Smart Tree
Smart Tree: not just a tree, a philosophy. A context-aware, AI-crafted replacement for 20+ tools with MEM8 quantum compression, semantic search, AST-smart editing, and partnership memory. Crafted with care by human + AI—accept no knock-offs.
What is Smart Tree?
Smart Tree is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to smart tree: not just a tree, a philosophy. a context-aware, ai-crafted replacement for 20+ tools with mem8 quantum compression, semantic search, ast-smart editing, and partnership memory. crafted with...
Smart Tree: not just a tree, a philosophy. A context-aware, AI-crafted replacement for 20+ tools with MEM8 quantum compression, semantic search, AST-smart editing, and partnership memory. Crafted with care by human + AI—accept no knock-offs.
This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- Smart Tree: not just a tree, a philosophy. A context-aware,
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx smart-tree-stConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Smart Tree
Smart Tree (command: st) is a Rust-powered, AI-optimized replacement for the tree command and over 20 other file-system and code-analysis utilities, exposing 30+ tools through MCP for seamless integration with Claude and other AI assistants. It delivers 10–24x faster directory traversal than traditional implementations and uses quantum-inspired compression that reduces context token usage by 70–90%, making it practical to inspect large codebases without hitting context limits. Beyond directory listing, Smart Tree provides semantic code search, Git status integration, AST-aware file editing, collaborative memory anchoring across sessions, and a built-in security scanner for detecting supply-chain attack patterns in MCP environments.
Prerequisites
- Rust toolchain (cargo) or Homebrew on macOS for installation from source; pre-built binaries available for Linux/macOS/Windows
- An MCP client such as Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Claude Code CLI
- Git (optional, for git-status integration features)
- curl or PowerShell for the one-line installer
Install Smart Tree
Choose the installation method that suits your platform. The one-line script is the fastest option on Linux/macOS. On Windows use the PowerShell installer. Verify the install with 'st --version'.
# Linux / macOS / WSL:
curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/8b-is/smart-tree/main/scripts/install.sh | bash
# Or via Cargo:
cargo install smart-tree
# Or via Homebrew (macOS):
brew install --HEAD --formula https://raw.githubusercontent.com/8b-is/smart-tree/main/Formula/smart-tree.rb
# Verify:
st --versionAuto-install the MCP integration for Claude Desktop
Smart Tree includes a built-in command to add itself to your Claude Desktop config automatically. This is the easiest way to enable the 30+ MCP tools.
st --mcp-install
# Verify:
st --mcp-statusOr manually add Smart Tree to your MCP config
If you prefer manual configuration, add Smart Tree to your claude_desktop_config.json. The 'st mcp' subcommand starts the MCP server.
{
"mcpServers": {
"smart-tree": {
"command": "st",
"args": ["mcp"]
}
}
}Configure optional environment variables
Customize Smart Tree's default behavior through environment variables in the server config or your shell profile.
# Example with env customization:
{
"mcpServers": {
"smart-tree": {
"command": "st",
"args": ["mcp"],
"env": {
"ST_DEFAULT_DEPTH": "4",
"ST_NO_ICONS": "1"
}
}
}
}Restart Claude Desktop and verify the tools are available
After restarting, Smart Tree's 30+ MCP tools will be available. Run a quick security scan to confirm everything is working and check for any malicious hooks.
# From terminal (not required, but useful for diagnostics):
st --security-scan .
st --hooks-config statusSmart Tree Examples
Client configuration
claude_desktop_config.json for Smart Tree with a custom default depth to limit context size.
{
"mcpServers": {
"smart-tree": {
"command": "st",
"args": ["mcp"],
"env": {
"ST_DEFAULT_DEPTH": "3",
"ST_COLOR": "never"
}
}
}
}Prompts to try
Example prompts that use Smart Tree's directory analysis, search, and memory tools.
- "Give me a project overview of the current directory using quantum compression."
- "Search for all files containing the function 'authenticate' in the src/ directory."
- "Show me the git status of this repo and list files with uncommitted changes."
- "Find all TypeScript files modified in the last 7 days."
- "Anchor a memory: this project uses Prisma for the database layer."
- "Run a security scan on this project directory and report any suspicious patterns."Troubleshooting Smart Tree
'st' command not found after installation
The installer adds ~/.local/bin or ~/.cargo/bin to PATH. Open a new terminal session, or manually add the path: 'export PATH="$HOME/.cargo/bin:$PATH"'. Run 'st --version' to confirm.
MCP tools do not appear in Claude Desktop after running st --mcp-install
Run 'st --mcp-status' to see the current config. If it reports success, fully quit and relaunch Claude Desktop (not just reload). Also check that claude_desktop_config.json is valid JSON.
Large directories cause very long responses that exceed context limits
Use the 'quick_tree' tool instead of 'analyze_directory', set ST_DEFAULT_DEPTH=2 to limit depth, or ask Claude to use the quantum compression output format which reduces tokens by 70–90%.
Frequently Asked Questions about Smart Tree
What is Smart Tree?
Smart Tree is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that smart tree: not just a tree, a philosophy. a context-aware, ai-crafted replacement for 20+ tools with mem8 quantum compression, semantic search, ast-smart editing, and partnership memory. crafted with care by human + ai—accept no knock-offs. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Smart Tree?
Follow the installation instructions on the Smart Tree GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Smart Tree?
Smart Tree works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Smart Tree free to use?
Yes, Smart Tree is open source and available under the MIT License license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
Smart Tree Alternatives — Similar Developer Tools Servers
Looking for alternatives to Smart Tree? Here are other popular developer tools servers you can use with Claude, Cursor, and VS Code.
Ecc
★ 188.2kThe agent harness performance optimization system. Skills, instincts, memory, security, and research-first development for Claude Code, Codex, Opencode, Cursor and beyond.
Javaguide
★ 155.8kJava 面试 & 后端通用面试指南，覆盖计算机基础、数据库、分布式、高并发、系统设计与 AI 应用开发
Gemini CLI
★ 104.5kA secure MCP server that wraps the Google Gemini CLI, allowing clients to query Gemini models using local OAuth sessions without requiring an API key. It provides tools for model interaction and diagnostics with built-in protection against command in
Awesome MCP Servers
★ 87.3k⭐ Curated list of Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers - tools that extend Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, and other MCP clients with custom capabilities.
MCP Servers
★ 86.0kModel Context Protocol Servers
CC Switch
★ 77.5kA cross-platform desktop All-in-One assistant for Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, OpenClaw, Gemini CLI & Hermes Agent. Only official website: ccswitch.io
Browse More Developer Tools MCP Servers
Explore all developer tools servers available in the MCPgee directory. Each server includes setup guides for Claude, Cursor, and VS Code.
Set Up Smart Tree 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 Smart Tree?
Browse our complete directory of 33,000+ MCP servers, read setup guides for your editor, and start building with the Model Context Protocol.