MCP DevTools
MCP DevTools replaces a dozen MCP servers with one Go binary: search, page fetch, package documentation and GitHub.
- 163 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- Apache-2.0
Extended access
Why this level
- The server reaches the internet and GitHub; additional tools can touch files and launch other agents.
Install
- Works in
Manual install
go install github.com/sammcj/mcp-devtools@HEADFirst installation option from the README. An experimental `install.sh` script also exists.
Access and checks
How we reviewExtended accessThe tool runs code or makes network calls and only reads external data.
- The server reaches the internet and GitHub; additional tools can touch files and launch other agents.
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
MCP DevTools bundles agentic coding tools into one Go binary. The default set covers internet search, page fetch, package search and documentation, GitHub, a thinking tool, a calculator and a long-file finder. More capabilities are off by default and switch on through `ENABLE_ADDITIONAL_TOOLS`: Terraform docs, PDF and Excel processing, a memory graph, code reading and renaming, ShadCN UI templates and a proxy to other MCP servers. The same switch exposes tools that launch other agents: Claude Code, Codex CLI and Gemini CLI.
Who it is for. People running several Node.js and Python MCP servers in Claude Code, Cursor or Cline, each of which takes memory on startup.
Good fit when
- A client launches five separate MCP servers and you want them down to one process.
- An agent searches the web for package documentation and reads the full page.
- Library documentation via Context7 is needed without a separate server.
- An agent reads GitHub issues and pull requests without leaving the editor.
Not a fit when
- A single narrow MCP server is enough and twenty tools would only bloat the list.
- The environment has no Go and policy forbids downloading a prebuilt binary.
- Search queries and page contents cannot go to external services.
Example request
Find the documentation for the httpx Python package, read the timeouts section and tell me which version is current.MCP
- Transport
- stdio
- Authentication
- not required
Environment variables
ENABLE_ADDITIONAL_TOOLS- Comma-separated list of additional tools to enable
DISABLED_TOOLS- Comma-separated list of default tools to disable
Limitations
`go install` or `go run` needs Go installed; otherwise take a prebuilt release. Internet search and documentation go through external services, and some ask for keys. Additional tools are off by default: enable the filesystem, agent launchers and MCP proxy one at a time and on purpose, because they widen what the agent can reach. The README calls the `install.sh` script experimental, so read it before piping it through `curl | bash`. Configuration and variables run long in the README, so start from a minimal set.
How to disable. Remove the server from the MCP client configuration or run `claude mcp remove mcp-devtools`. Delete the binary from `$GOPATH/bin` or `~/.local/bin`.
FAQ
Which tools are on from the start?
Internet search, page fetch, package search and documentation, GitHub, a thinking tool, a calculator and a long-file finder.
How do I enable the rest?
List them in `ENABLE_ADDITIONAL_TOOLS` separated by commas, for example `security,sequential_thinking,code_skim,code_rename`. `DISABLED_TOOLS` switches off unwanted defaults.
Is Go required?
For `go install` and `go run`, yes. Without Go, download a prebuilt binary from the releases page.
Is there tracing and metrics?
The README states OpenTelemetry support for tracing and metrics, with example configs in `docs/observability`.
How do I switch off an unwanted tool?
Name it in the `DISABLED_TOOLS` variable, for example `search_packages`. Separate several names with commas.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCP DevTools (this card) | no | not required | 163 | |
| Context7 | yes | API key | 64,240 | serves library documentation as a single server; MCP DevTools includes such a lookup as one tool of the bundle |
| Chrome DevTools MCP | yes | not required | 54,879 | drives the Chrome browser; MCP DevTools handles search, packages and GitHub and does not launch a browser |
README in short
One Go binary instead of a set of servers. Install with `go install`, a prebuilt release or the installer script. The default set is minimal and the rest switches on through variables.