Pilot Shell
How real engineers run Claude Code: spec-driven planning, enforced TDD, persistent memory, and quality enforcement on all levels. Make Claude Code production-ready.
What is Pilot Shell?
Pilot Shell is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to how real engineers run claude code: spec-driven planning, enforced tdd, persistent memory, and quality enforcement on all levels. make claude code production-ready.
How real engineers run Claude Code: spec-driven planning, enforced TDD, persistent memory, and quality enforcement on all levels. Make Claude Code production-ready.
This server falls under the Coding Agents category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- How real engineers run Claude Code: spec-driven planning, en
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx pilot-shellConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Pilot Shell
Pilot Shell is a framework that enhances Claude Code and Codex CLI with production-grade software engineering workflows including spec-driven planning, enforced test-driven development, quality gates (linting, formatting, type checking), and a persistent knowledge system that preserves architectural decisions across sessions. It installs globally as a shell script and adds slash commands (/prd, /spec, /fix, /setup-rules) that guide AI agents through structured development cycles rather than ad-hoc code generation. Engineering teams use Pilot Shell to make AI-generated code reliable enough for production by ensuring every feature goes through requirements, implementation, and verification phases with measurable quality checkpoints.
Prerequisites
- macOS, Linux, or Windows with WSL2
- Claude Code installed with an active Anthropic Claude Max (5x/20x or higher) subscription, OR Codex CLI with an OpenAI Plus/Pro subscription
- bash or zsh shell (WSL2 on Windows)
- curl available for the install script
- Git repository for the projects you want to work with
Install Pilot Shell globally
Run the one-line install script. It installs Pilot Shell globally in under 2 minutes and is available for macOS, Linux, and Windows WSL2.
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/maxritter/pilot-shell/main/install.sh | bashSet up project-specific rules
Navigate to your project directory and start Claude Code. Run the /setup-rules command so Pilot Shell discovers your codebase conventions (testing framework, linting config, code style) and generates modular rule files.
cd your-project
claude
# Then in the Claude session:
/setup-rulesCreate a product requirements document
Use the /prd command to turn a vague idea into a structured requirements document. Pilot Shell guides the conversation through scope, acceptance criteria, and optional research tiers.
# In your Claude Code session:
/prdImplement a feature with spec-driven workflow
Use the /spec command to implement a feature. Pilot Shell creates a specification, implements it with TDD, enforces quality gates, and runs verification—all within a single structured session.
# In your Claude Code session:
/specFix bugs with the structured bugfix workflow
Use the /fix command for bug reports. Pilot Shell investigates the root cause, writes a failing test, implements the fix, and verifies it passes all quality gates.
# In your Claude Code session:
/fixMonitor progress via the local console
Pilot Shell runs a local web dashboard at http://localhost:41777 that shows real-time session progress, specifications, knowledge graph state, and token usage across all active Claude Code sessions.
# Access in browser:
open http://localhost:41777Pilot Shell Examples
Claude Code MCP integration (Pilot Shell as MCP server)
Pilot Shell works as a framework on top of Claude Code rather than as a standalone MCP server. A typical claude_desktop_config.json for a project using Pilot Shell looks like this.
{
"mcpServers": {
"filesystem": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/path/to/your/project"]
}
}
}Prompts to try
Use these slash commands inside Claude Code after installing Pilot Shell and running /setup-rules in your project.
- "/prd — Start a requirements brainstorming session for a new feature"
- "/spec — Implement the feature from the PRD with TDD and quality gates"
- "/fix — Investigate and fix a reported bug with test coverage"
- "/benchmark — Measure the impact of your rule and skill changes"
- "/create-skill — Extract domain knowledge into a reusable skill"Troubleshooting Pilot Shell
Install script fails with a permission denied error
Ensure curl is installed and you have write access to /usr/local/bin or your ~/.local/bin directory. On macOS you may need to grant Terminal full disk access in System Settings → Privacy & Security. Re-run with: curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/maxritter/pilot-shell/main/install.sh | bash.
/setup-rules does not detect the project's test framework
Ensure you are running Claude Code from the project root directory where package.json, pyproject.toml, or equivalent config files exist. Pilot Shell scans the current directory for framework signals; running it from a parent directory will miss project-specific config.
Quality gates fail during /spec with linting errors
This is intentional—Pilot Shell enforces quality gates before declaring a feature complete. Fix the reported lint or type errors, then allow Pilot Shell to re-run the verification step. You can also run /setup-rules again to update the rules if your linting config has changed since initial setup.
Frequently Asked Questions about Pilot Shell
What is Pilot Shell?
Pilot Shell is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that how real engineers run claude code: spec-driven planning, enforced tdd, persistent memory, and quality enforcement on all levels. make claude code production-ready. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Pilot Shell?
Follow the installation instructions on the Pilot Shell GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Pilot Shell?
Pilot Shell works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Pilot Shell free to use?
Yes, Pilot Shell is open source and available under the NOASSERTION license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
Pilot Shell Alternatives — Similar Coding Agents Servers
Looking for alternatives to Pilot Shell? Here are other popular coding agents servers you can use with Claude, Cursor, and VS Code.
Dify
★ 142.2kProduction-ready platform for agentic workflow development.
Ruflo
★ 54.0k🌊 The leading agent orchestration platform for Claude. Deploy intelligent multi-agent swarms, coordinate autonomous workflows, and build conversational AI systems. Features enterprise-grade architecture, self-learning swarm intelligence, RAG integrat
Goose
★ 45.7kan open source, extensible AI agent that goes beyond code suggestions - install, execute, edit, and test with any LLM
Antigravity Awesome Skills
★ 38.3kInstallable GitHub library of 1,400+ agentic skills for Claude Code, Cursor, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, Antigravity, and more. Includes installer CLI, bundles, workflows, and official/community skill collections.
AgentScope
★ 25.5kBuild and run agents you can see, understand and trust.
Serena
★ 24.5kA coding agent toolkit that provides IDE-like semantic code retrieval and editing tools, enabling LLMs to efficiently navigate and modify codebases using symbol-level operations instead of basic file reading and string replacements.
Browse More Coding Agents MCP Servers
Explore all coding agents servers available in the MCPgee directory. Each server includes setup guides for Claude, Cursor, and VS Code.
Set Up Pilot Shell 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
Ready to use Pilot Shell?
Browse our complete directory of 33,000+ MCP servers, read setup guides for your editor, and start building with the Model Context Protocol.