What happens next
1
Describe your goal
Tell the agent what you have and what you need back. For example: “I have a company domain and want logos and colors for onboarding.” It checks the project before asking about your stack.
2
Confirm the setup
The agent recommends an operation and the tools it needs. It can request and save your API key through auth.md; you complete the browser claim and any email verification.
3
Check a real result
The agent runs local checks, then asks before a small credit-consuming test. It reports what worked, how to run it again, and anything still waiting on you.
Choose a setup
You do not need every tool. The prompt helps the agent choose from these paths:
The skill can guide SDK, CLI, or MCP use. Installing it alone does not connect your account.
Connect your account
The agent can follow context.dev/auth.md to request a key for a new or existing account. It gives you a setup link and code, waits for you to complete the claim in your browser, then saves the key directly into the project’s ignored environment file or your secret manager. You do not need to copy the API key. The setup code is not sent by email; the agent must show it with the link before polling. Account claim and any email verification still require you. The issued API key remains valid until revoked or disabled;expires_in: 0 does not mean it has expired.
Already connected? Reuse the existing key. If you prefer manual setup, use the dashboard and load CONTEXT_DEV_API_KEY in your runtime. Either way, the agent should verify presence without revealing the value.
For MCP, complete sign-in through your client’s connection controls. An MCP connection and an application API key are separate credentials.
Verify the result
For application code, ask for the changed files, the command to run, and the test results. Check that missing credentials, empty data, and expected errors produce useful behavior instead of a crash. For MCP, check the client’s tool activity. A successful Context.dev invocation and its returned data verify the connection; a prose answer alone does not. Live tool calls use account credits. For a batch, submission only confirms a job was created. Wait for completion and inspect its results. A monitor’s first run establishes a baseline; pause or delete a test monitor when you finish. If sign-in or credentials are still missing, the agent should say what is ready and what remains unverified.Keep instructions current
The prompt points to current docs instead of carrying a copied endpoint catalog. Have the agent check the installed package version, read the relevant compatibility notes, and rerun tests after upgrades.Continue
Human Quickstart
Run a request yourself with cURL or any supported SDK.
Skill
Install or review the agent’s API and SDK instructions.
MCP
Configure live tools and account access for your client.
CLI
Set up terminal commands for scripts and automation.