Overview
What is ntfy-mcp?
ntfy-mcp is an MCP server that integrates with the Model Context Protocol to send ntfy push notifications to your phone whenever your AI assistant completes a task. It is designed for developers who want to step away from their screen and be notified when a long-running AI task finishes.
How to use ntfy-mcp?
Clone the repository, run npm install and npm run build, then configure the server in your MCP client (e.g., Cline) with the node command pointing to the built index.js and the NTFY_TOPIC environment variable set to your chosen ntfy topic. Finally, subscribe to that topic in the ntfy mobile app and instruct your AI assistant to notify you when the task is done.
Key features of ntfy-mcp
- Sends push notifications via the ntfy service
- Integrates with MCP-compatible AI assistants
- Uses the
notify_usertool for auto-approval - Simple setup with topic-based subscription
- Built with TypeScript and the MCP SDK
Use cases of ntfy-mcp
- Get a phone notification when your AI finishes writing code
- Walk away from your desk while a multi-step task executes
- Monitor long-running AI research or analysis tasks without screen-watching
- Stay informed of completed operations while multitasking offline
FAQ from ntfy-mcp
What is the ntfy service?
ntfy is a push notification service that lets you send notifications to your phone by publishing to a topic. You subscribe to the same topic in the ntfy mobile app to receive notifications.
How do I specify the topic name?
Set the NTFY_TOPIC environment variable in your MCP client configuration to your chosen topic name. The same topic must be subscribed to in the ntfy app.
Do I need to tell the model to send a notification?
Yes. The README notes that the model needs an explicit prompt (e.g., "notify me when the task is done") to call the function; custom instructions may not reliably trigger it.
What are the runtime dependencies?
The server depends on @modelcontextprotocol/sdk, node-fetch, dotenv, and zod.
Where does the server run?
It runs locally as a Node.js process on your machine. No external hosting or cloud accounts other than the ntfy service are required.
