ADR-002: Target Claude Code and Cursor IDE (Not Claude Desktop App)

Context and Problem Statement

The PRD generically references “Claude Desktop” as a target platform for skill installation alongside Cursor IDE. Research reveals that “Claude Desktop” (the standalone Electron app) and “Claude Code” (the CLI/IDE agent) are separate products with fundamentally different extension mechanisms:

Product Extension Mechanism Skill Format
Claude Desktop (app) MCP servers via claude_desktop_config.json No native skills directory
Claude Code (CLI/IDE) .claude/skills/SKILL.md + MCP servers Agent Skills standard
Cursor IDE .cursor/skills/SKILL.md + .cursor/rules/*.mdc Agent Skills standard

For the use case of providing documentation and workflow guidance (not live tool execution), Agent Skills (SKILL.md) are the appropriate mechanism. This means Claude Code and Cursor are the correct target platforms.

Which Claude product(s) and IDE(s) should the installer target?

Decision Drivers

  • Claude Desktop uses MCP servers exclusively – no skills directory mechanism
  • Claude Code and Cursor both support the same SKILL.md format (ADR-001)
  • Cursor automatically loads skills from .claude/skills/ for cross-compatibility
  • MCP server packaging adds runtime complexity (requires a running process)
  • The primary use case is static documentation and workflow guidance, not live tool execution
  • Simplicity of the initial release is a priority

Considered Options

  1. Claude Code + Cursor IDE – Target both SKILL.md-supporting platforms
  2. Claude Desktop via MCP servers – Package skills as MCP servers for the standalone app
  3. All three (Claude Desktop + Claude Code + Cursor) – Support all platforms
  4. Cursor only – Target only Cursor IDE

Decision Outcome

Chosen option: “Claude Code + Cursor IDE”, because both support the Agent Skills standard (SKILL.md), enabling a single skill format to serve both platforms. Claude Desktop support via MCP server packaging is deferred to a future release.

The installer will:

  • Detect Claude Code by checking for ~/.claude/ directory
  • Detect Cursor by checking for ~/.cursor/ directory
  • Install SKILL.md-based skills to the appropriate directories
  • Report which platforms were detected and configured

Positive Consequences

  • Both platforms support the same SKILL.md format, simplifying the installer
  • Skills installed to ~/.claude/skills/ are automatically visible to both Claude Code AND Cursor (Cursor’s compatibility loading)
  • No MCP server runtime needed for initial release
  • Simpler installer with fewer failure modes
  • Clear, well-documented platform support matrix

Negative Consequences

  • Claude Desktop (standalone app) users cannot use skills without Claude Code also being installed
  • Some users may not distinguish between Claude Desktop and Claude Code; clear documentation is critical
  • MCP-based features (live tools, dynamic resources) are deferred
  • Users who only have Claude Desktop will need guidance on installing Claude Code