CodeScene MCP Server
The official CodeScene MCP server scores Code Health locally and tells an agent what to refactor and where tech debt hides
- 74 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
Extended access
Why this level
- Reads the repository's code and runs a downloaded platform binary
- The CS_ACCESS_TOKEN token opens your CodeScene account data: hotspots, tech debt and code ownership
Install
- Works in
In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI
npx skillfoxx add mcp/codescene-mcp-serverDetects 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.
- Reads the repository's code and runs a downloaded platform binary
- The CS_ACCESS_TOKEN token opens your CodeScene account data: hotspots, tech debt and code ownership
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
The MCP server gives AI assistants CodeScene's Code Health analysis: a maintainability score for code, a list of design problems (complexity, deep nesting, low cohesion) and a number showing whether code improved after an edit. The analysis runs on your machine, in your repository. An agent uses it in several scenarios: checking generated code before a commit, reviewing changes, refactoring in small steps and comparing the score after each. The business-case calculation for refactoring is local too. A CodeScene subscription adds hotspots, tech-debt goals and code ownership, and the CS_ACCESS_TOKEN token connects a cloud or on-premises instance. The repository holds a Claude Code plugin with nine skills, a separate set of the same skills, example prompts, AGENTS guidance templates (separate for Core and the standalone licence), Amazon Q rules and a VS Code extension.
Who it is for. Teams that let Claude Code, Cursor or Copilot write code and want to catch declining maintainability automatically before merge.
Good fit when
- An agent generated a large module and before the commit you must check it did not add complexity
- A legacy file with deep nesting should be improved in small steps while watching the score grow
- A manager needs the case for spending time on refactoring, backed by numbers
- A pull request deserves a change-set check and a list of design problems
- You need to see which hotspots and tech debt cost the most, if the team has a CodeScene subscription
Not a fit when
- You need vulnerability or style checks: the server scores maintainability and not security
- There is no CodeScene subscription for hotspots and tech-debt goals: these features are unavailable without it
- You plan to run the server in Docker: that distribution is being retired and gets no images after 31 December 2026
Example request
Check the changes on this branch with CodeScene: show the Code Health of each file and suggest a refactor for the worst oneMCP
- Transport
- stdio
- Authentication
- key is optional
Environment variables
CS_ACCESS_TOKENsecret- Token from CodeScene for hotspots, tech-debt goals and code ownership
Limitations
- The full feature set, including hotspots, tech-debt goals and code ownership, needs a CodeScene subscription; a separate licence exists for standalone mode.
- The MCP usage overview (the show_mcp_usage_overview command) needs a CodeScene Core account and is not available on the standalone licence.
- Docker images are released only for bug fixes from 1 October to 31 December 2026 and then stop; a move to npm, Homebrew or the Windows installer is needed.
- npx needs Node.js 18 or newer, and the platform binary downloads on first run.
How to disable. In Claude Code remove the plugin with the /plugin command or delete the server from the MCP configuration. The global package is removed with npm uninstall -g @codescene/codehealth-mcp.
FAQ
How do I connect CodeScene MCP to Claude Code?
Run /plugin marketplace add codescene-oss/codescene-mcp-server and /plugin install codescene@codescene. The plugin installs the MCP server and the Code Health skills and needs Node.js 18 or newer. Without the plugin the server starts with npx @codescene/codehealth-mcp.
Does the server need a CodeScene subscription?
Local Code Health analysis needs no subscription and works in the standalone version. Hotspots, tech-debt goals and code ownership require a CodeScene subscription and a sign-in or the CS_ACCESS_TOKEN token. CodeScene Cloud and on-premises installs are supported.
Does my code go to the cloud?
According to the project's documentation, no: the server runs locally, and scoring, change reviews and the business-case calculation happen on your machine. Hotspot and tech-debt results are fetched from your CodeScene account with a token.
Which skills ship in the plugin?
Nine skills: configuring CodeScene MCP, explaining Code Health, guiding refactoring, making the business case for Code Health, prioritizing tech debt, risk-based testing, routing work by code ownership, safeguarding AI-generated code, and installing with activation.
What should I do about the Docker image?
Move to npx, Homebrew or the Windows installer. The docker pull codescene/codescene-mcp image gets only bug fixes from 1 October to 31 December 2026, and no images are released after that date.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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Comparison with similar tools
Cards that share the main search query, and how they differ.
| Tool | Official | Authentication | Repository stars | Main difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CodeScene MCP Server (this card) | yes | key is optional | 74 | |
| SonarQube MCP Server | yes | API key | 679 | quality and security issues from SonarQube, while CodeScene scores maintainability and steers refactoring by Code Health |
| Serena | no | not required | 31,116 | gives an agent IDE capabilities for symbol navigation and edits, with no code quality score |
README in short
The README goes from first run to setup: authentication, install options (npx, Claude Code, Claude Desktop, VS Code, Homebrew, Windows, manual download, Docker with a retirement warning), use cases and answers to common questions about the subscription, privacy and multiple repositories.