MCP Router
A centralized gateway platform for aggregating and managing multiple Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers through a single Electron-based interface. It provides enterprise-grade security features including policy-based access control, human-in-the-lo
What is MCP Router?
MCP Router is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to centralized gateway platform for aggregating and managing multiple model context protocol (mcp) servers through a single electron-based interface. it provides enterprise-grade security features includ...
A centralized gateway platform for aggregating and managing multiple Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers through a single Electron-based interface. It provides enterprise-grade security features including policy-based access control, human-in-the-lo
This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- A centralized gateway platform for aggregating and managing
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx mcp-routerConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use MCP Router
MCP Router is a centralized gateway platform that aggregates multiple Model Context Protocol servers behind a single interface, routing AI tool calls with enterprise-grade features including policy-based access control and structured logging. It supports adapters for Claude (via the Anthropic API), Cursor, and custom tools, and can be deployed locally with npm or in production on Kubernetes via Helm. Development teams and LLMOps engineers use it to manage which AI tools are available to which agents, enforce usage policies, and centralize observability across a fleet of MCP servers.
Prerequisites
- Node.js 18+ and npm for local development
- An Anthropic API key (ANTHROPIC_API_KEY) if using the Claude adapter
- Docker and kubectl configured for a Kubernetes cluster (for production deployment)
- Helm 3+ for Kubernetes Helm-based deployment
- A container registry (ECR, ACR, or Docker Hub) for the production image
Clone the repository and install dependencies
Clone the MCP Router repository and install Node.js dependencies.
git clone https://github.com/garabatol/mcp.git
cd mcp
npm installConfigure environment variables
Copy .env.example to .env and fill in your API keys. At minimum you need ANTHROPIC_API_KEY for the Claude adapter.
cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env and set:
# ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...
# PORT=3000 (optional, default 3000)
# LOG_LEVEL=info (optional)
# NODE_ENV=production (optional)Start the router in development mode
Start the MCP Router locally. It listens on port 3000 by default and exposes an MCP endpoint at /mcp as well as a tool listing endpoint at /mcp/tools.
npm run devVerify available tools
Confirm the router is running and the Claude adapter is registered by listing available tools.
curl http://localhost:3000/mcp/toolsDeploy to Kubernetes with Helm (production)
For production deployments, push the image to your registry, create a Kubernetes secret for the API keys, and install via Helm.
kubectl create secret generic mcp-router-secrets \
--from-literal=ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...
helm install mcp-router ./helm/mcp-router \
--set image.repository=<your-registry>/mcp-routerMCP Router Examples
Client configuration
Configure an MCP client to connect to MCP Router running locally. The router acts as a single endpoint that internally routes to multiple backend adapters.
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp-router": {
"type": "http",
"url": "http://localhost:3000/mcp"
}
}
}Prompts to try
Use these curl commands and prompts when interacting with MCP Router directly or through an AI client.
- "List all available MCP tools registered in the router."
- "Route this message to the Claude adapter and stream the response."
- "What adapters are currently connected to the router?"
# Direct API call to stream a Claude response
curl -N -X POST http://localhost:3000/mcp \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-d '{"tool":"claude","stream":true,"input":{"messages":[{"role":"user","content":"Explain MCP"}]}}'Troubleshooting MCP Router
Router starts but Claude adapter returns 401 or authentication errors
Verify ANTHROPIC_API_KEY is set in your .env file and that the value is a valid Anthropic API key starting with 'sk-ant-'. Restart the server after editing .env.
GET /mcp/tools returns an empty list
Adapter registration is driven by environment variables. Ensure ANTHROPIC_API_KEY is set for the Claude adapter and CURSOR_API_URL + CURSOR_API_KEY are set for the Cursor adapter. Adapters with missing credentials are skipped at startup.
Kubernetes deployment pods crash on startup
Check pod logs with 'kubectl logs deployment/mcp-router'. The most common cause is a missing or misnamed Kubernetes secret. Verify the secret exists with 'kubectl get secret mcp-router-secrets' and that the key name matches exactly (ANTHROPIC_API_KEY).
Frequently Asked Questions about MCP Router
What is MCP Router?
MCP Router is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that centralized gateway platform for aggregating and managing multiple model context protocol (mcp) servers through a single electron-based interface. it provides enterprise-grade security features including policy-based access control, human-in-the-lo It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install MCP Router?
Follow the installation instructions on the MCP Router GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with MCP Router?
MCP Router works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is MCP Router free to use?
Yes, MCP Router is open source and available under the NOASSERTION license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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