What does this skill do, and when should you use it?
This skill, part of the Desktop Commander MCP repository, specializes in terminal operations for AI agents. It leverages MCP tools like start_process, interact_with_process to manage persistent shell sessions, supporting long-running processes such as REPLs, database shells, and SSH. It also handles everyday terminal tasks, error diagnosis, and process/port inspection. The skill emphasizes environment detection, cross-platform command adaptation, and safety guardrails—never running destructive commands without explicit confirmation.
It executes one-shot commands via start_process, sends input to interactive sessions via interact_with_process, reads output with read_process_output, terminates processes with force_terminate, and inspects files/directories using list_directory/get_file_info. It detects the environment via get_config (OS, shell, Python/Node presence, blocked commands), selects appropriate command syntax for the detected shell, and offers file search and diff editing capabilities through Desktop Commander's edit_block.
- A developer starts a Python REPl in Claude, imports pandas, loads a CSV, and runs descriptive statistics—session state persists across turns.
- An ops engineer SSHes into a remote server, interacts with the shell, and checks disk space without losing session context.
- A user sees 'EADDRINUSE' error; the skill runs lsof or netstat to find the process using port 3000 and offers to kill it.
- A novice asks about 'command not found'; the skill identifies the cause and suggests installing the missing package or fixing PATH.
- A data analyst runs Docker commands (docker ps, docker logs) and monitors long-running builds without blocking.
- A user frequently repeats a workflow; the skill generates a reusable .sh or .ps1 script with comments and parameters.
How do you install this skill?
- This skill depends on the Desktop Commander MCP server, whose installation requires npm and GitHub, which may not be directly accessible from mainland China. Assess network reachability and consider providing alternative installation methods.
- Safety recommendations in the skill rely on external tool configuration, but actual security boundaries may be bypassed. Users should refer to SECURITY.md and consider using isolation environments like Docker.
- The skill file lacks installation/dependency notes, configuration steps, or update paths; consider adding such documentation.
- Example commands (e.g., ssh, docker) may have external side effects, but the skill emphasizes confirmation mechanisms; users should still be cautious about execution environment.
- Shell / CLI
- Local filesystem
- MCP Server
Desktop Commander MCP server
Since this skill is part of Desktop Commander MCP, install the MCP server first: run npx @wonderwhy-er/desktop-commander@latest setup or manually add the server to claude_desktop_config.json with the npx command. The skill file is at plugins/claude/skills/terminal/SKILL.md; after installing, the skill is automatically recognized by Claude.
For more options, see the repository's installation guide (Docker, Smithery, etc.).
tmp="$(mktemp -d)"
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/wonderwhy-er/DesktopCommanderMCP.git "$tmp"
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills
cp -R "$tmp/plugins/claude/skills/terminal" ~/.claude/skills/
rm -rf "$tmp"Generated from the source repository and skill path; it copies only this skill's folder. If the author's install steps above differ, follow those first. To scope it to one project, replace ~/.claude/skills with that project's .claude/skills.
How do you use this skill?
Once installed, send your agent any of these to trigger it:
- start a Python REPL and analyze this CSV
Once installed, describe a terminal task in Claude, such as 'what's using port 3000?' or 'start a Python REPL and analyze this CSV'. The skill will automatically call Desktop Commander tools to execute. You can also explicitly mention 'Desktop Commander' or 'terminal' to trigger it. For detailed command patterns, refer to the skill's sections 3 and 4.
What are this skill's strengths and limitations?
- Cross-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux) with automatic shell detection (bash, zsh, PowerShell, cmd).
- Manages persistent interactive sessions (REPL, SSH, DB) maintaining state across turns.
- Safety features: built-in blocked command list, confirmation for destructive commands, and read-only checks first.
- Integrates file search and diff editing, helpful for code debugging and modification.
- Requires Desktop Commander MCP server installation; not standalone.
- Security limitations: documentation warns that directory restrictions and command blocking can be bypassed via symlinks or command substitution.
- No test suite or formal verification; behavior may vary on exotic shells or environments.
- Long outputs may be truncated; additional read_process_output calls may be needed.
How does this skill compare with similar options?
Side by side with related skills; every score comes from the same FSRS standard.
| Skill | FS score | Stars | Last updated | License |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terminal Command Assistant this page | 51 · Use with care | ★ 10k | 4d ago | MIT |
| Desktop Commander MCP | 65 · Recommended | ★ 10k | 4d ago | MIT |
| MS-Agent Capability Gateway | 37 · Not recommended | ★ 4.4k | 20d ago | Apache-2.0 |
| AI Tools Setup Assistant | 58 · Recommended | ★ 10k | 4d ago | MIT |
| LeanCTX Local Context Control | 59 · Recommended | ★ 3.9k | 3d ago | Apache-2.0 |
How did FollowSkills review this skill?
Evidence shows the skill description emphasizes safety: requires absolute paths, respects allowedDirectories, never prints secrets, and requires explicit confirmation for destructive commands. The repository includes a SECURITY.md detailing security boundaries and known limitations. However, actual execution is subject to Desktop Commander's configuration limits (e.g., blockedCommands can be bypassed), and the actual implementation is not audited to ensure all safety requirements are strictly enforced, so full marks are not justified.
The skill content is self-consistent, providing clear guidance on environment detection, cross-platform command mappings, error handling, and REPL patterns, making it a reliable instruction set. However, the repository's test files appear to target edit_block and A/B testing, not the terminal skill's key paths. Static review cannot verify actual execution, so the score is limited.
The skill's scope is clear: terminal operations, cross-platform, interactive sessions, error diagnosis, etc. Trigger conditions (e.g., error messages) are explicit, and the environment detection step aids adaptation. However, for Chinese users, Desktop Commander relies on npm and GitHub services that may not be directly accessible from mainland China, so there is a network reachability concern and points are deducted.
The skill file is well-structured with version, audience, description, and clear sections including usage instructions, safety notes, and error handling. However, it lacks installation/dependency notes (relies on external MCP server), disclosure of known limitations is incomplete, and versioning/update path is unclear. README and package.json provide good project context, but the skill file itself has moderate maintainability.
The skill content as an instruction set can guide users through terminal tasks, but there is no actual execution verification. Although the repository has test files, they do not directly verify this skill, and static review cannot confirm output usability, so the score is capped.
The repository contains test files (e.g., edit-block-performance.js), but they target file editing, not the terminal skill. CI configuration includes only codespell (spelling check) and does not cover functional tests. Static review cannot corroborate key claims, so the score is limited to 5.
Open a dimension to read why it scored that way
Evidence confidence：Low — Mostly static review, author material or a limited demo; useful for discovery, not high-risk decisions.
See the full review method →