Skills API | Bootspring Docs

The Skills API provides access to Bootspring's library of battle-tested code patterns, implementation guides, and best practices.

Overview#

Skills are reusable code patterns organized by category:

Built-in Skills: Included with Bootspring (auth, database, API patterns)
External Skills: Premium skills from the external catalog (Pro tier)

Each skill includes:

Detailed implementation guide
Code examples
Best practices
Common pitfalls to avoid

REST API Endpoints#

List Skills#

GET /api/v1/skills

Returns available skills.

Query Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Description
`includeExternal`	boolean	Include external skill catalog
`category`	string	Filter by category
`limit`	number	Maximum results (default: 50)

Response:

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "auth/clerk",
      "name": "Clerk Authentication",
      "description": "Complete authentication setup with Clerk",
      "category": "auth",
      "source": "built-in"
    },
    {
      "id": "database/prisma",
      "name": "Prisma ORM Setup",
      "description": "Database integration with Prisma",
      "category": "database",
      "source": "built-in"
    }
  ],
  "meta": {
    "total": 45,
    "page": 1
  }
}

Get Skill Details#

GET /api/v1/skills/:id

Get full content of a skill.

Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Description
`id`	string	Skill identifier (e.g., `auth/clerk`)

Query Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Description
`summary`	boolean	Return summary instead of full content
`sections`	string	Comma-separated section keywords
`maxChars`	number	Maximum content length

Response:

{
  "data": {
    "id": "auth/clerk",
    "name": "Clerk Authentication",
    "description": "Complete authentication setup with Clerk",
    "category": "auth",
    "source": "built-in",
    "content": "# Clerk Authentication\n\n..."
  }
}

Search Skills#

POST /api/v1/skills/search

Search skills by query.

Request Body:

{
  "query": "authentication OAuth",
  "includeExternal": true,
  "limit": 10
}

Response:

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "auth/clerk",
      "name": "Clerk Authentication",
      "description": "Complete authentication setup with Clerk",
      "source": "built-in"
    },
    {
      "id": "auth/nextauth",
      "name": "NextAuth.js",
      "description": "Authentication with NextAuth.js",
      "source": "built-in"
    }
  ]
}

Apply Skill#

POST /api/v1/skills/:id/apply

Apply a skill pattern to your project.

Request Body:

{
  "options": {
    "provider": "google",
    "database": "prisma"
  }
}

JavaScript/Node.js API#

Module Import#

const skills = require('bootspring/skills');

Listing Skills#

`listSkills(options)`#

List all available skills.

Options:

Option	Type	Default	Description
`includeExternal`	boolean	`false`	Include external catalog

const skillIds = skills.listSkills({ includeExternal: true });
// Returns: ['auth/clerk', 'auth/nextauth', 'database/prisma', ...]

`listExternalSkills(options)`#

List only external skills.

const externalSkills = skills.listExternalSkills({ limit: 10 });
// Returns: ['external/advanced-caching', 'external/multi-tenant', ...]

`getCategories()`#

Get all skill categories.

const categories = skills.getCategories();
// Returns: ['auth', 'database', 'api', 'payments', 'testing', ...]

`getPatternsByCategory(category)`#

Get skills in a specific category.

const authSkills = skills.getPatternsByCategory('auth');
// Returns: ['clerk', 'nextauth', 'jwt', ...]

Loading Skills#

`loadSkill(skillName, options)`#

Load the full content of a skill.

Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Description
`skillName`	string	Skill identifier
`options`	object	Load options

Options:

Option	Type	Default	Description
`includeExternal`	boolean	`false`	Allow loading external skills

const content = skills.loadSkill('auth/clerk', { includeExternal: true });
// Returns: Markdown content of the skill

`getSkillPath(skillName)`#

Get the file path of a built-in skill.

const path = skills.getSkillPath('database/prisma');
// Returns: '/path/to/bootspring/skills/patterns/database/prisma.md'

`getSkillMetadata(skillName)`#

Get metadata about a skill.

const metadata = skills.getSkillMetadata('auth/clerk');
// Returns:
// {
//   id: 'auth/clerk',
//   source: 'built-in',
//   category: 'auth',
//   name: 'Clerk Authentication',
//   description: 'Complete authentication setup with Clerk',
//   title: 'Clerk Authentication',
//   codeBlocks: 8,
//   lines: 245,
//   path: '/path/to/skill.md'
// }

Searching Skills#

`searchSkills(query, options)`#

Search skills by keyword.

Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Description
`query`	string	Search query
`options`	object	Search options

Options:

Option	Type	Default	Description
`includeExternal`	boolean	`false`	Include external catalog
`limit`	number	none	Maximum results

const matches = skills.searchSkills('authentication OAuth', {
  includeExternal: true,
  limit: 10
});
// Returns: ['auth/clerk', 'auth/nextauth', ...]

Content Formatting#

`formatSkillContent(content, options)`#

Format skill content with options.

Options:

Option	Type	Description
`summary`	boolean	Return concise summary
`sections`	string/array	Section keywords to include
`maxChars`	number	Maximum content length

const content = skills.loadSkill('database/prisma');

// Get summary
const summary = skills.formatSkillContent(content, { summary: true });

// Get specific sections
const setup = skills.formatSkillContent(content, {
  sections: 'setup,configuration'
});

// Limit length
const truncated = skills.formatSkillContent(content, { maxChars: 5000 });

External Catalog#

`hasExternalSkillLibrary()`#

Check if external skills are available.

if (skills.hasExternalSkillLibrary()) {
  console.log('External skills available');
}

`syncExternalCatalog(options)`#

Sync external skills from remote catalog.

Options:

Option	Type	Description
`manifestUrl`	string	Remote manifest URL
`contentBaseUrl`	string	Base URL for skill content
`token`	string	Bearer token for authentication
`cacheDir`	string	Local cache directory
`manifestPublicKey`	string	PEM public key for signature verification
`requireManifestSignature`	boolean	Require signature validation

const result = await skills.syncExternalCatalog({
  manifestUrl: 'https://api.bootspring.com/skills/manifest.json',
  token: process.env.BOOTSPRING_SKILL_TOKEN
});

// Returns:
// {
//   fetched: 25,
//   skipped: [],
//   cacheRoot: '/Users/user/.bootspring/skills-cache',
//   manifestPath: '/path/to/manifest.json',
//   signatureVerified: true
// }

`resetExternalCache()`#

Reset the external skills cache.

skills.resetExternalCache();

Security#

`verifyManifestSignature(manifest, options)`#

Verify a manifest's cryptographic signature.

const verification = skills.verifyManifestSignature(manifest, {
  manifestPublicKey: process.env.BOOTSPRING_SKILL_MANIFEST_PUBLIC_KEY,
  requireManifestSignature: true
});

// Returns:
// { verified: true, required: true, algorithm: 'sha256' }

MCP Tool#

The bootspring_skill MCP tool provides skill functionality.

Tool Definition#

{
  "name": "bootspring_skill",
  "description": "Search and retrieve code patterns/skills",
  "inputSchema": {
    "properties": {
      "action": {
        "enum": ["list", "show", "search", "sync"]
      },
      "name": { "type": "string" },
      "query": { "type": "string" },
      "includeExternal": { "type": "boolean" },
      "summary": { "type": "boolean" },
      "sections": { "type": "string" },
      "maxChars": { "type": "number" },
      "limit": { "type": "number" }
    },
    "required": ["action"]
  }
}

Actions#

Action	Description	Required Parameters
`list`	List all skills	None
`show`	Show skill content	`name`
`search`	Search skills	`query`
`sync`	Sync external catalog	`manifestUrl`

Examples#

List skills:

{
  "action": "list",
  "includeExternal": true,
  "limit": 20
}

Show skill:

{
  "action": "show",
  "name": "auth/clerk",
  "summary": true
}

Show specific sections:

{
  "action": "show",
  "name": "database/prisma",
  "sections": "setup,migrations"
}

Search skills:

{
  "action": "search",
  "query": "stripe payments",
  "includeExternal": true
}

Sync external catalog:

{
  "action": "sync",
  "manifestUrl": "https://api.bootspring.com/skills/manifest.json"
}

Available Skill Categories#

auth#

Authentication and authorization patterns.

