npm package: @getmcp/cli
Description: CLI tool to install MCP servers into any AI application with one command
Latest version: 0.10.1

# @getmcp/cli

CLI tool to install MCP servers into any AI application with one command. Auto-detects installed apps, generates the correct config format, and merges it into existing config files without overwriting. Tracks installations in a project-level `getmcp-lock.json` for team sharing and update workflows.

## Install

```bash
# Run directly with npx (no install needed)
npx @getmcp/cli add io.github.github/github-mcp-server

# Or install globally
npm install -g @getmcp/cli
```

> **Note:** If you run into issues with `npx`, try `npx @getmcp/cli@latest` — npx can cache stale versions, and v0.7.0 had a broken release.

## Commands

### `getmcp add [server-id]`

Install an MCP server into your AI apps. The `server-id` is an official reverse-DNS name (e.g. `io.github.github/github-mcp-server`). If the input doesn't match an exact ID, the CLI performs a fuzzy search.

```bash
# Interactive mode — select a server and target apps
getmcp add

# Install a specific server by official ID
getmcp add io.github.github/github-mcp-server

# Fuzzy search — unrecognized input triggers search
getmcp add github

# Install with environment variables prompted interactively
getmcp add io.github.anthropics/brave-search
# => Prompts: Enter BRAVE_API_KEY: ****

# Install to a specific app (non-interactive)
getmcp add io.github.github/github-mcp-server --app claude-desktop

# Install to multiple apps
getmcp add io.github.github/github-mcp-server --app vscode --app cursor

# Install to all detected apps without prompts
getmcp add io.github.github/github-mcp-server -y --all-apps

# Preview what would be written
getmcp add io.github.github/github-mcp-server --dry-run
```

The `add` command will:

1. Look up the server in the built-in registry
2. Auto-detect which AI apps you have installed
3. Ask which apps you want to configure (or configure all)
4. Prompt for any required environment variables
5. Generate the correct config format for each app
6. Merge the config into each app's config file (never overwrites existing servers)
7. Track the installation in `getmcp-lock.json`

### `getmcp remove <server-name>`

Remove an MCP server from your AI app configs.

```bash
# Interactive removal — select which server to remove
getmcp remove

# Remove without confirmation
getmcp remove --yes

# Preview what would change
getmcp remove --dry-run
```

### `getmcp list`

Browse the server registry. Shows server name, description, transport type, and categories.

```bash
# List all available servers
getmcp list

# Search for servers
getmcp list --search=database

# Filter by category
getmcp list --category=developer-tools

# List servers installed in your detected apps
getmcp list --installed
```

### `getmcp find [query]`

Interactive fuzzy search through the registry. Shows transport type, env var count, and categories in the selection hint. After selecting a server, jumps directly into the `add` flow.

```bash
# Interactive search prompt
getmcp find

# Search with a query
getmcp find database

# Aliases
getmcp search github
getmcp s docker
getmcp f web
```

### `getmcp check`

Validate tracked installations against the registry and app configs. Reports servers removed from registry, servers missing from app configs, and apps that are no longer detected.

```bash
getmcp check
```

### `getmcp update`

Re-generate and merge configs for all tracked installations using the latest registry definitions.

```bash
# Interactive update
getmcp update

# Update without confirmation
getmcp update --yes

# Update only for specific apps
getmcp update --app vscode --app cursor

# Preview what would change
getmcp update --dry-run
```

### `getmcp doctor`

Health diagnostics for your MCP setup. Checks installed apps, config file parsing, registry status, orphaned servers, env vars, and runtime dependencies.

```bash
# Interactive report
getmcp doctor

# Structured JSON output
getmcp doctor --json
```

### `getmcp import`

Scan existing app configs and adopt configured servers into getmcp tracking.

```bash
# Interactive — select which servers to import
getmcp import

# Auto-import all matched servers
getmcp import -y
```

