UtilityBelt

What is UtilityBelt?

A CLI tool for interacting with MCP endpoints, designed specifically for CLI-based AI agents like aider.

How to use UtilityBelt?

Inside aider, run /run utilitybelt describe https://mcp-example.com to load a list of command‑line calls that aider can use as tool suggestions. To call a tool, use /run utilitybelt tools call https://mcp-example.com <tool_name> "<tool_params_escaped_json>".

Key features of UtilityBelt

• Provides MCP tool descriptions to CLI AI agents
• Enables direct tool calling from aider commands
• Works with any MCP endpoint URL
• Parses and escapes JSON parameters automatically
• Lightweight, only requires a terminal and net access

Use cases of UtilityBelt

• Give aider the ability to call external APIs via MCP endpoints
• Allow AI agents to perform calculations through a calculator MCP service
• Integrate custom MCP tools into aider’s workflow without plugins

FAQ from UtilityBelt

What does UtilityBelt do that alternatives don’t?

UtilityBelt is purpose‑built for CLI‑based AI agents (especially aider), letting them discover and invoke MCP tools using simple /run commands.

Which platforms or AI models does UtilityBelt support?

It runs on any platform that supports aider and a terminal; it is model‑agnostic as long as the agent can execute shell commands.

How do I add MCP server support to UtilityBelt?

No server setup is needed—just provide the URL of an existing MCP endpoint.

Is UtilityBelt free and open source?

The README does not mention licensing or pricing.

What are known limitations?

Only the describe and call commands are documented; no error handling or configuration details are provided in the README.