PM-Skills Ecosystem Overview¶

This guide explains the PM-Skills ecosystem, which comprises two complementary products that work together to bring professional product management skills to AI assistants.

Table of Contents¶

Overview
The Two Products
PM-Skills (Skill Library)
PM-Skills MCP (MCP Server)
Decision Matrix
Feature Comparison
Integration Patterns
File-Based Approach
MCP-Based Approach
Hybrid Approach
Customization Workflow
Version Compatibility
Quick Reference

Overview¶

The PM-Skills ecosystem provides a file-based PM skill library plus an MCP server companion. The current pm-skills repo ships 31 skill directories (25 phase skills, 1 foundation skill, 5 utility skills), while pm-skills-mcp exposes a release-pinned snapshot of that library.

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                     PM-Skills Ecosystem                         │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│   ┌─────────────────────┐      ┌─────────────────────┐         │
│   │     PM-Skills       │      │   PM-Skills MCP     │         │
│   │   (Skill Library)   │      │   (MCP Server)      │         │
│   │                     │      │                     │         │
│   │  • 31 skill files   │ ───► │  • MCP tools        │         │
│   │  • Slash commands   │      │  • MCP resources    │         │
│   │  • AGENTS.md        │      │  • MCP prompts      │         │
│   │  • Workflows       │      │  • Workflows       │         │
│   │                     │      │                     │         │
│   │  Git clone / ZIP    │      │  npm install        │         │
│   └─────────────────────┘      └─────────────────────┘         │
│              │                          │                       │
│              ▼                          ▼                       │
│   ┌─────────────────────┐      ┌─────────────────────┐         │
│   │  Claude Code        │      │  Claude Desktop     │         │
│   │  GitHub Copilot     │      │  Cursor             │         │
│   │  Cursor             │      │  Continue           │         │
│   │  Windsurf           │      │  Cline              │         │
│   │  VS Code            │      │  Any MCP Client     │         │
│   └─────────────────────┘      └─────────────────────┘         │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Both products provide access to the same shipped PM-Skills library—they differ in how you access it.

The Two Products¶

PM-Skills (Skill Library)¶

Repository: github.com/product-on-purpose/pm-skills

PM-Skills is the source skill library—a collection of markdown files containing professional PM frameworks, templates, and examples.

What It Provides¶

Component	Count	Description
Skills	31	Complete PM artifacts (25 phase skills + 1 foundation skill + 5 utility skills)
Slash Commands	38	Command markdown files (31 skill commands + 7 workflow commands)
Workflows	9	Multi-skill workflows (Feature Kickoff, Lean Startup, Triple Diamond, and 6 more)
Documentation	~10 files	Guides, references, and framework explanations

All 31 skills are registered in AGENTS.md with corresponding slash commands in commands/. 9 workflows are in _workflows/.

Directory Structure¶

pm-skills/
├── skills/               # The 31 shipped skills (flat, including foundation + utility)
│   ├── discover-competitive-analysis/
│   ├── define-hypothesis/
│   ├── develop-adr/
│   ├── deliver-prd/
│   ├── measure-experiment-design/
│   └── iterate-retrospective/
├── commands/             # 38 command markdown files for Claude Code
├── _workflows/           # Workflows
├── docs/                 # Documentation
└── AGENTS.md             # Universal agent discovery

Access Methods¶

Git Clone — Full access to all files
ZIP Download — Upload to Claude.ai, Claude Desktop, etc.
Slash Commands — Direct invocation in Claude Code (/prd)
AGENTS.md Discovery — Auto-discovery in Copilot, Cursor, Windsurf

Best For¶

Claude Code users (native slash command support)
Teams who want to customize skills
Users who prefer browsing skill files directly
Contributors who want to improve skills

PM-Skills MCP (MCP Server)¶

Repository: github.com/product-on-purpose/pm-skills-mcp npm Package: pm-skills-mcp

PM-Skills MCP is an MCP server that wraps the skill library, exposing skills as programmatic tools, resources, and prompts via the Model Context Protocol.

What It Provides¶

Component	Count	Description
MCP Tools	Release-specific	Skill, workflow, and utility tools derived from the shipped library
MCP Resources	Release-specific	URI-based access to skills, templates, and examples
MCP Prompts	Release-specific	Guided conversation starters
Embedded Skills	Release-specific	Bundled snapshot of pm-skills (zero external dependencies)

Key Capabilities¶

Programmatic Access — AI invokes tools directly via MCP protocol
Zero Configuration — Skills are embedded; just install and run
Universal — Works with any MCP-compatible client
Parameterized — Tools accept topic, context, format, and includeExample
Discoverable — pm_list_skills, pm_search_skills for skill exploration

Installation¶

npm install -g pm-skills-mcp

Or configure directly in your MCP client:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pm-skills": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["pm-skills-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Best For¶

Claude Desktop users
Cursor users (MCP integration)
Teams wanting programmatic/tool-based access
Users who prefer zero file management
Any MCP client ecosystem

Decision Matrix¶

Use this matrix to choose between the file-based skill library and the MCP server:

Scenario	Recommended	Reason
Using Claude Code CLI	PM-Skills	Native slash commands (`/prd`)
Using Claude Desktop	PM-Skills MCP	MCP provides seamless tool access
Using Cursor	Either	Both work; MCP for less file clutter
Want to customize skills	PM-Skills	Fork and modify skill files
Zero-config preference	PM-Skills MCP	`npx pm-skills-mcp` and done
Uploading to Claude.ai	PM-Skills	ZIP upload to Projects
Using GitHub Copilot	PM-Skills	AGENTS.md auto-discovery
Building automation	PM-Skills MCP	Programmatic tool invocation
Contributing new skills	PM-Skills	Submit PRs to skill library
Using multiple MCP tools	PM-Skills MCP	Consistent MCP interface

