Yaw MCP

MCP servers, managed locally.

A CLI that runs MCP servers on your machine, no account required. Local-first, with your own API keys.

Get started

Two steps: get Yaw MCP (the software), then connect it to your AI client. The install <client> command does the second step - it wires Yaw MCP into the client's config; it does not re-install the software.

Recommended - via Yaw Terminal
Already bundled in Yaw Terminal
yaw mcp install claude-code   # connect Yaw MCP to Claude Code
yaw mcp doctor                # verify the connection
Yaw Terminal ships with Yaw MCP, so there is nothing to install - the yaw mcp command works out of the box (it runs the bundled @yawlabs/mcp sidecar). Run install <client> once to connect it to whichever AI client you use.
Standalone - CLI only
If you do not have or want Yaw Terminal
npm install -g @yawlabs/mcp    # install the software
yaw-mcp install claude-code    # connect it to Claude Code
yaw-mcp doctor                 # verify the connection
The first line installs the CLI from npm (~5MB, Node 18+). The second connects it to a client - swap claude-code for claude-desktop, cursor, or vscode. Then add servers with yaw-mcp add <slug> (browse the catalog).

Compatible clients

Yaw MCP speaks the standard MCP stdio protocol, so it works with any client that launches MCP servers over stdio. yaw mcp install <client> (or yaw-mcp install <client> for the standalone CLI) writes the right launch entry into the client's config file for your OS - no hand-editing JSON.

Client Install command Config file
Claude Code (CLI) yaw mcp install claude-code ~/.claude.json (managed by the claude mcp subcommand)
Codex CLI yaw mcp install codex-cli ~/.codex/config.toml
Gemini CLI yaw mcp install gemini-cli ~/.gemini/settings.json
Claude Desktop yaw mcp install claude-desktop ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (mac) -- %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json (win)
Cursor yaw mcp install cursor ~/.cursor/mcp.json (global) or .cursor/mcp.json (project)
VS Code yaw mcp install vscode .vscode/mcp.json in your project root (uses the servers key)
Windsurf yaw mcp install windsurf ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json
Zed yaw mcp install zed ~/.config/zed/settings.json (under context_servers)
Cline (VS Code extension) yaw mcp install cline VS Code command palette: Cline: Open MCP Settings (cline_mcp_settings.json)
Continue.dev yaw mcp install continue ~/.continue/config.json (under mcpServers)
Generic .mcp.json yaw mcp install mcp .mcp.json in your project root (the mcpServers key)

Don't see your client? Anything that speaks the MCP stdio protocol works -- the install command is just a convenience that writes the right config-file shape. You can also hand-edit your config to point at yaw-mcp (standalone) or yaw mcp (bundled in Yaw Terminal).

What it does

Local-first. Run MCP servers from a JSON file you control. No account required for Free. Nothing leaves your machine - no telemetry, no analytics, no opt-in pings. Bring your own API keys; they stay in ~/.yaw-mcp/bundles.json on your disk.
One CLI, every MCP server. Discover, install, and run servers from the public catalog or your own JSON. Token-budget aware - yaw mcp dispatch ranks your servers against the current task and loads only what is needed instead of keeping every tool description in your AI client's context window.
Compliance-graded. Every catalog entry is scored against the 88-test mcp-compliance suite. Set YAW_MCP_MIN_COMPLIANCE=B and the CLI refuses to activate anything below the bar. The grade renders inline on every discover output - the trust signal is visible without opting in first.
BYOK across AI clients. Works with Claude Code, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf, Zed, Cline, Continue.dev, and anything else that launches MCP servers over stdio. yaw mcp install <client> wires up the launch entry in the correct config file for the OS - no hand-editing JSON.

Free forever

No account, no license, nothing to buy. Yaw MCP runs entirely on your machine with your own API keys.

Install Yaw MCP

Frequently asked

Do I need an account to use Yaw MCP?

No. Yaw MCP runs entirely from a JSON file on your machine. The CLI never phones home - no telemetry, no opt-in pings, no account check on startup.

What happened to MCP Hosting (mcph)?

Yaw MCP is the rebrand of what previously shipped as MCP Hosting and the @yawlabs/mcph CLI. The old hosted SaaS is being sunset; the local-first CLI is the new product. Existing mcp.hosting URLs redirect to yaw.sh/mcp; the old @yawlabs/mcph package is deprecated and points at @yawlabs/mcp.

What is in a "bundle"?

A bundle is the set of MCP servers Yaw MCP will load on startup. Each server entry has the standard MCP shape - a namespace, a command, args, env vars, and either a transport or a URL. The local file is ~/.yaw-mcp/bundles.json (user-global) or <project>/.yaw-mcp/bundles.json (project-local, overrides user-global). The yaw-mcp add and remove commands manage this file for you; yaw-mcp install <client> is the separate step that wires yaw-mcp into your AI client.

Does Yaw MCP work with Claude Code, Cursor, etc.?

Yes. Yaw MCP is itself an MCP server that launches over stdio. yaw mcp install <client> writes the correct launch entry into the client's config file (correct path for your OS, correct JSON shape). Supported clients: Claude Code, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf, Zed, Cline, Continue.dev, and generic .mcp.json. Any client that speaks the MCP stdio protocol will work even if not in that list - see the Compatible clients section for the full table.

What about self-hosting?

Yaw MCP IS self-hosted by default. It runs entirely on your machine with no backend dependency - there is nothing to deploy and no server to run. Your bundles and API keys live in a JSON file on your own disk.