mcp-chat

What is mcp-chat?

mcp-chat is an open source generic MCP client for testing and evaluating MCP servers and agents. It provides a CLI and web interface for interacting with MCP servers through an LLM.

How to use mcp-chat?

Run via npx mcp-chat with flags like --server, --config, --web, -m (model), -p (prompt), or --system (system prompt). Requires the ANTHROPIC_API_KEY environment variable set. For web mode, use --web and configure servers through the UI.

Key features of mcp-chat

• Run CLI in interactive mode or with -p flag
• Web mode for chatting via a web interface
• Connect to any MCP server (JS, Python, Docker)
• Choose between Anthropic models with -m
• Customize system prompt with --system
• Saves chat history to ~/.mcpchat/chats

Use cases of mcp-chat

• Test MCP servers during development (local builds)
• Run one‑off prompts with MCP servers (e.g., Kubernetes)
• Interactive chat with an LLM and connected tools
• Debug tool call output and arguments

FAQ from mcp-chat

What LLM models are supported?

Currently only Anthropic models (e.g., claude-3.5) are supported.

How do I connect to a local MCP server?

Use --server with a command (e.g., npx mcp-server-kubernetes) or pass a local script (e.g., node /path/to/index.js or uv run weather.py).

Where is chat history saved?

Chats are saved in ~/.mcpchat/chats (both CLI and web mode).

Can I run mcp-chat without a CLI server argument?

Yes, in web mode (--web) you can dynamically configure MCP servers via the UI.

Do I need an API key?

Yes, set the ANTHROPIC_API_KEY environment variable or place it in a .env file.