trace-mcp

Install

npx skillfoxx add mcp/trace-mcp

claude mcp add --transport stdio trace-mcp -- npx -y trace-mcp@3.32.0

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "trace-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "trace-mcp@3.32.0"
      ]
    }
  }
}

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "trace-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "trace-mcp@3.32.0"
      ]
    }
  }
}

code --add-mcp '{"name":"trace-mcp","type":"stdio","command":"npx","args":["-y","trace-mcp@3.32.0"]}'

{
  "servers": {
    "trace-mcp": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "trace-mcp@3.32.0"
      ]
    }
  }
}

codex mcp add trace-mcp -- npx -y trace-mcp@3.32.0

[mcp_servers.trace-mcp]
command = "npx"
args = ["-y", "trace-mcp@3.32.0"]

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "trace-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "trace-mcp@3.32.0"
      ]
    }
  }
}

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "trace-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "trace-mcp@3.32.0"
      ]
    }
  }
}

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "trace-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "trace-mcp@3.32.0"
      ]
    }
  }
}

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "trace-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "trace-mcp@3.32.0"
      ]
    }
  }
}

{
  "mcp": {
    "trace-mcp": {
      "type": "local",
      "command": [
        "npx",
        "-y",
        "trace-mcp@3.32.0"
      ]
    }
  }
}

{
  "context_servers": {
    "trace-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "trace-mcp@3.32.0"
      ]
    }
  }
}

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "trace-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "trace-mcp@3.32.0"
      ]
    }
  }
}

npm install -g trace-mcp
trace init
trace add

This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.

What it does

trace-mcp indexes the repository into a framework-aware graph and keeps it fresh as the code changes. Instead of dozens of grep calls and file reads, the agent asks over MCP: what breaks if this changes, how a request flows, which symbols tests never reach. The server understands edges between layers, such as a controller wired to a view or a dependency created through injection. It runs locally, the code stays on your machine, and it installs as a standalone server or a plugin for Claude Code and Codex.

Who it is for. For developers who want to cut token spend and the agent's step count on large codebases.

Example request

What breaks if I change this model, show the affected code through trace

Limitations

It needs an installed server and local indexing, which costs time and memory on large repos. Some features belong to a paid tier and the desktop app, while the core MCP server and CLI are open under MIT. Suggestion accuracy depends on how well a given framework is supported.

How to disable. Remove the server from your agent's MCP config or uninstall the package: npm uninstall -g trace-mcp.

MCP

Transport

stdio

Authentication

not required

Security check

• Reads and indexes the whole project code
• Keeps a local background process running

README in short

The README argues that agents pay repeatedly for work already done: every turn they re-read files and re-traverse dependencies. trace-mcp builds a code graph once and serves it over MCP, so instead of many grep calls the agent gets an answer in a single request. It claims broad framework and language coverage, decision memory tied to symbols, and search across past sessions. Install is npm global, then trace init and trace add. A desktop app acts as a visual explorer over the same index.

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