### `getmcp sync`

Read a `getmcp.json` project manifest and install all declared servers into detected apps. Ideal for team-shared MCP configurations.

```bash
# Sync all servers from getmcp.json
getmcp sync -y --all-apps

# Preview what would be written
getmcp sync --dry-run

# Structured JSON output
getmcp sync --json
```

**Manifest format** (`getmcp.json`) — servers use official reverse-DNS IDs, and `registries` can declare additional sources:

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "io.github.github/github-mcp-server": {},
    "io.github.anthropics/brave-search": { "env": { "BRAVE_API_KEY": "my-key" } },
    "io.github.modelcontextprotocol/server-memory": { "apps": ["claude-desktop", "vscode"] }
  },
  "registries": [{ "name": "my-team", "url": "https://mcp.example.com", "type": "private" }]
}
```

### `getmcp registry <subcommand>`

Manage custom registry sources for discovering MCP servers.

```bash
# Add a custom registry
getmcp registry add https://mcp.example.com --name my-team

# List configured registries
getmcp registry list

# List registries as JSON
getmcp registry list --json

# Authenticate to a private registry
getmcp registry login my-team

# Remove credentials
getmcp registry logout my-team

# Remove a registry
getmcp registry remove my-team
```

| Subcommand | Description                                      |
| ---------- | ------------------------------------------------ |
| `add`      | Add a registry source (`--name`, `--type` flags) |
| `remove`   | Remove a registry source by name                 |
| `list`     | List configured registries (`--json` flag)       |
| `login`    | Authenticate to a private registry (`--method`)  |
| `logout`   | Remove stored credentials for a registry         |

## Command Aliases

| Command    | Aliases                |
| ---------- | ---------------------- |
| `add`      | `install`, `i`         |
| `remove`   | `rm`, `r`, `uninstall` |
| `list`     | `ls`                   |
| `find`     | `search`, `s`, `f`     |
| `doctor`   | `dr`                   |
| `registry` | `reg`                  |

## Options

| Flag                | Description                                                                                           |
| ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `--help`, `-h`      | Show help message                                                                                     |
| `--version`, `-v`   | Show version number                                                                                   |
| `--yes`, `-y`       | Skip confirmation prompts (use defaults)                                                              |
| `--app <id>`        | Target a specific app (repeatable for multiple apps)                                                  |
| `--all-apps`        | Target all detected apps                                                                              |
| `--dry-run`         | Preview changes without writing files                                                                 |
| `--installed`       | List servers installed in detected apps (for `list` command)                                          |
| `--search=<query>`  | Search the registry (for `list` command)                                                              |
| `--category=<cat>`  | Filter by category (for `list` command)                                                               |
| `--json`            | Output structured JSON (for `list`, `add`, `check`, `doctor`, `sync`)                                 |
| `--quiet`, `-q`     | Output one server ID per line (for `list` command)                                                    |
| `--from-npm <pkg>`  | Install unverified npm package as MCP server (for `add` command)                                      |
| `--from-pypi <pkg>` | Install unverified PyPI package as MCP server (for `add` command)                                     |
| `--from-url <url>`  | Install unverified remote URL as MCP server (for `add` command)                                       |
| `--registry <name>` | Target a specific registry source (for `add` command)                                                 |
| `--refresh`         | Force-refresh the registry cache (prompts for incremental or full; defaults to incremental with `-y`) |

## Installation Tracking

When you install or remove servers, getmcp records the action in a `getmcp-lock.json` file in the current working directory. The lock file uses version 2, which stores official reverse-DNS names as keys. Lock files from v1 (slug-keyed) are automatically migrated on first read.

This file:

- Tracks which servers are installed to which apps
- Records which environment variable names were set (values are **not** stored for security)
- Tracks the installation scope (project or global) **per app** — so a server installed globally for Claude Code and at project level for Claude Desktop is tracked correctly
- Stores installation and last-update timestamps
- Can be **committed to version control** for team sharing (like `package-lock.json`)

The lock file enables the `check` and `update` commands — `check` compares your lock file against actual app configs to detect drift (using per-app scopes to resolve the correct config path), and `update` re-applies configs from the registry.

## Supported Apps

The CLI auto-detects and generates configs for:

| App               | Config Location                                                                                                                    | Format |
| ----------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------ |
| Claude Desktop    | `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json` (macOS), `%AppData%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json` (Windows) | JSON   |
| Claude Code       | `.mcp.json` (project), `~/.claude.json` (user)                                                                                     | JSON   |
| VS Code / Copilot | `.vscode/mcp.json`                                                                                                                 | JSON   |
| Cursor            | `.cursor/mcp.json`                                                                                                                 | JSON   |
| Cline             | `cline_mcp_settings.json` (VS Code globalStorage)                                                                                  | JSON   |
| Roo Code          | `mcp_settings.json` (VS Code globalStorage)                                                                                        | JSON   |
| Goose             | `~/.config/goose/config.yaml`                                                                                                      | YAML   |
| Windsurf          | `~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json`                                                                                              | JSON   |
| OpenCode          | `opencode.json`                                                                                                                    | JSONC  |
| Zed               | `settings.json` (Zed settings)                                                                                                     | JSON   |
| PyCharm           | `.ai/mcp/mcp.json` (project-level, requires JetBrains AI Assistant plugin)                                                         | JSON   |
| Codex             | `~/.codex/config.toml` (global), `.codex/config.toml` (project)                                                                    | TOML   |
| Gemini CLI        | `~/.gemini/settings.json`                                                                                                          | JSON   |
| Continue          | `~/.continue/config.json`                                                                                                          | JSON   |
| Amazon Q          | `~/.aws/amazonq/mcp.json`                                                                                                          | JSON   |
| Trae              | `.trae/mcp.json` (project-scoped)                                                                                                  | JSON   |
| Bolt AI           | `~/Library/Application Support/BoltAI/mcp_config.json` (macOS only)                                                                | JSON   |
| LibreChat         | `librechat.yaml`                                                                                                                   | YAML   |
| Antigravity       | `~/.gemini/antigravity/mcp_config.json`                                                                                            | JSON   |

## Programmatic API

The CLI also exports its functions for use as a library:

