MCP TUI
Fast terminal UI and CLI for testing, debugging, and automating Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. STDIO, SSE, HTTP, Streamable HTTP. Built on the official MCP Go SDK.
What is MCP TUI?
MCP TUI is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to fast terminal ui and cli for testing, debugging, and automating model context protocol (mcp) servers. stdio, sse, http, streamable http. built on the official mcp go sdk.
Fast terminal UI and CLI for testing, debugging, and automating Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. STDIO, SSE, HTTP, Streamable HTTP. Built on the official MCP Go SDK.
This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- Fast terminal UI and CLI for testing, debugging, and automat
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx mcp-tuiConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use MCP TUI
MCP TUI is a fast terminal UI and CLI tool for testing, debugging, and automating Model Context Protocol servers. Built in Go on top of the official MCP Go SDK, it supports all four MCP transport types — STDIO, SSE, HTTP, and Streamable HTTP — making it the definitive local workbench for MCP server developers.
Prerequisites
- Go 1.21+ (for go install method) or Node.js 18+ (for npm method)
- An MCP server to connect to (e.g. any npx-based MCP server)
- Terminal emulator with basic keyboard support
- Optional: Claude Desktop or VS Code MCP extension for config auto-discovery
Install MCP TUI
Install via Go (recommended for latest features) or npm for convenience. The Go binary is self-contained and has no runtime dependencies.
# Via Go (recommended)
go install github.com/standardbeagle/mcp-tui@latest
# Via npm
npm install -g @standardbeagle/mcp-tuiLaunch the interactive TUI
Connect to any MCP server using the --cmd and --args flags. The TUI automatically lists tools, resources, and prompts from the connected server.
mcp-tui --cmd npx --args "@modelcontextprotocol/server-everything,stdio"Use CLI mode to list tools
Skip the interactive UI and use CLI mode for scripting and automation. The tool list subcommand enumerates all tools exposed by the connected server.
mcp-tui --cmd npx --args "@modelcontextprotocol/server-everything,stdio" tool listCall a tool from the CLI
Invoke a specific tool by name with named parameters directly from the command line. This is useful for CI pipelines, automated tests, and quick ad-hoc calls.
mcp-tui --cmd npx --args "@modelcontextprotocol/server-everything,stdio" tool call echo message='hello mcp'Use TUI keyboard shortcuts
Inside the interactive TUI, press 'c' to copy the CLI equivalent of any action to your clipboard, and Ctrl+D to open the debugging panel with HTTP timing, MCP message traces, and error classification.
MCP TUI Examples
Client configuration
MCP TUI is a development tool and does not itself require a claude_desktop_config.json entry. Connect it directly to any MCP server via flags.
# Connect to a filesystem MCP server over STDIO
mcp-tui --cmd npx --args "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem,/tmp"
# Connect to an SSE-based MCP server
mcp-tui --transport sse --url http://localhost:8000/ssePrompts to try
Run these commands to explore MCP TUI's capabilities after installation.
- "mcp-tui --cmd npx --args '@modelcontextprotocol/server-everything,stdio' tool list"
- "mcp-tui --cmd npx --args '@modelcontextprotocol/server-everything,stdio' tool call echo message='test'"
- "mcp-tui --cmd npx --args '@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem,/home/user' tool list"Troubleshooting MCP TUI
Command not found after 'go install'
Ensure $GOPATH/bin (usually ~/go/bin) is on your PATH. Add 'export PATH=$PATH:$(go env GOPATH)/bin' to your shell profile and reload it.
TUI appears corrupted or blank in terminal
MCP TUI uses the Bubble Tea TUI framework which requires a proper TTY. Ensure you are running in an interactive terminal, not piped output. Try a different terminal emulator if issues persist.
Cannot connect to SSE or HTTP transport
Verify the MCP server is running and the URL is reachable with curl first. Check that the --transport flag matches the server's transport mode (sse, http, or streamable-http).
Frequently Asked Questions about MCP TUI
What is MCP TUI?
MCP TUI is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that fast terminal ui and cli for testing, debugging, and automating model context protocol (mcp) servers. stdio, sse, http, streamable http. built on the official mcp go sdk. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install MCP TUI?
Follow the installation instructions on the MCP TUI GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with MCP TUI?
MCP TUI works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is MCP TUI free to use?
Yes, MCP TUI is open source and available under the MIT license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Browse More Developer Tools MCP Servers
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Set Up MCP TUI 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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