Home Butler
๐๏ธ ๐ - All-in-one homelab management MCP server. Monitor system resources, manage Docker containers, Wak
What is Home Butler?
Home Butler is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to ๐๏ธ ๐ - all-in-one homelab management mcp server. monitor system resources, manage docker containers, wak
๐๏ธ ๐ - All-in-one homelab management MCP server. Monitor system resources, manage Docker containers, Wak
This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- MCP protocol support
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx homebutlerConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Home Butler
HomeButler is a Go-based MCP server and CLI tool designed for homelab management, exposing your local infrastructure to AI assistants through the Model Context Protocol. It lets Claude and other MCP clients monitor CPU, memory, and disk metrics, manage Docker containers, deploy self-hosted applications via Docker Compose, watch for container crash loops, and back up Docker volumes โ all through natural-language commands. Teams running self-hosted infrastructure can use HomeButler to get AI-assisted diagnostics, deployments, and health checks without leaving their AI client.
Prerequisites
- Go 1.21+ if building from source (or use Homebrew/the install script for a pre-built binary)
- Docker installed and running on the homelab host for container management tools
- SSH access configured if managing remote servers
- An MCP client such as Claude Desktop
Install HomeButler
Install the homebutler binary using Homebrew (recommended on macOS/Linux), the automated install script, or npm.
# Homebrew
brew install Higangssh/homebutler/homebutler
# Automated install script (detects OS and architecture)
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Higangssh/homebutler/main/install.sh | sh
# npm global
npm install -g homebutler
# Go toolchain
go install github.com/Higangssh/homebutler@latestRun initial setup
Run the interactive init command to create the HomeButler configuration file. It will detect your environment and write sensible defaults.
homebutler initVerify basic operation
Check that HomeButler can read system metrics before connecting it to an AI client.
homebutler status --json
homebutler doctor --strictAdd HomeButler to your MCP client config
Configure Claude Desktop to launch HomeButler in MCP mode. The 'mcp' subcommand starts the server and exposes HomeButler tools over JSON-RPC/stdio.
{
"mcpServers": {
"homebutler": {
"command": "homebutler",
"args": ["mcp"]
}
}
}Restart Claude Desktop and test
Restart the client and ask it to check your system health. HomeButler should appear as a connected MCP server.
Home Butler Examples
Client configuration
Claude Desktop configuration launching HomeButler as an MCP server.
{
"mcpServers": {
"homebutler": {
"command": "homebutler",
"args": ["mcp"]
}
}
}Prompts to try
Questions and commands to issue through your AI client once HomeButler is connected.
- "Show me current CPU, memory, and disk usage for this server"
- "Are any Docker containers restarting in a crash loop?"
- "Install Uptime Kuma on this homelab host"
- "Create a backup snapshot of the Jellyfin Docker volume"
- "Run a health check and tell me if anything is misconfigured"Troubleshooting Home Butler
homebutler: command not found after installation
Ensure the binary's install directory is on your PATH. For Homebrew, run `brew doctor`. For the install script, check ~/.local/bin or /usr/local/bin and add it to your shell profile.
Docker-related tools return permission errors
The homebutler process needs access to the Docker socket (/var/run/docker.sock). Add your user to the docker group (`sudo usermod -aG docker $USER`) and re-login, or run homebutler with sudo for testing.
Remote server commands time out
HomeButler uses SSH for remote operations. Ensure SSH key-based authentication is configured for the target host and that the host is reachable on the expected port. Use `--config` to point at a config file with the correct SSH credentials.
Frequently Asked Questions about Home Butler
What is Home Butler?
Home Butler is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that ๐๏ธ ๐ - all-in-one homelab management mcp server. monitor system resources, manage docker containers, wak It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Home Butler?
Follow the installation instructions on the Home Butler GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Home Butler?
Home Butler works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Home Butler free to use?
Yes, Home Butler is open source and available under the MIT License license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Quick Config Preview
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