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pm-skills

Ecosystem

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

Section titled “Table of Contents”

Overview

Section titled “Overview”

The PM-Skills ecosystem provides a file-based PM skill library plus an MCP server companion in maintenance mode. The current pm-skills repo ships 68 skill directories (30 phase skills, 11 foundation skills, 12 utility skills, 15 tool skills), while pm-skills-mcp (latest v2.9.3 in the v2.9.x maintenance line) embeds the full 40-skill catalog frozen at the v2.9.2 build.

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                     PM-Skills Ecosystem                         │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│   ┌─────────────────────┐      ┌─────────────────────┐         │
│   │     PM-Skills       │      │   PM-Skills MCP     │         │
│   │   (Skill Library)   │      │   (MCP Server)      │         │
│   │                     │      │                     │         │
│   │  • 68 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

Section titled “The Two Products”

PM-Skills (Skill Library)

Section titled “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

Section titled “What It Provides”
ComponentCountDescription
Skills68Complete PM artifacts (30 phase skills + 11 foundation skills + 12 utility skills + 15 tool skills)
Slash Commands11Command markdown files (the 10 /workflow-* orchestrator commands plus /chain)
Workflows12Multi-skill workflows (Feature Kickoff, Lean Startup, Triple Diamond, foundation-sprint, design-sprint, foundation-to-design, and 6 more)
Documentation~10 filesGuides, references, and framework explanations

All 68 skills are registered in AGENTS.md with corresponding slash commands in commands/. 12 workflows are in _workflows/.

Directory Structure

Section titled “Directory Structure”
pm-skills/
├── skills/               # The 68 shipped skills (flat, including foundation, utility, tool)
│   ├── discover-competitive-analysis/
│   ├── define-hypothesis/
│   ├── develop-adr/
│   ├── deliver-prd/
│   ├── measure-experiment-design/
│   └── iterate-retrospective/
├── commands/             # 11 command markdown files for Claude Code
├── _workflows/           # Workflows
├── docs/                 # Documentation
└── AGENTS.md             # Universal agent discovery

Access Methods

Section titled “Access Methods”
  1. Git Clone - Full access to all files
  2. ZIP Download - Upload to Claude.ai, Claude Desktop, etc.
  3. Slash Commands - Direct invocation in Claude Code (deliver-prd)
  4. AGENTS.md Discovery - Auto-discovery in Copilot, Cursor, Windsurf

Best For

Section titled “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)

Section titled “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

Section titled “What It Provides”
ComponentCountDescription
MCP ToolsRelease-specificSkill, workflow, and utility tools derived from the shipped library
MCP ResourcesRelease-specificURI-based access to skills, templates, and examples
MCP PromptsRelease-specificGuided conversation starters
Embedded SkillsRelease-specificBundled snapshot of pm-skills (zero external dependencies)

Key Capabilities

Section titled “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

Section titled “Installation”
Terminal window
npm install -g pm-skills-mcp

Or configure directly in your MCP client:

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

Best For

Section titled “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

Section titled “Decision Matrix”

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

Note: All “PM-Skills MCP” recommendations below assume the MCP server is in maintenance mode (effective 2026-05-04). New users should default to the file-based PM-Skills install; MCP recommendations apply primarily to teams already on the v2.9.x maintenance line (latest v2.9.3).

ScenarioRecommendedReason
Using Claude Code CLIPM-SkillsNative slash commands (deliver-prd)
Using Claude DesktopPM-Skills MCPMCP provides seamless tool access
Using CursorEitherBoth work; MCP for less file clutter
Want to customize skillsPM-SkillsFork and modify skill files
Zero-config preferencePM-Skills MCPnpx pm-skills-mcp and done
Uploading to Claude.aiPM-SkillsZIP upload to Projects
Using GitHub CopilotPM-SkillsAGENTS.md auto-discovery
Building automationPM-Skills MCPProgrammatic tool invocation
Contributing new skillsPM-SkillsSubmit PRs to skill library
Using multiple MCP toolsPM-Skills MCPConsistent MCP interface

Feature Comparison

Section titled “Feature Comparison”
FeaturePM-SkillsPM-Skills MCP
Shipped PM-Skills catalog✅✅
Workflows✅ Manual✅ Tool-based
Slash Commands✅ 11 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
InstallationGit clone / ZIPnpm install
Update Methodgit pullnpm update
Offline Use✅✅ (embedded skills)
LicenseApache 2.0Apache 2.0

Integration Patterns

Section titled “Integration Patterns”

File-Based Approach

Section titled “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

Section titled “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

Section titled “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:

  1. Clone pm-skills for customization and Claude Code slash commands
  2. Install pm-skills-mcp for MCP client access
  3. 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

Section titled “Customization Workflow”

To customize skills and use them across both products:

1. Fork PM-Skills

Section titled “1. Fork PM-Skills”
Terminal window
# Fork on GitHub, then clone your fork
git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/pm-skills.git
cd pm-skills

2. Modify Skills

Section titled “2. Modify Skills”

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

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

3. Use Custom Skills in Claude Code

Section titled “3. Use Custom Skills in Claude Code”

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

4. Use Custom Skills in MCP

Section titled “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

Section titled “5. Keep Updated”
Terminal window
# 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

Section titled “Version Compatibility”

Current status (since 2026-05-04): pm-skills-mcp is in maintenance mode, frozen at its v2.9.2 40-skill embedded catalog. It does not track current pm-skills releases 1:1; the table below records the historical alignment eras that held before the freeze. The current pm-skills catalog is 68 skills; use the file-based install for parity with it. pm-skills-mcp continues to receive security and critical-bug-fix patches only (latest v2.9.3).

PM-Skills VersionPM-Skills MCP VersionCompatibility
v2.4.x (historical)v2.4.xDirect version tracking - release versions aligned 1:1 across repos, before the MCP freeze
v2.1.x to v2.3.x (historical)v2.1.x to v2.3.xFull alignment - flat structure, frontmatter-based phase
v2.0.x (historical)v1.1.0Partial - nested MCP, flat pm-skills
v1.2.x (historical)v1.0.xLegacy stable
v1.1.x (historical)v1.0.xLegacy compatible
v1.0.x (historical)v1.0.xLegacy compatible

Current Alignment Notes:

  • pm-skills-mcp is frozen at its v2.9.2 40-skill embedded catalog and does not track current pm-skills releases (now 68 skills). Security and critical-bug-fix patches continue (latest v2.9.3); new-skill parity growth does not.
  • 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 lets you point the frozen server at your own current pm-skills checkout, restoring parity for teams that need it.

Compatibility Notes:

  • PM-Skills MCP embeds a snapshot of pm-skills at build time (frozen at the v2.9.2 build)
  • Custom PM_SKILLS_PATH bypasses embedded skills (use any pm-skills version)

Quick Reference

Section titled “Quick Reference”

PM-Skills

Section titled “PM-Skills”
ActionCommand
Installgit clone https://github.com/product-on-purpose/pm-skills.git
Updategit pull origin main
Use skilldeliver-prd or “Create a PRD for…”
Browse skillsls skills/

PM-Skills MCP

Section titled “PM-Skills MCP”
ActionCommand
Install globallynpm install -g pm-skills-mcp
Run serverpm-skills-mcp or npx pm-skills-mcp
Updatenpm update -g pm-skills-mcp
Use skillAI invokes pm_prd tool
List skillsAI invokes pm_list_skills tool
Section titled “Links”

Part of the PM-Skills ecosystem.