Interactive MCP
Enables AI assistants to request user input through interactive popups in VS Code, supporting button selections, text inputs, and confirmation dialogs. This system allows for seamless human-in-the-loop interactions without interrupting the conversati
What is Interactive MCP?
Interactive MCP is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to enables ai assistants to request user input through interactive popups in vs code, supporting button selections, text inputs, and confirmation dialogs. this system allows for seamless human-in-the-loo...
Enables AI assistants to request user input through interactive popups in VS Code, supporting button selections, text inputs, and confirmation dialogs. This system allows for seamless human-in-the-loop interactions without interrupting the conversati
This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- Enables AI assistants to request user input through interact
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx interactive-mcpConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Interactive MCP
Interactive MCP enables AI assistants to pause and request human input during automated workflows, creating true human-in-the-loop interactions without abandoning the current conversation. It provides VS Code popup dialogs, button-choice selectors, free-text input prompts, OS-level notifications, and persistent command-line chat sessions — all triggerable by Claude mid-task. Developers using vibe-coding or long-running agentic workflows use it to give Claude a way to ask clarifying questions, confirm destructive actions, or gather user preferences before proceeding, preventing autonomous mistakes in complex tasks.
Prerequisites
- Node.js 16 or newer (for running via npx)
- An MCP client such as Claude Desktop, VS Code with an MCP extension, or Cursor
- No API keys required — the server has no external service dependencies
Add interactive-mcp to your MCP client configuration
The server is distributed as an npm package and can be run directly via npx without a prior install step. Add it to your Claude Desktop config file.
{
"mcpServers": {
"interactive": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "interactive-mcp"]
}
}
}Configure for VS Code (optional)
For VS Code users, add the server to either your User Settings (global) or a .vscode/mcp.json file (project-scoped).
{
"mcp": {
"servers": {
"interactive-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "interactive-mcp"]
}
}
}
}Set a custom timeout (optional)
By default, user input prompts time out after 30 seconds. Increase this for workflows where the user may need more time to respond.
{
"mcpServers": {
"interactive": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "interactive-mcp", "--timeout", "120"]
}
}
}Restart your MCP client
Save the configuration and restart Claude Desktop or reload your VS Code window. The interactive tools will appear — request_user_input, message_complete_notification, and the intensive_chat tools.
Instruct Claude to use input requests in workflows
When starting an agentic task, tell Claude to ask for confirmation before taking irreversible actions. Claude will use the request_user_input tool to show a dialog before proceeding.
Interactive MCP Examples
Client configuration
Minimal Claude Desktop config for interactive-mcp. The -y flag auto-confirms the npx package download on first use.
{
"mcpServers": {
"interactive": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "interactive-mcp", "--timeout", "60"]
}
}
}Prompts to try
These prompts demonstrate how to use interactive-mcp for human-in-the-loop workflows.
- "Refactor all files in the src/ directory, but ask me for confirmation before modifying each file"
- "Help me set up a new project — ask me questions one at a time about the project name, language, and framework before generating any files"
- "When you finish running the test suite, send me an OS notification with the result summary"
- "Start an intensive chat session so I can give you real-time feedback as you build the feature"
- "Before deleting any database records, show me a confirmation dialog with the exact records that will be affected"Troubleshooting Interactive MCP
npx download fails or takes too long on first run
The -y flag should auto-confirm the package download. If it fails, pre-install the package globally: 'npm install -g interactive-mcp' and then change the config command to 'interactive-mcp' with no npx args.
Input dialog does not appear in VS Code
Ensure you are using the VS Code config format (the 'mcp.servers' key) rather than the Claude Desktop format. The dialog renders in the VS Code notification/input area, so check that VS Code has focus when the prompt is triggered.
Prompt times out before user can respond
Increase the timeout with the --timeout flag in the args array. The default is 30 seconds. For workflows requiring extended human review, set it to 120 or higher. The value is in seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions about Interactive MCP
What is Interactive MCP?
Interactive MCP is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables ai assistants to request user input through interactive popups in vs code, supporting button selections, text inputs, and confirmation dialogs. this system allows for seamless human-in-the-loop interactions without interrupting the conversati It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Interactive MCP?
Follow the installation instructions on the Interactive MCP GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Interactive MCP?
Interactive MCP works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Interactive MCP free to use?
Yes, Interactive MCP 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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