Powhttp
MCP server enabling agents to debug HTTP requests better (using powhttp)
What is Powhttp?
Powhttp is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to mcp server enabling agents to debug http requests better (using powhttp)
MCP server enabling agents to debug HTTP requests better (using powhttp)
This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- MCP server enabling agents to debug HTTP requests better (us
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx powhttpConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Powhttp
Powhttp MCP Server is a Go-based MCP server that bridges an AI agent to a Powhttp HTTP debugging proxy, exposing 17 tools for capturing, searching, and analyzing HTTP/HTTPS traffic sessions in real time. It enables agents to inspect request/response pairs, extract API endpoints, detect anti-bot fingerprinting, cluster GraphQL operations, and auto-generate scraper proof-of-concept code from observed traffic patterns. Developers building web scrapers, reverse engineering APIs, or debugging complex HTTP flows use it to give Claude or other assistants direct visibility into live network traffic.
Prerequisites
- Go 1.21 or later installed (`go version` to check), or download from https://go.dev/doc/install
- A running Powhttp proxy instance accessible at a known URL (default http://localhost:7777)
- An MCP client such as Claude Desktop or Cursor
- Optional: mitmproxy or Charles Proxy configured to forward to Powhttp for HTTPS interception
Install the Powhttp MCP server via Go
Install the server binary directly from the GitHub source using the Go toolchain. This compiles and installs the binary to your Go bin directory.
go install github.com/usestring/powhttp-mcp/cmd/powhttp-mcp@latestEnsure Go bin directory is in PATH
The installed binary must be accessible from your shell. Add the Go bin directory to your PATH if not already present.
# Add to your ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc:
export PATH="$PATH:$(go env GOPATH)/bin"Start your Powhttp proxy
Ensure the Powhttp proxy is running and capturing traffic before starting the MCP server. By default it listens on port 7777.
Configure Claude Desktop
Add the Powhttp MCP server to your claude_desktop_config.json, pointing POWHTTP_BASE_URL at your running Powhttp proxy instance.
{
"mcpServers": {
"powhttp": {
"command": "powhttp-mcp",
"args": [],
"env": {
"POWHTTP_BASE_URL": "http://localhost:7777",
"LOG_LEVEL": "info"
}
}
}
}Capture traffic and analyze with Claude
Route browser or application traffic through the Powhttp proxy, then ask Claude to list sessions, search for specific endpoints, or generate a scraper for the observed API patterns.
Powhttp Examples
Client configuration
Full Claude Desktop config for the Powhttp MCP server pointing at a local proxy instance.
{
"mcpServers": {
"powhttp": {
"command": "powhttp-mcp",
"args": [],
"env": {
"POWHTTP_BASE_URL": "http://localhost:7777",
"POWHTTP_PROXY_URL": "",
"LOG_LEVEL": "info",
"HTTP_CLIENT_TIMEOUT_MS": "10000",
"FETCH_WORKERS": "16",
"TOOL_MAX_BYTES_DEFAULT": "2097152"
}
}
}
}Prompts to try
Use these prompts to analyze captured HTTP traffic through the Powhttp MCP server.
- "List all captured HTTP sessions in the proxy"
- "Search traffic sessions for requests to endpoints containing '/api/v2'"
- "Extract all unique API endpoints from the captured sessions"
- "Show me the TLS fingerprints from recent browser sessions and compare them to bot fingerprints"
- "Cluster the GraphQL operations from the captured traffic and list unique queries"
- "Generate a Python scraper proof-of-concept based on the API patterns you observed"Troubleshooting Powhttp
powhttp-mcp command not found after go install
Run `go env GOPATH` to find your Go path, then add `$(go env GOPATH)/bin` to your PATH variable in ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc and restart your shell or MCP client.
All tool calls return connection refused errors
Verify the Powhttp proxy is running and POWHTTP_BASE_URL points to the correct host and port. Test with `curl http://localhost:7777` from the terminal. If using a non-default port, update POWHTTP_BASE_URL accordingly.
Response data is truncated in Claude's context
Adjust TOOL_MAX_BYTES_DEFAULT (default 2MB) and COMPACT_MAX_STRING_LEN (default 500 chars) environment variables to control response sizes. Reduce DEFAULT_SEARCH_LIMIT (default 10) to return fewer results per query.
Frequently Asked Questions about Powhttp
What is Powhttp?
Powhttp is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that mcp server enabling agents to debug http requests better (using powhttp) It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Powhttp?
Follow the installation instructions on the Powhttp GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Powhttp?
Powhttp works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Powhttp free to use?
Yes, Powhttp is open source and available under the AGPL-3.0 license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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