Source repo
https://github.com/vastsa/PI-Desktop
Why selected
PI-Desktop (626 stars, MIT, TypeScript/Rust, pushed within days) is a local-first desktop workspace for AI coding agents with a first-class plugin system (contributes.mcpServers for remote HTTP MCP servers, plugin skills, agent tools, permission gates, net.domains egress allowlist). Web search is a natural fit: its agents have no built-in web-research capability, and the plugin channel supports declarative remote MCP servers exactly.
Evaluation summary of other candidates this run:
- qufei1993/skills-hub — CURATED_REPOS ingestion exists, but
featured-skills.json is capped at 300 entries sorted by repo stars; our 67-star repo would be sliced out. Rejected.
- jeremylongshore/tons-of-skills-marketplace — external mirror path exists in
sources.yaml, but upstream skills must pass their strict marketplace validator; our current SKILL.md frontmatter fails it (missing fields, backticks in compatibility, missing body sections). Rejected for this run.
- metatool-ai/metamcp — app-store search index lives in an external Cloudflare Worker (
metatool-service.jczstudio.workers.dev), not an in-repo catalog. No PR-able surface. Rejected.
- daodao97/chatmcp — market catalog lives in separate 4-star repo
chatmcpclient/mcp_server_market (below star floor). Rejected.
- mcp-router/mcp-router — app store fetched from external
mcp-router.net/api. No in-repo catalog. Rejected.
- ascending-llc/jarvis-registry — registry is runtime/DB-driven with no static seed catalog. Rejected.
Proposed integration type
Repo-native equivalent: an example plugin under examples/plugins/ that declares the You.com remote MCP server via contributes.mcpServers (transport http, keyless https://api.you.com/mcp?profile=free URL, optional Authorization header resolved from a plugin setting for the authenticated profile). This follows the repo's own pattern: examples/plugins/hello and examples/plugins/roundtable are reference plugins, and the docs point contributors there.
Distribution surface
PI-Desktop's native plugin manifest contribution system (contributes.mcpServers + contributes.skills + settings + permission declarations). Optional, opt-in by loading the example as a dev plugin.
Planned setup
- URL:
https://api.you.com/mcp?profile=free (keyless you-search) by default
- Optional setting
apiKey → sends Authorization: Bearer <key> to use the authenticated https://api.you.com/mcp profile
- Permissions:
mcp.server.remote (+ agent.prompt.inject for the bundled skill docs)
net.domains: api.you.com
Expected usage
User opens the example plugin folder via "Load dev plugin"; the agent gains namespaced You.com tools (you-search / you-discover keyless; more with an API key) without any code running from the plugin.
Validation plan
pnpm --filter @pi-desktop/plugin-devkit exec pi-plugin check on the new plugin dir; CI runs repo-wide (PR touches non-md files so js and rust jobs run; plugin-devkit tests unaffected).
Source repo
https://github.com/vastsa/PI-Desktop
Why selected
PI-Desktop (626 stars, MIT, TypeScript/Rust, pushed within days) is a local-first desktop workspace for AI coding agents with a first-class plugin system (
contributes.mcpServersfor remote HTTP MCP servers, plugin skills, agent tools, permission gates,net.domainsegress allowlist). Web search is a natural fit: its agents have no built-in web-research capability, and the plugin channel supports declarative remote MCP servers exactly.Evaluation summary of other candidates this run:
featured-skills.jsonis capped at 300 entries sorted by repo stars; our 67-star repo would be sliced out. Rejected.sources.yaml, but upstream skills must pass their strict marketplace validator; our current SKILL.md frontmatter fails it (missing fields, backticks in compatibility, missing body sections). Rejected for this run.metatool-service.jczstudio.workers.dev), not an in-repo catalog. No PR-able surface. Rejected.chatmcpclient/mcp_server_market(below star floor). Rejected.mcp-router.net/api. No in-repo catalog. Rejected.Proposed integration type
Repo-native equivalent: an example plugin under
examples/plugins/that declares the You.com remote MCP server viacontributes.mcpServers(transport http, keylesshttps://api.you.com/mcp?profile=freeURL, optionalAuthorizationheader resolved from a plugin setting for the authenticated profile). This follows the repo's own pattern:examples/plugins/helloandexamples/plugins/roundtableare reference plugins, and the docs point contributors there.Distribution surface
PI-Desktop's native plugin manifest contribution system (
contributes.mcpServers+contributes.skills+ settings + permission declarations). Optional, opt-in by loading the example as a dev plugin.Planned setup
https://api.you.com/mcp?profile=free(keyless you-search) by defaultapiKey→ sendsAuthorization: Bearer <key>to use the authenticatedhttps://api.you.com/mcpprofilemcp.server.remote(+agent.prompt.injectfor the bundled skill docs)net.domains:api.you.comExpected usage
User opens the example plugin folder via "Load dev plugin"; the agent gains namespaced You.com tools (you-search / you-discover keyless; more with an API key) without any code running from the plugin.
Validation plan
pnpm --filter @pi-desktop/plugin-devkit exec pi-plugin checkon the new plugin dir; CI runs repo-wide (PR touches non-md files sojsandrustjobs run; plugin-devkit tests unaffected).