```ts
import {
  // App detection
  detectApps,
  detectInstalledApps,
  // Config file operations
  readConfigFile,
  writeConfigFile,
  mergeServerIntoConfig,
  removeServerFromConfig,
  listServersInConfig,
  // Installation tracking
  readLockFile,
  writeLockFile,
  trackInstallation,
  trackRemoval,
  getTrackedServers,
  getLockFilePath,
  // Preferences
  readPreferences,
  saveSelectedApps,
  getSavedSelectedApps,
  // Registry management
  registryCommand,
  addRegistry,
  removeRegistry,
  getAllRegistries,
  getEffectiveRegistries,
  getRegistriesConfigPath,
  // Credentials
  storeCredential,
  removeCredential,
  resolveCredential,
  buildAuthHeaders,
  getCredentialStorePath,
  // Registry cache
  initRegistryCache,
  refreshRegistryCache,
  clearRegistryCache,
  getRegistryCacheDir,
  // Utilities
  shortenPath,
  parseFlags,
  resolveAlias,
  // Errors
  CliError,
  formatError,
} from "@getmcp/cli";

// Detect which apps are installed
const apps = await detectInstalledApps();

// Read an app's config file
const config = await readConfigFile("/path/to/config.json");

// Merge a new server into an existing config
const updated = mergeServerIntoConfig(config, "github", serverConfig, "claude-desktop");

// Write back (preserves existing content)
await writeConfigFile("/path/to/config.json", updated);

// Track the installation
trackInstallation(
  "io.github.github/github-mcp-server",
  ["claude-desktop"],
  ["GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN"],
);
```

## License

MIT