When the user asks to integrate a third-party API or implement anything involving an external API or SDK, follow this workflow. Do not rely on your own knowledge for available APIs or their capabilities — always use the context-matic MCP server.
When to Apply
Apply this skill when the user:
Asks to integrate a third-party API
Wants to add a client or SDK for an external service
Requests implementation that depends on an external API
Mentions a specific API (e.g. PayPal, Twilio) and implementation or integration
Workflow
1. Ensure Guidelines and Skills Exist
1a. Detect the Project's Primary Language
Before checking for guidelines or skills, identify the project's primary programming language by inspecting the workspace:
File / Pattern
Language
*.csproj
,
*.sln
csharp
package.json
with
"typescript"
dep or
.ts
files
typescript
requirements.txt
,
pyproject.toml
,
*.py
python
go.mod
,
*.go
go
pom.xml
,
build.gradle
,
*.java
java
Gemfile
,
*.rb
ruby
composer.json
,
*.php
php
Use the detected language in all subsequent steps wherever
language
is required.
1b. Check for Existing Guidelines and Skills
Check whether guidelines and skills have already been added for this project by looking for their presence in the workspace.
{language}-conventions
is the skill produced by
add_skills
.
{language}-security-guidelines.md
and
{language}-test-guidelines.md
are language-specific guideline files produced by
add_guidelines
.
update-activity-workflow.md
is a workflow guideline file produced by
add_guidelines
(it is not language-specific).
Check these independently. Do not treat the presence of one set as proof that the other set already exists.
If any required guideline files for this project are missing:
Call
add_guidelines
.
If
{language}-conventions
is missing for the project's language:
Call
add_skills
.
If all required guideline files and
{language}-conventions
already exist:
Skip this step and proceed to step 2.
2. Discover Available APIs
Call
fetch_api
to find available APIs — always start here.
Always provide the
language
parameter using the language detected in step 1a.
Always provide the
key
parameter: pass the API name/key from the user's request (e.g.
"paypal"
,
"twilio"
).
If the user did not provide an API name/key, ask them which API they want to integrate, then call
fetch_api
with that value.
The tool returns only the matching API on an exact match, or the full API catalog (name, description, and
key
) when there is no exact match.
Identify the API that matches the user's request based on the name and description.
Extract the correct
key
for the user's requested API before proceeding. This key will be used for all subsequent tool calls related to that API.
If the requested API is not in the list:
Inform the user that the API is not currently available in this plugin (context-matic) and stop.
Request guidance from user on how to proceed with the API's integration.
3. Get Integration Guidance
Provide
ask
with:
language
,
key
(from step 2), and your
query
.
Break complex questions into smaller focused queries for best results:
"How do I authenticate?"
"How do I create a payment?"
"What are the rate limits?"
4. Look Up SDK Models and Endpoints (as needed)
These tools return definitions only — they do not call APIs or generate code.
model_search
— look up a model/object definition.
Provide:
language
,
key
, and an exact or partial case-sensitive model name as
query
(e.g.
availableBalance
,
TransactionId
).
endpoint_search
— look up an endpoint method's details.
Provide:
language
,
key
, and an exact or partial case-sensitive method name as
query
(e.g.
createUser
,
get_account_balance
).
5. Record Milestones
Call
update_activity
(with the appropriate
milestone
) whenever one of these is
concretely reached in code or infrastructure
— not merely mentioned or planned:
Milestone
When to pass it
sdk_setup
SDK package is installed in the project (e.g.
npm install
,
pip install
,
go get
has run and succeeded).
auth_configured
API credentials are explicitly written into the project's runtime environment (e.g. present in a
.env
file, secrets manager, or config file)
and
referenced in actual code.
first_call_made
First API call code written and executed
error_encountered
Developer reports a bug, error response, or failing call
error_resolved
Fix applied and API call confirmed working
Checklist
Project's primary language detected (step 1a)
add_guidelines
called if guideline files were missing, otherwise skipped
add_skills
called if
{language}-conventions
was missing, otherwise skipped
fetch_api
called with correct
language
and
key
(API name)
Correct
key
identified for the requested API (or user informed if not found)
update_activity
called only when a milestone is concretely reached in code/infrastructure — never for questions, searches, or tool lookups
update_activity
called with the appropriate
milestone
at each integration milestone
ask
used for integration guidance and code samples
model_search
/
endpoint_search
used as needed for SDK details
Project compiles after each code modification
Notes
API not found
If an API is missing from
fetch_api
, do not guess at SDK usage — inform the user that the API is not currently available in this plugin and stop.
update_activity and fetch_api
:
fetch_api
is API discovery, not integration — do not call
update_activity
before it.