpoint path |
| --read-only | false | Disable write queries |
| --read-timeout | 30 | Query timeout in seconds |
| --token-limit | — | Response token limit (truncates with tiktoken) |
| --schema-sample-size | 1000 | Schema sampling size for APOC meta |
| --skills-folder | .claude/skills | Folder for synced skill files |
| --preload-embeddings | false | Load embedding model at startup |
| --allow-origins | — | CORS origins (comma-separated) |
| --allowed-hosts | — | DNS rebinding protection (comma-separated) |
Hook commands integrate SkillSea with Claude Code's hook system.
skillsea hook syncSync skills based on user prompt. Called automatically by the UserPromptSubmit hook. Reads hook input from stdin.
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
| --debug | Enable debug output to stderr |
| --strategy | Search strategy: smart, semantic, fulltext |
| --limit | Max skills to sync (default: 25) |
| --no-semantic | Disable semantic search |
| --scan | Enable security scanning |
| --no-scan | Disable security scanning |
| --scan-threshold | Min severity to block: low, medium, high, critical |
| --skills-folder | Override skills folder path |
| --db-url | Override Neo4j URL |
skillsea hook scanPost-use security scan. Called by PostToolUse hook after a skill is invoked. Runs Static + Behavioral analysis and reports findings to Neo4j.
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
| --debug | Enable debug output |
| --behavioral | Enable behavioral analyzer |
| --no-behavioral | Disable behavioral analyzer |
| --skills-folder | Override skills folder path |
skillsea hook clearRemove all non-protected SkillSea skills from the skills folder. Protected skills (with a .protected marker) are kept.
skillsea hook listShow currently synced skills, last query, and last sync time.
skillsea hook status [--warmup]Show embedding backend status and Neo4j connection. Add --warmup to pre-load the embedding model.
skillsea hook install [--scope local|global]Install Claude Code hooks for automatic skill sync (UserPromptSubmit) and update notifications (SessionStart). Use --scope local for project-level or --scope global for all projects. Optional: --project-root to specify project directory.
skillsea hook uninstall [--scope local|global]Remove the UserPromptSubmit hook. Restart Claude Code after uninstalling.
skillsea hook fix-mcpFix the uv path in .mcp.json for the SkillSea server entry. Useful when switching between environments.
skillsea hook update-checkCheck for binary updates and print to stderr. Called by the SessionStart hook. Uses a 24-hour cache to avoid repeated network calls.
skillsea license activate KEYActivate a license key. Shows tier, policy, and unlocked features on success.
skillsea license statusShow current license status, tier, machine fingerprint, and features.
skillsea license deactivateDeactivate the current license and release the machine slot. Reverts to trial mode.
skillsea license featuresList all features available on the current tier with [+] enabled and [-] disabled markers.
skillsea updateCheck for new versions and display the install command if an update is available.
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
| --version | Show version and check for updates |
| --licenses | Show third-party software licenses |
| --help | Show help for any command |
CLI flags take precedence over environment variables. Set these in your shell profile or .mcp.json env block.
| Variable | Description |
|---|---|
| NEO4J_URI | Neo4j connection URL (also: NEO4J_URL) |
| NEO4J_USERNAME | Neo4j username |
| NEO4J_PASSWORD | Neo4j password |
| NEO4J_DATABASE | Neo4j database name |
| NEO4J_TRANSPORT | Transport type (stdio/http/sse) |
| NEO4J_NAMESPACE | Tool name prefix |
| NEO4J_READ_TIMEOUT | Query timeout in seconds |
| NEO4J_RESPONSE_TOKEN_LIMIT | Response token limit |
| NEO4J_READ_ONLY | Disable write queries (true/false) |
| NEO4J_SCHEMA_SAMPLE_SIZE | Schema sampling size |
| KEYGEN_LICENSE_KEY | License key for auto-activation |
| SKILLSEA_SEARCH_STRATEGY | Default search strategy |
| SKILLSEA_NO_UPDATE_CHECK | Set to 1 to disable update checks (for CI) |