CLI

mcporter CLI Reference

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mcporter CLI Reference

A quick reference for the primary mcporter subcommands. Each command inherits --config <file> and --root <dir> to override where servers are loaded from.

#mcporter list [server]

  • Without arguments, lists every configured server (with live discovery + brief

    • status).

  • With a server name, prints TypeScript-style signatures for each tool, doc

    • comments, optional summaries, and any server instructions returned during MCP initialization.

  • With server.tool, prints just that tool; combine with --schema for a single

    • tool schema.

  • Add --brief or --signatures with a server or server.tool target to keep

    • the server header/instructions and print compact signatures without doc comments, examples, or schemas.

  • Hidden alias: list-tools (kept for muscle memory; not advertised in help output).
  • Hidden ad-hoc flag aliases: --sse for --http-url, --insecure for --allow-http (for plain HTTP testing).
  • Flags:
  • --brief – compact single-server output; cannot be combined with --json,

    • --schema, --verbose, or --all-parameters.

  • --signatures – alias for --brief.
  • --all-parameters – include every optional parameter in the signature.
  • --schema – pretty-print the JSON schema for each tool.
  • --timeout <ms> – per-server timeout when enumerating all servers.

#mcporter call <server.tool>

  • Invokes a tool once and prints the response; supports positional arguments via

    • pseudo-TS syntax and --arg flags.

  • Useful flags:
  • --server, --tool – alternate way to target a tool.
  • -- – stop flag parsing so remaining tokens stay literal positional values.
  • --timeout <ms> – override call timeout (defaults to CALL_TIMEOUT_MS).
  • --output text|markdown|json|raw – choose how to render the CallResult.
  • --save-images <dir> – persist image content blocks to files under the specified directory.
  • --raw-strings – disable numeric coercion for flag-style and positional values.
  • --no-coerce – disable all flag-style/positional value coercion.
  • --tail-log – stream tail output when the tool returns log handles.

#mcporter resource <server> [uri]

  • Lists resources exposed by a server when no URI is provided.
  • Reads an MCP resource when uri is provided and renders text, markdown, JSON,

    • or raw output using the same output formatter as mcporter call.

  • Hidden alias: resources.
  • Useful flags:
  • --output auto|text|markdown|json|raw – choose how to render the response.
  • --json – shortcut for --output json.
  • --raw – shortcut for --output raw.

#mcporter generate-cli

  • Produces a standalone CLI for a single MCP server (optionally bundling or

    • compiling with Bun).

  • Key flags:
  • --server <name> (or inline JSON) – choose the server definition.
  • --command <url|command> – point at an ad-hoc HTTP endpoint (include https:// or use host/path.tool) or a stdio command (anything with spaces, e.g., "npx -y chrome-devtools-mcp@latest"). If you omit --command, the first positional argument is inspected: whitespace → stdio, otherwise the parser probes for HTTP/HTTPS and falls back to config names.
  • --output <path> – where to write the TypeScript template.
  • --bundle <path> – emit a bundle (Node/Bun) ready for bun x.
  • --bundler rolldown|bun – pick the bundler implementation (defaults to Rolldown unless the runtime resolves to Bun, in which case Bun’s bundler is used automatically; still requires a local Bun install).
  • --compile <path> – compile with Bun (implies --runtime bun).
  • --include-tools <a,b,c> – only generate subcommands for the specified tools (exact MCP tool names). It is an error if any requested tool is missing.
  • --exclude-tools <a,b,c> – generate subcommands for every tool except the ones listed. Unknown tool names are ignored. If all tools are excluded, generation fails.
  • --include-tools and --exclude-tools are mutually exclusive.
  • --timeout <ms> / --runtime node|bun – shared via the generator flag

    • parser so defaults stay consistent.

  • --from <artifact> – reuse metadata from an existing CLI artifact (legacy

    • regenerate-cli behavior, must point at an existing CLI).

  • --dry-run – print the resolved mcporter generate-cli ... command without

    • executing (requires --from).

  • Positional shorthand: npx mcporter generate-cli linear uses the configured

    • linear definition; npx mcporter generate-cli https://example.com/mcp treats the URL as an ad-hoc server definition.

#mcporter emit-ts <server>

  • Emits TypeScript definitions (and optionally a ready-to-use client) describing

    • a server’s tools. This reuses the same formatter as mcporter list so doc comments, signatures, and examples stay in sync.

  • Modes:
  • --mode types --out <file.d.ts> (default) – export an interface whose

    • methods return Promise<CallResult>, with doc comments and optional summaries.

  • --mode client --out <file.ts> – emit both the interface (<file>.d.ts)

    • and a factory that wraps createServerProxy, returning objects whose methods resolve to CallResult.

  • Other flags:
  • --include-optional (alias --all-parameters) – show every optional field.
  • --types-out <file> – override where the .d.ts sits when using client

    • mode.

For more detail (behavioral nuances, OAuth flows, etc.), see docs/spec.md and command-specific docs under docs/.