Skill	Description
`auth/clerk`	Clerk authentication setup
`auth/nextauth`	NextAuth.js configuration
`auth/jwt`	JWT token handling
`auth/rbac`	Role-based access control

database#

Database patterns and ORM setup.

Skill	Description
`database/prisma`	Prisma ORM setup
`database/migrations`	Database migration patterns
`database/seeding`	Database seeding strategies

api#

API design and implementation.

Skill	Description
`api/route-handler`	Next.js route handlers
`api/server-action`	Server actions patterns
`api/validation`	API input validation
`api/error-handling`	API error handling

payments#

Payment processing integrations.

Skill	Description
`payments/stripe`	Stripe integration
`payments/subscriptions`	Subscription management
`payments/webhooks`	Payment webhook handling

testing#

Testing patterns and strategies.

Skill	Description
`testing/vitest`	Vitest setup and patterns
`testing/playwright`	E2E testing with Playwright
`testing/mocking`	Test mocking strategies

External Skills (Pro Tier)#

External skills require a Pro subscription and include:

Advanced caching strategies
Multi-tenant architecture
Enterprise authentication
Advanced performance patterns
Real-time features

Environment Variables#

Variable	Description
`BOOTSPRING_SKILL_TOKEN`	Bearer token for external catalog
`BOOTSPRING_SKILL_MANIFEST_URL`	Remote manifest URL
`BOOTSPRING_SKILL_CONTENT_BASE_URL`	Content base URL
`BOOTSPRING_SKILL_CACHE_DIR`	Local cache directory
`BOOTSPRING_SKILL_MANIFEST_PUBLIC_KEY`	PEM public key for signatures
`BOOTSPRING_SKILL_MANIFEST_REQUIRE_SIGNATURE`	Require signature validation
`BOOTSPRING_SKILL_CATALOG_SOURCE`	Source priority: `auto`, `local`, `cache`

Constants#

PATTERNS_DIR#

const { PATTERNS_DIR } = require('bootspring/skills');
// Built-in patterns directory

EXTERNAL_SKILLS_DIR#

const { EXTERNAL_SKILLS_DIR } = require('bootspring/skills');
// Local external skills directory

DEFAULT_EXTERNAL_CACHE_ROOT#

const { DEFAULT_EXTERNAL_CACHE_ROOT } = require('bootspring/skills');
// Default: ~/.bootspring/skills-cache

Error Handling#

Skill Not Found#

{
  "error": {
    "code": "NOT_FOUND",
    "message": "Skill not found: invalid/skill"
  }
}

External Skill Access Denied#

{
  "error": {
    "code": "FORBIDDEN",
    "message": "External skills require Pro tier subscription"
  }
}

Signature Verification Failed#

{
  "error": {
    "code": "SECURITY_ERROR",
    "message": "Manifest signature verification failed"
  }
}

CLI Commands#

# List all skills
bootspring skill list

# List including external
bootspring skill list --external

# Search skills
bootspring skill search "authentication"

# Show a skill
bootspring skill show auth/clerk

# Show summary only
bootspring skill show database/prisma --summary

# Sync external catalog
bootspring skill sync

Best Practices#

Start with built-in skills: They cover most common use cases
Use search to discover: Find relevant patterns by keyword
Request summaries first: Get overview before full content
Combine skills: Use multiple skills for complex features
Check for updates: Sync external catalog periodically
Verify signatures: Enable signature verification in production