Scoring Methodology
How we evaluate every tool in the index — transparent, consistent, and opinionated.
Overall Score: 0–100
Every tool gets an overall score from 0 to 100, computed from four weighted dimensions. Scores are updated weekly as new data comes in from GitHub, npm, and manual review.
Security
Utility
Maintenance
Uniqueness
Score Thresholds
🛡️1. Security (30%)
We evaluate code audit status, permissions requested, data handling practices, official/verified status, and trust signals. Tools that request broad filesystem or network access without clear justification score lower. Official tools from established companies get a trust bonus. Security-audited tools are flagged and rewarded.
Key signals
- Permissions scope (minimal vs broad)
- Official / verified status
- Security audit status
- Data handling practices
- Trust signals (verified publisher, signed releases)
⚡2. Utility (30%)
How useful is this tool in practice? We look at feature completeness, real-world adoption (GitHub stars, npm downloads), platform support, and how well it solves its stated problem. A tool that does one thing really well can score higher than a Swiss Army knife that does everything poorly.
Key signals
- Feature completeness
- GitHub stars and forks
- npm weekly downloads
- Platform and OS support
- User adoption and community size
🔄3. Maintenance (25%)
Is this tool actively maintained? We check commits in the last 30 days, issue response time, release frequency, and whether the repo is archived. Tools with no commits in 90+ days are flagged as "stale." Active maintenance is essential — an abandoned tool with security issues won't get patched.
Key signals
- Commits in last 30 days
- Issue response time
- Release frequency
- Archive / abandoned status
- Bus factor (number of contributors)
💎4. Uniqueness (15%)
Does this tool solve something others don't? Or is it one of fifty identical "weather API wrapper" MCP servers? We reward tools that carve out a genuinely unique niche, offer differentiated approaches, or combine capabilities in novel ways. Cookie-cutter wrappers score low here.
Key signals
- Number of alternatives solving the same problem
- Differentiated approach or architecture
- Novel capability combination
- Niche specialization
Data Sources
GitHub API: Stars, forks, commits, issues, contributors, archived status, pushed_at, license, language. Updated weekly.
npm Registry: Weekly downloads, latest version, publish date. Updated weekly for tools with npm packages.
awesome-mcp-servers: Community-curated list with 1,300+ entries. Scraped for discovery and categorization.
Manual enrichment: Top tools receive manual review: install commands, config snippets, permissions analysis, compatibility testing, and editorial commentary.
Community submissions: Anyone can submit a tool at /submit. Submissions are reviewed within 48 hours.
Our Transparency Policy
Every score is backed by observable data. We don't accept payment for higher scores. If you think a tool is mis-scored, contact us at hello@skillsindex.dev with evidence and we'll re-evaluate. Editor's picks are subjective — they reflect our opinion on what's genuinely best for most users.