upstash/context7 · warning · Error

downloadData.error || "no files"

Error message

downloadData.error || "no files"

What it means

Thrown by the CLI `setup` command after `downloadSkill("/upstash/context7", ...)` returns a non-empty `error` string or an empty `files` array. `downloadSkill` first calls the Context7 registry, then falls back to GitHub (`getSkillFromGitHub`, which needs GITHUB_TOKEN for private repos); failure at either stage collapses into `{ files: [], error }` instead of throwing. The error is caught immediately and shown as `skillStatus = "failed: ..."` in the setup summary, so MCP and rule configuration still complete.

Source

Thrown at packages/cli/src/commands/setup.ts:368

    const result = await installRule(agentName, "mcp", scope);
    ruleStatus = result.status;
    rulePath = result.path;
  } catch (err) {
    ruleStatus = `failed: ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)}`;
    rulePath = "";
  }

  const skillDir =
    scope === "global"
      ? agent.skill.dir("global")
      : join(process.cwd(), agent.skill.dir("project"));
  const skillPath = join(skillDir, agent.skill.name, "SKILL.md");

  let skillStatus: string;
  try {
    const downloadData = await downloadSkill("/upstash/context7", agent.skill.name);
    if (downloadData.error || downloadData.files.length === 0) {
      throw new Error(downloadData.error || "no files");
    }
    await installSkillFiles(agent.skill.name, downloadData.files, skillDir);
    skillStatus = "installed";
  } catch (err) {
    skillStatus = `failed: ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)}`;
  }

  return {
    agent: agent.displayName,
    mcpStatus,
    mcpPath,
    ruleStatus,
    rulePath,
    skillStatus,
    skillPath,
  };
}

View on GitHub (pinned to 5284672feb)

Solutions

1. Re-run `context7 setup` — GitHub rate limits and blips are usually transient
2. Check network reachability of the registry and github.com from this machine (proxy/VPN)
3. Set GITHUB_TOKEN if the skill source repo is private or rate-limited
4. Verify the skill still exists at github.com/upstash/context7
5. Continue without the skill (MCP config is already written) and create SKILL.md manually

Example fix

// before: unauthenticated GitHub fallback gets rate-limited
downloadSkill("/upstash/context7", skillName);

// after: export a token so the fallback path is authenticated
//   export GITHUB_TOKEN=$(gh auth token)
downloadSkill("/upstash/context7", skillName);

// Pre-check reachability before running setup
import { request } from 'undici';
async function canReachRegistry(baseUrl: string): Promise<boolean> {
  try { const r = await request(baseUrl + '/ping', { method: 'GET' }); return r.statusCode < 500; }
  catch { return false; }
}

try {
  const data = await downloadSkill('/upstash/context7', skillName);
  if (data.error || data.files.length === 0) throw new Error(data.error || 'no files');
  await installSkillFiles(skillName, data.files, skillDir);
} catch (err) {
  // Non-fatal: MCP config already written; fall back to manual SKILL.md
  console.warn(`skill install skipped: ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : err}`);
}

When it happens

Trigger: Running `context7 setup` while the registry API errors for /upstash/context7 AND the GitHub fallback fails (no GITHUB_TOKEN for a private repo, unauthenticated GitHub rate limit, repo renamed); being offline so both the API and GitHub tarball download fail; the GitHub tree download returning zero files.

Common situations: Corporate proxy or firewall blocking api.context7.com or codeload.github.com; missing GITHUB_TOKEN env var; GitHub secondary rate limits during heavy CI usage; transient GitHub outage during setup.

Related errors

• Failed to download ${skill.name}: ${downloadData.error}
• Please try again
• No Context7 setup detected. Pass --claude, --cursor, --openc
• Setup cancelled
• Couldn't check for updates right now.

AI-assisted analysis of upstash/context7@5284672feb (2026-08-18). Data as JSON: /api/errors/8062ee511d43c9fd. Report an issue: GitHub.