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name: dxt-packaging description: Desktop Extension (DXT) Packaging and Distribution keywords: [dxt, desktop-extension, packaging, distribution, anthropic, extension]

DXT Packaging Skill

Guidelines for building and packaging MCP servers as Desktop Extensions (DXT) using the Anthropic Desktop Extension framework.

Overview

Desktop Extensions (DXT) allow AI assistants to discover and use MCP servers from a package archive. This skill covers the complete DXT development workflow.

Getting Started

Read the Specifications

1. Architecture & Overview: https://www.anthropic.com/engineering/desktop-extensions
2. DXT Repository: https://github.com/anthropics/dxt
   • README.md - Architecture overview, capabilities, and integration patterns
   • MANIFEST.md - Complete extension manifest structure and field definitions
   • examples/ - Reference implementations including a "Hello World" example

Create Proper Extension Structure

• Generate a valid manifest.json following the MANIFEST.md spec
• Implement an MCP server using @modelcontextprotocol/sdk with proper tool definitions
• Include proper error handling and timeout management

Development Best Practices

MCP Protocol Communication

• Implement proper MCP protocol communication via stdio transport
• Structure tools with clear schemas, validation, and consistent JSON responses
• Make use of the fact that this extension will be running locally

Logging & Debugging

• Add appropriate logging and debugging capabilities
• Use structured logging for error tracking
• Include proper documentation and setup instructions

Testing Considerations

• Validate that all tool calls return properly structured responses
• Verify manifest loads correctly and host integration works
• Generate complete, production-ready code that can be immediately tested
• Focus on defensive programming and clear error messages
• Follow the exact DXT specifications to ensure ecosystem compatibility

Key Files

• manifest.json - Extension metadata and configuration
• src/index.ts - Main entry point for the MCP server
• build/ - Compiled output for distribution

References

• Desktop Extensions Docs
• DXT GitHub Repository
• MCP TypeScript SDK