Codebase AI Assistant
Open-source AI development assistant via Model Context Protocol (MCP). Turn Claude or any LLM into your personal coding assistant. Privacy-first with local semantic search, AI-assisted editing, persistent memory, and quality-checked code generation.
What is Codebase AI Assistant?
Codebase AI Assistant is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to open-source ai development assistant via model context protocol (mcp). turn claude or any llm into your personal coding assistant. privacy-first with local semantic search, ai-assisted editing, persis...
Open-source AI development assistant via Model Context Protocol (MCP). Turn Claude or any LLM into your personal coding assistant. Privacy-first with local semantic search, AI-assisted editing, persistent memory, and quality-checked code generation.
This server falls under the Coding Agents category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- Open-source AI development assistant via Model Context Proto
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx codebaseConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Codebase AI Assistant
Codebase MCP Server is an open-source AI development assistant that turns Claude or any MCP-compatible LLM into a privacy-first coding partner by running entirely on your local machine. It exposes file system management tools, Git integration, semantic code search using FAISS, and safe whitelisted command execution — all without sending your source code to external services. Developers looking for a self-hosted alternative to Cursor or GitHub Copilot can point it at any local repository and immediately get AI-assisted editing, branch management, and quality-checked code generation.
Prerequisites
- Python 3.10 or later
- pip or uv package manager
- Git installed and available on PATH
- A local code repository you want the assistant to work with
- Claude Desktop or another MCP-compatible AI client
Clone the Codebase MCP repository
Download the server source code to your machine.
git clone https://github.com/danyQe/codebase-mcp
cd codebase-mcpInstall dependencies
Install the required Python packages. The mcp[cli] extra includes the MCP server runtime; GitPython provides Git integration.
# With uv (recommended)
uv add "mcp[cli]" GitPython
# With pip
pip install "mcp[cli]" GitPythonRun the server against your project
Start the MCP server, passing the absolute path to the repository you want it to manage.
# With uv
uv run python server.py /absolute/path/to/your/project
# With Python directly
python server.py /absolute/path/to/your/projectAdd to Claude Desktop configuration
Edit your Claude Desktop config file to launch the server automatically on startup.
Restart Claude Desktop and verify
Restart the client. Ask it to list the directory structure of your project — if it returns a tree, the connection is working.
Codebase AI Assistant Examples
Client configuration
Claude Desktop config for Codebase MCP Server. Replace /absolute/path/to/server.py and /path/to/your/project with real paths.
{
"mcpServers": {
"codebase-manager": {
"command": "python",
"args": [
"/absolute/path/to/codebase-mcp/server.py",
"/path/to/your/project"
],
"env": {
"PROJECT_DIR": "/path/to/your/project"
}
}
}
}Prompts to try
Once connected, use natural language to navigate, edit, and manage your codebase.
- "List the directory structure of the project and identify the main entry point."
- "Search for all files that import 'requests' and show me which ones make HTTP POST calls."
- "Show the current git status, then commit all staged changes with the message 'refactor: clean up auth module'."Troubleshooting Codebase AI Assistant
Server exits immediately with 'ModuleNotFoundError: mcp'
Install the mcp package with the cli extra: 'pip install mcp[cli]'. The bracket extra is required; 'pip install mcp' alone does not include the server runtime.
git_status or git_commit tools fail
Ensure the project path passed to server.py is an initialized Git repository (contains a .git directory). Run 'git init' if needed, and confirm Git is installed and on PATH by running 'git --version'.
execute_command refuses to run a command
The server enforces a whitelist of allowed development commands for safety. Review the whitelist in server.py and add your command if it is a legitimate development tool. Do not add shell builtins or destructive commands to the whitelist.
Frequently Asked Questions about Codebase AI Assistant
What is Codebase AI Assistant?
Codebase AI Assistant is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that open-source ai development assistant via model context protocol (mcp). turn claude or any llm into your personal coding assistant. privacy-first with local semantic search, ai-assisted editing, persistent memory, and quality-checked code generation. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Codebase AI Assistant?
Follow the installation instructions on the Codebase AI Assistant GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Codebase AI Assistant?
Codebase AI Assistant works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Codebase AI Assistant free to use?
Yes, Codebase AI Assistant is open source and available under the Apache-2.0 license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Browse More Coding Agents MCP Servers
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Set Up Codebase AI Assistant in Your Editor
Choose your AI client for step-by-step setup instructions.
Quick Config Preview
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
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