API Integration

When the user asks to integrate a third-party API or implement anything involving an external API or SDK, follow this workflow. Do not rely on your own knowledge for available APIs or their capabilities — always use the context-matic MCP server.

When to Apply

Apply this skill when the user:

Asks to integrate a third-party API
Wants to add a client or SDK for an external service
Requests implementation that depends on an external API
Mentions a specific API (e.g. PayPal, Twilio) and implementation or integration

Workflow

1. Ensure Guidelines and Skills Exist

1a. Detect the Project's Primary Language

Before checking for guidelines or skills, identify the project's primary programming language by inspecting the workspace:

File / Pattern	Language
`.csproj` , `.sln`	`csharp`
`package.json` with `"typescript"` dep or `.ts` files	`typescript`
`requirements.txt` , `pyproject.toml` , `*.py`	`python`
`go.mod` , `*.go`	`go`
`pom.xml` , `build.gradle` , `*.java`	`java`
`Gemfile` , `*.rb`	`ruby`
`composer.json` , `*.php`	`php`

Use the detected language in all subsequent steps wherever

language

is required.

1b. Check for Existing Guidelines and Skills

Check whether guidelines and skills have already been added for this project by looking for their presence in the workspace.

```
{language}-conventions
```
is the skill produced by add_skills.
```
{language}-security-guidelines.md
```
and
```
{language}-test-guidelines.md
```
are language-specific guideline files produced by add_guidelines.
```
update-activity-workflow.md
```
is a workflow guideline file produced by add_guidelines (it is not language-specific).
Check these independently. Do not treat the presence of one set as proof that the other set already exists.
If any required guideline files for this project are missing: Call add_guidelines.
If
{language}-conventions
is missing for the project's language: Call add_skills.
If all required guideline files and
{language}-conventions
already exist: Skip this step and proceed to step 2.

2. Discover Available APIs

Call fetch_api to find available APIs — always start here.

Provide the
```
language
```
parameter using the language detected in step 1a.
The response returns available APIs with their names, descriptions, and
```
key
```
values.
Identify the API that matches the user's request based on the name and description.
Extract the correct
```
key
```
for the user's requested API before proceeding. This key will be used for all subsequent tool calls related to that API.

If the requested API is not in the list:

Inform the user that the API is not currently available in this plugin (context-matic) and stop.
Request guidance from user on how to proceed with the API's integration.

3. Get Integration Guidance

Provide
```
ask
```
with:
```
language
```
,
```
key
```
(from step 2), and your
```
query
```
.
Break complex questions into smaller focused queries for best results:
- "How do I authenticate?"
- "How do I create a payment?"
- "What are the rate limits?"

4. Look Up SDK Models and Endpoints (as needed)

These tools return definitions only — they do not call APIs or generate code.

model_search — look up a model/object definition.
- Provide:
```
language
```
  ,
```
key
```
  , and an exact or partial case-sensitive model name as
```
query
```
  (e.g.
```
availableBalance
```
  ,
```
TransactionId
```
  ).
endpoint_search — look up an endpoint method's details.
- Provide:
```
language
```
  ,
```
key
```
  , and an exact or partial case-sensitive method name as
```
query
```
  (e.g.
```
createUser
```
  ,
```
get_account_balance
```
  ).

5. Record Milestones

Call update_activity (with the appropriate

milestone

) whenever one of these is concretely reached in code or infrastructure — not merely mentioned or planned:

Milestone	When to pass it
`sdk_setup`	SDK package is installed in the project (e.g. `npm install` , `pip install` , `go get` has run and succeeded).
`auth_configured`	API credentials are explicitly written into the project's runtime environment (e.g. present in a `.env` file, secrets manager, or config file) and referenced in actual code.
`first_call_made`	First API call code written and executed
`error_encountered`	Developer reports a bug, error response, or failing call
`error_resolved`	Fix applied and API call confirmed working

Checklist

Project's primary language detected (step 1a)
```
add_guidelines
```
called if guideline files were missing, otherwise skipped
```
add_skills
```
called if
```
{language}-conventions
```
was missing, otherwise skipped
```
fetch_api
```
called with correct
```
language
```
for the project
Correct
```
key
```
identified for the requested API (or user informed if not found)
```
update_activity
```
called only when a milestone is concretely reached in code/infrastructure — never for questions, searches, or tool lookups
```
update_activity
```
called with the appropriate
```
milestone
```
at each integration milestone
```
ask
```
used for integration guidance and code samples
```
model_search
```
/
```
endpoint_search
```
used as needed for SDK details
Project compiles after each code modification

Notes

API not found: If an API is missing from
```
fetch_api
```
, do not guess at SDK usage — inform the user that the API is not currently available in this plugin and stop.
update_activity and fetch_api:
```
fetch_api
```
is API discovery, not integration — do not call
```
update_activity
```
before it.

integrate-context-matic

NPX Install

Tags

SKILL.md Content