RTFM Bro
rtfmbro provides always-up-to-date, version-specific package documentation as context for coding agents. An alternative to context7
What is RTFM Bro?
RTFM Bro is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to rtfmbro provides always-up-to-date, version-specific package documentation as context for coding agents. an alternative to context7
rtfmbro provides always-up-to-date, version-specific package documentation as context for coding agents. An alternative to context7
This server falls under the Knowledge & Memory category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- rtfmbro provides always-up-to-date, version-specific package
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx rtfmbroConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use RTFM Bro
rtfmbro is a remote MCP server that gives AI coding agents instant access to always-up-to-date, version-specific package documentation, making it a practical alternative to Context7. Rather than relying on training data that may be months out of date, rtfmbro fetches live README files, documentation trees, and specific doc files for the exact package versions in your project's lock file. It exposes tools for reading docs, searching GitHub repositories, and navigating documentation folder structures — so your AI assistant always codes against the real API, not a stale memory of it.
Prerequisites
- An MCP-compatible client: Claude Desktop, Claude Code CLI, Cursor, VS Code, or Windsurf
- No API keys or accounts required — rtfmbro is a free hosted HTTP service
- Internet access from your MCP client to reach https://rtfmbro.smolosoft.dev
Add rtfmbro via Claude Code CLI (quickest method)
If you use the Claude Code CLI, one command adds the remote HTTP server to your MCP configuration.
claude mcp add-json rtfmbro '{"type": "http", "url": "https://rtfmbro.smolosoft.dev/mcp/"}'Or add rtfmbro to Claude Desktop / VS Code / other clients
For GUI clients, open the MCP server configuration file and add the rtfmbro entry as an HTTP transport server. No command or env block is needed.
{
"mcpServers": {
"rtfmbro": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://rtfmbro.smolosoft.dev/mcp/"
}
}
}Copy the meta-instruction file to your project
rtfmbro works best when your AI client knows to use it automatically. Copy the provided CLAUDE.md (for Claude Code) or equivalent meta-instruction file to your project root. This enables automatic package version detection from your lock files.
# For Claude Code projects
cp CLAUDE.md /path/to/your-project/CLAUDE.mdRestart your MCP client
Restart Claude Desktop or reload your editor so the rtfmbro server is recognized. It will appear as a connected HTTP MCP server.
Ask for documentation on any package
In your AI conversation, ask about a specific library and rtfmbro will fetch the actual docs for the version pinned in your project.
RTFM Bro Examples
Client configuration
HTTP transport configuration for Claude Desktop or other MCP clients. No API key needed.
{
"mcpServers": {
"rtfmbro": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://rtfmbro.smolosoft.dev/mcp/"
}
}
}Prompts to try
Example prompts that take advantage of rtfmbro's live documentation retrieval.
- "Using rtfmbro, get the README for the version of React I have in my package-lock.json."
- "Fetch the documentation tree for the 'zod' package at version 3.22.4."
- "Read the API reference for FastAPI 0.110.0 from the docs."
- "Search GitHub for repositories that document the 'drizzle-orm' library."
- "Get the changelog for the version of TypeScript pinned in my project."Troubleshooting RTFM Bro
Tools not appearing in the AI client after adding the server
HTTP transport MCP servers require client support for the 'http' type. Ensure your client version supports HTTP MCP servers (not just stdio). For Claude Desktop, check that you're on a recent version.
Documentation returned is for the wrong package version
Specify the exact version explicitly in your prompt (e.g. 'get docs for [email protected]'). For automatic version detection from lock files, ensure the CLAUDE.md or equivalent meta-instruction file is present in your project root.
Requests time out or return no data
rtfmbro is a hosted service that fetches live data from GitHub and package registries. If a package has no public README or documentation files, the tool will return empty results. Try searching for the GitHub repository first using the search_github_repositories tool.
Frequently Asked Questions about RTFM Bro
What is RTFM Bro?
RTFM Bro is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that rtfmbro provides always-up-to-date, version-specific package documentation as context for coding agents. an alternative to context7 It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install RTFM Bro?
Follow the installation instructions on the RTFM Bro GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with RTFM Bro?
RTFM Bro works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is RTFM Bro free to use?
Yes, RTFM Bro is open source and available under the MIT license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
RTFM Bro Alternatives — Similar Knowledge & Memory Servers
Looking for alternatives to RTFM Bro? Here are other popular knowledge & memory servers you can use with Claude, Cursor, and VS Code.
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Set Up RTFM Bro 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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