MCPHost 🤖

What is MCPHost?

MCPHost is a CLI host application that enables Large Language Models (LLMs) to interact with external tools through the Model Context Protocol (MCP). It runs on any system with Go 1.23+, and is designed for developers and users who want to give LLMs controlled access to external tools and data sources.

How to use MCPHost?

Install with go install github.com/mark3labs/mcphost@latest. Set your Anthropic API key (for Claude) or install Ollama locally (for Ollama models). Create a ~/.mcp.json configuration file defining MCP servers with command and args. Launch with mcphost and optionally specify a model via -m provider:model (e.g., -m ollama:qwen2.5:3b). Use interactive commands like /tools and /help during a session.

Key features of MCPHost

• Interactive conversations with Claude 3.5 Sonnet or Ollama models
• Support for multiple concurrent MCP servers
• Dynamic tool discovery and integration
• Configurable MCP server locations and arguments
• Consistent command interface across model types
• Configurable message history window for context management

Use cases of MCPHost

• Give an LLM read/write access to a local filesystem via the filesystem MCP server
• Let an LLM query and modify a SQLite database through the SQLite MCP server
• Combine multiple MCP servers (e.g., filesystem + database) in a single conversation
• Use local Ollama models for offline tool‑calling without sending data to external APIs

FAQ from MCPHost

Which LLMs does MCPHost support?

MCPHost currently supports Claude 3.5 Sonnet (via Anthropic API) and any Ollama‑compatible model with function calling support (e.g., Mistral, Qwen). It also supports OpenAI models like GPT‑4.

How do I add an MCP server?

Edit the ~/.mcp.json configuration file. Each server entry requires a command (e.g., uvx, npx) and an args array of arguments. The README provides examples for SQLite and filesystem servers.

Do I need an API key to use MCPHost?

Yes, for Claude 3.5 Sonnet you must set the ANTHROPIC_API_KEY environment variable (or use the --anthropic-api-key flag). For OpenAI models, set OPENAI_API_KEY. Ollama models run locally and do not require a third‑party API key.

What is the license of MCPHost?

MCPHost is released under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file in the repository for details.

Are there any known limitations?

The README does not list explicit limitations, but note that MCPHost is a CLI application (no graphical interface), and Ollama models must be installed locally. The message history window defaults to 10 messages and is configurable via --message-window.