mcp-cli
A lightweight CLI to discover, inspect and call MCP server tools straight from the shell
Medium risk
We rate an entry medium when the tool runs code, makes network calls or reads project files. Check what exactly it does before installing.
Why this level
- Spawns the MCP servers listed in the config as local processes
- Calls their tools, which may read files, access the network or modify external systems
Install
In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI
npx skillfoxx add cli/mcp-cliDetects the agents on your machine, checks the risk and pins the version.
Other ways to install
Install the tool
npm install -g mcp-cliInstall the utility: curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/philschmid/mcp-cli/main/install.sh | bash. Create mcp_servers.json with your servers and call tools with mcp-cli call.
Other ways from the author
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/philschmid/mcp-cli/main/install.sh | bashInstall script from the repository.
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
This Bun-based utility talks to MCP servers over the stdio and HTTP transports. It lists servers and their tools, searches tools by pattern, prints the schema of a specific tool and calls it with JSON arguments or from standard input. Call results are returned as JSON on stdout and errors go to stderr, so the output pipes cleanly into jq. Configuration comes from an mcp_servers.json file compatible with Claude Desktop, Gemini and VS Code, and a background daemon keeps connections warm and drops them after idle. There is per-server tool filtering. The utility is meant to be used from scripts and by coding agents.
Who it is for. For developers and coding agents that need to call MCP server tools from the terminal and scripts.
Good fit when
- You need to call an MCP server tool from a script or pipeline
- You need a quick look at a server's tools and their schemas
- You want to give a coding agent access to MCP servers through the shell
Not a fit when
- You connect MCP servers only through a GUI client with built-in config
- You cannot install Bun or the compiled binary
Example request
Using mcp-cli, list the filesystem server tools and call read_file on the READMELimitations
Installing and running needs Bun or a binary compiled from it. An mcp_servers.json config file is required, and you connect and configure the MCP servers yourself. The utility is a client, so its capabilities are bounded by what the connected servers can do.
How to disable. Remove the installed binary or uninstall the global package added via bun install -g.
Security check
- Spawns the MCP servers listed in the config as local processes
- Calls their tools, which may read files, access the network or modify external systems
README in short
The README describes a lightweight Bun CLI for working with MCP servers over stdio and HTTP. Its commands list servers and tools, search tools by pattern, show a tool's schema and call it with JSON arguments or from standard input. JSON output on stdout is aimed at jq pipelines and command chaining, with examples of complex scenarios. The mcp_servers.json config is compatible with Claude Desktop, Gemini and VS Code, and there is tool filtering, server instruction display and a background daemon with connection pooling. It installs via install.sh or bun install -g and compiles into a single binary. MIT licensed.
FAQ
Which transports are supported?
Servers over stdio and over HTTP.
In what form do call results arrive?
As JSON on stdout, so it pipes conveniently into jq and other tools.
Related
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Skills for real engineers by Matt Pocock
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Reference MCP servers
Model Context Protocol servers
Official reference MCP servers: Filesystem, Fetch, Git, Memory, Sequential Thinking, Time and Everything