Feature Comparison¶

Feature	PM-Skills	PM-Skills MCP
Shipped PM-Skills catalog	✅	✅
Workflows	✅ Manual	✅ Tool-based
Slash Commands	✅ 38 command docs	❌ (use tools)
MCP Tools	❌	✅ Release-specific tool set
MCP Resources	❌	✅ Release-specific resource set
MCP Prompts	❌	✅ Release-specific prompt set
AGENTS.md Discovery	✅	✅
Custom Skill Path	✅ Fork repo	✅ `PM_SKILLS_PATH` env
Installation	Git clone / ZIP	npm install
Update Method	`git pull`	`npm update`
Offline Use	✅	✅ (embedded skills)
License	Apache 2.0	Apache 2.0

Integration Patterns¶

File-Based Approach¶

Use pm-skills directly via git clone or ZIP upload.

Your Workspace
├── pm-skills/           # Cloned repository
│   ├── skills/          # Read by AI via AGENTS.md
│   └── commands/        # Slash commands for Claude Code
└── your-project/

Workflow: 1. Clone pm-skills to your workspace 2. AI discovers skills via AGENTS.md 3. Invoke via slash commands or natural language 4. Skills guide AI to produce artifacts

Pros: Full control, easy customization, works offline Cons: Manual updates, file management overhead

MCP-Based Approach¶

Use pm-skills-mcp for programmatic tool access.

┌───────────────┐     MCP Protocol     ┌─────────────────┐
│  MCP Client   │ ◄─────────────────► │  pm-skills-mcp  │
│ (Claude, etc) │                      │    (Server)     │
└───────────────┘                      └─────────────────┘
                                              │
                                              ▼
                                       ┌─────────────────┐
                                       │ Embedded Skills │
                                       │ (skill library) │
                                       └─────────────────┘

Workflow: 1. Configure MCP client to connect to pm-skills-mcp 2. AI invokes pm_* tools programmatically 3. Server returns skill content, templates, or examples 4. AI generates artifacts using returned content

Pros: Zero file management, universal across MCP clients, parameterized tools Cons: Requires MCP support, less direct file access

Hybrid Approach¶

Use both for maximum flexibility.

This approach works well when you: - Want slash commands in Claude Code AND MCP tools in Claude Desktop - Are customizing skills and want MCP to use your customizations - Need both file browsing and programmatic access

Configuration:

Clone pm-skills for customization and Claude Code slash commands
Install pm-skills-mcp for MCP client access
Point MCP to your custom skills:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pm-skills": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["pm-skills-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "PM_SKILLS_PATH": "/path/to/your/pm-skills/skills"
      }
    }
  }
}

Customization Workflow¶

To customize skills and use them across both products:

1. Fork PM-Skills¶

# Fork on GitHub, then clone your fork
git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/pm-skills.git
cd pm-skills

2. Modify Skills¶

Edit any SKILL.md, TEMPLATE.md, or EXAMPLE.md file:

# Example: Customize the PRD template
code skills/deliver-prd/references/TEMPLATE.md

3. Use Custom Skills in Claude Code¶

Your cloned repo works immediately—Claude Code reads from AGENTS.md.

4. Use Custom Skills in MCP¶

Point pm-skills-mcp to your custom skills directory:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pm-skills": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["pm-skills-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "PM_SKILLS_PATH": "/path/to/your/pm-skills/skills"
      }
    }
  }
}

5. Keep Updated¶

# Add upstream remote
git remote add upstream https://github.com/product-on-purpose/pm-skills.git

# Fetch and merge updates
git fetch upstream
git merge upstream/main

Version Compatibility¶

PM-Skills Version	PM-Skills MCP Version	Compatibility
v2.4.x	v2.4.x	Direct version tracking — release versions align 1:1 across repos
v2.1.x to v2.3.x	v2.1.x to v2.3.x	Full alignment — flat structure, frontmatter-based phase
v2.0.x	v1.1.0	Partial — nested MCP, flat pm-skills
v1.2.x	v1.0.x	Legacy stable
v1.1.x	v1.0.x	Legacy compatible
v1.0.x	v1.0.x	Legacy compatible

Current Alignment Notes: - pm-skills-mcp tracks pm-skills releases directly in current shipped versions. - Resource URIs use the flat pm-skills://skills/{skill} form, with phase available in metadata where applicable. - Tool names remain stable: pm_prd, pm_hypothesis, etc. - Custom PM_SKILLS_PATH works with current pm-skills v2.x structure.

Compatibility Notes: - PM-Skills MCP embeds a snapshot of pm-skills at build time - Custom PM_SKILLS_PATH bypasses embedded skills (use any pm-skills version)

Quick Reference¶

PM-Skills¶

Action	Command
Install	`git clone https://github.com/product-on-purpose/pm-skills.git`
Update	`git pull origin main`
Use skill	`/prd` or "Create a PRD for..."
Browse skills	`ls skills/`

PM-Skills MCP¶

Action	Command
Install globally	`npm install -g pm-skills-mcp`
Run server	`pm-skills-mcp` or `npx pm-skills-mcp`
Update	`npm update -g pm-skills-mcp`
Use skill	AI invokes `pm_prd` tool
List skills	AI invokes `pm_list_skills` tool

Links¶

PM-Skills: github.com/product-on-purpose/pm-skills
PM-Skills MCP: github.com/product-on-purpose/pm-skills-mcp
npm Package: npmjs.com/package/pm-skills-mcp
MCP Protocol: modelcontextprotocol.io

Part of the PM-Skills ecosystem.