Photon CLI
Photon turns one TypeScript file into an MCP server, a CLI and a Beam web UI, adding schedules and audit as it grows.
- 100 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- MIT
Extended access
Why this level
- Schedules, webhooks and web routes run your tool code with no human involved.
Install
- Works in
In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI
npx skillfoxx add cli/photonDetects the agents on your machine, shows the access level and pins the version.
Other ways to install
Access and checks
How we reviewExtended accessThe tool runs code or makes network calls and only reads external data.
- Schedules, webhooks and web routes run your tool code with no human involved.
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
Photon takes a small verified TypeScript method and derives all the interfaces around it. One capability becomes an MCP server for Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor, an embedded UI for clients with MCP apps, a CLI for scripts and a Beam web interface for people. When the capability grows into a workflow, web routes, schedules, webhooks, retries, state and an audit history are added. Getting started takes two minutes: `photon new my-tool` creates a starter, `photon` opens Beam and `photon mcp install my-tool` connects the same capability to Claude Desktop or another MCP client. Installation goes through `bun add -g @portel/photon`, and `photon mcp hello` starts a server for Claude and Cursor.
Who it is for. Developers who write their own agent tools in TypeScript and want MCP, a CLI and an interface from one file.
Good fit when
- You need your own MCP server for Claude and Cursor without a separate project template.
- One function has to run both from the command line and from chat.
- An agent tool needs a schedule, webhooks and an audit log.
- Colleagues need a web interface to a tool that already works as MCP.
Not a fit when
- You need a ready MCP server for a third-party service and no code has to be written.
- The project is not written in TypeScript.
- You need a fully stable and unchanging API version.
Example request
Create a photon tool that fetches the weather for a city and connect it to Claude Desktop as an MCP server.Limitations
Photon requires Node.js or Bun and fits tools written in TypeScript. It derives interfaces from a method description, so the quality of the MCP tool depends on how you described parameters and the contract. Schedules, webhooks and web routes extend what your code can do, so restrict their permissions and check request content. Embedded apps work only in clients that support MCP app resources.
How to disable. Remove the package with `bun remove -g @portel/photon` and the server entry from the MCP client settings. Tool files you created stay in the project.
FAQ
Where do I start?
`bun add -g @portel/photon`, then `photon new my-tool` and `photon` to open the Beam interface.
How do I connect it to Claude?
With `photon mcp install my-tool`, which adds the capability to Claude Desktop or another MCP client.
What is Beam?
A web interface for people that Photon builds from the capability description.
Is Photon free?
Yes, it is an open project under the MIT license.
Which clients are supported?
Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor and other MCP clients, and embedded interfaces work in clients with MCP apps.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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README in short
The description presents Photon as a way to derive the whole agent stack from one capability: MCP, UI, CLI and Beam. A quick start, a description of surfaces and links to documentation follow.