MCP Probe
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) client library and debugging toolkit in Rust. This foundation provides both a production-ready SDK for building MCP integrations and the core architecture for an interactive debugger.
What is MCP Probe?
MCP Probe is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to model context protocol (mcp) client library and debugging toolkit in rust. this foundation provides both a production-ready sdk for building mcp integrations and the core architecture for an interacti...
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) client library and debugging toolkit in Rust. This foundation provides both a production-ready SDK for building MCP integrations and the core architecture for an interactive debugger.
This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- A Model Context Protocol (MCP) client library and debugging
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx mcp-probeConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use MCP Probe
MCP Probe is a Rust-powered Terminal User Interface (TUI) for debugging, testing, and interacting with any MCP server. It supports all major MCP transport protocols (HTTP/SSE, Streamable HTTP, STDIO, WebSocket) and provides interactive capability discovery with fuzzy search across hundreds of tools, auto-generated parameter forms, multi-format response viewers, and real-time protocol analysis. It is the go-to tool for developers building or integrating MCP servers who need to inspect protocol messages and execute tools interactively.
Prerequisites
- Rust 1.70+ (if building from source), or use pre-built binaries or Homebrew
- An MCP server to connect to (HTTP, SSE, STDIO, or WebSocket)
- macOS, Linux, or Windows (pre-built binaries available for all platforms)
- Terminal with Unicode support for the TUI interface
Install MCP Probe
Install using the one-liner script (Linux/macOS), Homebrew, Cargo, or download a pre-built binary from GitHub Releases.
# One-liner (Linux/macOS):
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/conikeec/mcp-probe/master/install.sh | bash
# Homebrew (macOS/Linux):
brew install conikeec/tap/mcp-probe
# Cargo:
cargo install mcp-cliVerify installation
Confirm mcp-probe is installed and available in your PATH.
mcp-probe --helpConnect to an HTTP/SSE MCP server
Launch the TUI debugger against a running MCP server using HTTP/SSE or Streamable HTTP transport. MCP Probe automatically detects the protocol version.
# Modern Streamable HTTP:
mcp-probe debug --http-sse http://localhost:3000/mcp
# Legacy HTTP+SSE:
mcp-probe debug --http-sse http://localhost:3000/sseConnect to a STDIO MCP server
For MCP servers that communicate via standard I/O (the most common type for locally installed servers), use STDIO mode.
mcp-probe debug --stdio python /path/to/my_mcp_server.py
# Or for a Node.js server:
mcp-probe debug --stdio node /path/to/server.jsNavigate capabilities and execute tools
Once connected, the TUI shows all available tools, resources, and prompts. Press '/' to fuzzy-search tools. Select a tool to see its parameter form, fill in values, and execute it. View responses in Tree, Summary, or Raw JSON format.
Use direct command mode for scripting
Execute tools directly from the command line without the TUI using the category.name syntax.
# Call a specific tool with JSON parameters:
mcp-probe debug --http-sse http://localhost:3000/mcp -- tools.my_tool_name '{"param": "value"}'MCP Probe Examples
Client configuration
MCP Probe is a debugging client, not an MCP server itself. Use it to connect to and inspect other MCP servers. Example connecting to a local Python server.
{
"mcpServers": {
"my-server": {
"command": "python",
"args": ["/path/to/my_mcp_server.py"]
}
}
}Prompts to try
MCP Probe command-line examples for common debugging workflows.
- mcp-probe debug --http-sse http://localhost:8080/mcp
- mcp-probe debug --stdio python server.py --timeout 30 --max-retries 3
- mcp-probe debug --http-sse http://localhost:3000/sse --session-file debug_session.json
- mcp-probe debug --websocket ws://localhost:8080/mcp
- # In TUI: press '/' then type 'github' to search GitHub-related toolsTroubleshooting MCP Probe
TUI displays garbled characters or layout issues
MCP Probe requires a terminal with Unicode and 256-color support. Set TERM=xterm-256color and ensure your terminal font includes Unicode box-drawing characters. On macOS, iTerm2 or the built-in Terminal.app work well. On Windows, use Windows Terminal.
Connection fails with 'protocol detection error' or timeout
MCP Probe auto-detects protocol by trying /mcp (Streamable HTTP) then /sse (legacy SSE). If your server uses a non-standard path, pass the full URL including the endpoint path. Use --timeout to increase the connection timeout for slow servers.
cargo install mcp-cli installs the wrong binary name
This is expected behavior: the crate is published as 'mcp-cli' on crates.io but the installed binary is named 'mcp-probe'. After 'cargo install mcp-cli', run 'mcp-probe --help' (not 'mcp-cli --help') to confirm it is installed correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions about MCP Probe
What is MCP Probe?
MCP Probe is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that model context protocol (mcp) client library and debugging toolkit in rust. this foundation provides both a production-ready sdk for building mcp integrations and the core architecture for an interactive debugger. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install MCP Probe?
Follow the installation instructions on the MCP Probe GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with MCP Probe?
MCP Probe works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is MCP Probe free to use?
Yes, MCP Probe is open source and available under the MIT license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Quick Config Preview
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
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