pinecone-io/pinecone-claude-code-plugin/query

Pinecone Query Skill

Search for records in Pinecone integrated indexes using natural language text queries via the Pinecone MCP server.

Whenever this skill asks the user to choose between options, confirm a destructive step, or pick from a list, use the AskUserQuestion tool rather than plain prose. Fall back to prose only if the tool is unavailable.

What is this skill for?

This skill provides a simple way to query integrated indexes (indexes with built-in Pinecone embedding models) using text queries. The MCP server automatically converts your text into embeddings and searches the index.

Prerequisites

Required:

1. ✅ Pinecone MCP server must be configured - Check if MCP tools are available
2. ✅ PINECONE_API_KEY environment variable must be set - Get a free API key at https://app.pinecone.io/?sessionType=signup
3. ✅ Index must be an integrated index - Uses Pinecone embedding models (e.g., multilingual-e5-large, llama-text-embed-v2, pinecone-sparse-english-v0)

When NOT to use this skill

Use the pinecone:cli skill instead if:

• ❌ Your index is a standard index (no integrated embedding model)
• ❌ You need to query with custom vector values (not text)
• ❌ You need advanced vector operations (fetch by ID, list vectors, bulk operations)
• ❌ Your index uses third-party embedding models (OpenAI, HuggingFace, Cohere)

MCP Limitation: The Pinecone MCP currently only supports integrated indexes. For all other use cases, use the pinecone:cli skill.

How it works

Utilize Pinecone MCP's search-records tool to search for records within a specified Pinecone integrated index using a text query.

Workflow

IMPORTANT: Before proceeding, verify the Pinecone MCP tools are available. If MCP tools are not accessible:

• Inform the user that the Pinecone MCP server needs to be configured
• Check if PINECONE_API_KEY environment variable is set
• Direct them to the MCP setup documentation or the pinecone:help skill

1. Parse the user's input for:

• query (required): The text to search for.
• index (required): The name of the Pinecone index to search.
• namespace (optional): The namespace within the index.
• reranker (optional): The reranking model to use for improved relevance.

1. If the user omits required arguments:

• If only the index name is provided, use the describe-index tool to retrieve available namespaces and ask the user to choose.
• If only a query is provided, use list-indexes to get available indexes, ask the user to pick one, then use describe-index for namespaces if needed.

1. Call the search-records tool with the gathered arguments to perform the search.

1. Format and display the returned results in a clear, readable table including field highlights (such as ID, score, and relevant metadata).

Troubleshooting

`PINECONE_API_KEY` is required. Get a free key at https://app.pinecone.io/?sessionType=signup

If you get an access error, the key is likely missing. Ask the user to set it and restart their IDE or agent session:

• Run export PINECONE_API_KEY="your-key" in your terminal. Claude Code reads

your shell environment, so this is enough.

• To use a .env file instead, run scripts with uv run --env-file .env scripts/....

IMPORTANT At the moment, the pinecone:query skill can only be used with integrated indexes, which use hosted Pinecone embedding models to embed and search for data. If a user attempts to query an index that uses a third party API model such as OpenAI, or HuggingFace embedding models, remind them that this capability is not available yet with the Pinecone MCP server.

• If required arguments are missing, prompt the user to supply them, using Pinecone MCP tools as needed (e.g., list-indexes, describe-index).
• Guide the user interactively through argument selection until the search can be completed.
• If an invalid value is provided for any argument (e.g., nonexistent index or namespace), surface the error and suggest valid options.

Tools Reference

• search-records: Search records in a given index with optional metadata filtering and reranking.
• list-indexes: List all available Pinecone indexes.
• describe-index: Get index configuration and namespaces.
• describe-index-stats: Get stats including record counts and namespaces.
• rerank-documents: Rerank returned documents using a specified reranking model.
• Ask the user interactively to clarify missing information when needed.