CodeAlive MCP
The CodeAlive MCP server: the agent searches large codebases by meaning and exactly and follows call relations without a full read
- 90 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
Extended access
Why this level
- The code of your repositories is indexed in the external CodeAlive service and read through the remote server
- The API key opens access to the indexed repositories of the account
Install
- Works in
In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI
npx skillfoxx add mcp/codealive-mcpDetects 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.
- The code of your repositories is indexed in the external CodeAlive service and read through the remote server
- The API key opens access to the indexed repositories of the account
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
CodeAlive is a context engine for large codebases built on graph retrieval, and this server exposes it to agents through MCP. The main tools: `semantic_search` searches by meaning, `grep_search` exactly by text, regular expressions and file names, `read_file` reads a file with a line range, `get_file_tree` shows the tree and `fetch_artifacts` loads the full code of found hits. Call, inheritance and reference relations are expanded by `get_artifact_relationships`, and `get_repository_ontology` gives a repository overview. `query_artifact_metadata` runs read-only metadata analytics and `get_data_sources` lists indexed repositories. The slow `chat` synthesizes an answer over the codebase and is called on explicit request. The connection is remote: `https://mcp.codealive.ai/api` with an `Authorization: Bearer` header and a key from the web app.
Who it is for. Developers of large monorepos where the built-in agent search falls short and reading files one by one is slow and expensive in tokens.
Good fit when
- The agent must find where user service authentication is handled without knowing file names
- An exact match of a JWT regex is needed across dozens of packages
- Before a refactor it must be shown who calls a function and which classes inherit it
- Indexed repository data and metadata are needed for analytics across several projects
Not a fit when
- The repository is small: the built-in agent search is enough without an extra service
- Code must not go to an external service: repositories are indexed in CodeAlive
- Only text search over local files is needed: `grep` is simpler
Example request
Find in the indexed repository where the authorization token is validated and show which functions call that codeMCP
- Transport
- http
- Authentication
- API key
Environment variables
CODEALIVE_API_KEYrequired, secret- API key from the MCP & API section at app.codealive.ai, needed for a local run.
Limitations
A CodeAlive account and an API key are required: it is created in the MCP & API section at app.codealive.ai and shown once. Repositories must be indexed in the service, otherwise there is nothing to search. The main mode is remote and local run is for development, with `CODEALIVE_API_KEY` set in the process environment. The heavy `chat` works longer than plain search, and agents are advised to start with `semantic_search` and `grep_search`. For the agent to choose CodeAlive over built-in search, rules are added to `AGENTS.md` or `CLAUDE.md`.
How to disable. Remove the CodeAlive server from the client MCP config and revoke the API key in the MCP & API section at app.codealive.ai.
FAQ
How do I connect CodeAlive MCP to Claude Code?
Create a key at app.codealive.ai in the MCP & API section and add the remote server `https://mcp.codealive.ai/api` following the Claude Code guide on docs.codealive.ai.
What authentication does the server use?
An `Authorization: Bearer` header with an API key over Streamable HTTP.
Is there an agent skill?
Yes, `npx skills add CodeAlive-AI/codealive-skills@codealive-context-engine`, and Claude Code has a plugin in the `CodeAlive-AI/codealive-skills` marketplace.
Can I self-host it?
Yes, the server runs in HTTP mode with `python src/codealive_mcp_server.py --transport http`, details are in the Self-Hosting docs section.
What license applies?
MIT.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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README in short
A description of CodeAlive and a list of 11 tools with examples, an agent skill, a quick start with the remote server and a key, client guide links, local development and HTTP deployment.