MCP Server Manager

What Problem Do We Solve?

Solve the hassle of manually editing various JSON files for different MCP clients

Managing Model Context Protocol servers across multiple AI clients (Claude Code, Gemini CLI, etc.) requires manually editing separate JSON configuration files for each client. This is tedious, error-prone, and hard to maintain.

Why Choose MCP Server Manager?

• ✅ Single Binary - No dependencies, just download and run
• ✅ Single Simple Config File - One YAML file controls everything
• ✅ All Operating Systems - Works on Linux, macOS, Windows
• ✅ All MCP Clients - Supports Claude Code, Gemini CLI, and more
• ✅ GUI Interface - Web interface starts with computer, always available on localhost:6543
• ✅ Add Servers via Web UI - No need to edit configuration files manually
• ✅ Real-time Validation - Instant feedback on configuration errors
• ✅ Example Configurations - Built-in examples for common server types

Screenshot

The web interface provides an intuitive way to manage and add MCP servers across multiple AI clients with real-time validation

Installation Options

Option 1: Debian/Ubuntu Package (Recommended)

# Download the latest .deb from GitHub Releases
wget https://github.com/vlazic/mcp-server-manager/releases/latest/download/mcp-server-manager_Linux_x86_64.deb

# Install the package
sudo dpkg -i mcp-server-manager_Linux_x86_64.deb

# Enable and start the service
systemctl --user enable --now mcp-server-manager

Option 2: Download Release Binary

# Download and extract
wget https://github.com/vlazic/mcp-server-manager/releases/latest/download/mcp-server-manager_Linux_x86_64.tar.gz
tar -xzf mcp-server-manager_Linux_x86_64.tar.gz
chmod +x mcp-server-manager

# Run directly (config will be auto-created)
./mcp-server-manager

# Or specify custom config location
./mcp-server-manager --config /path/to/config.yaml
./mcp-server-manager -c /path/to/config.yaml

Option 3: Build from Source

git clone https://github.com/vlazic/mcp-server-manager.git
cd mcp-server-manager

# Build only
make build

# Build, install, and start as system service
make setup

Configuration

Config File Locations (Smart Resolution)

The application automatically finds your configuration file in this priority order:

1. Command line flag: --config /path/to/config.yaml or -c /path/to/config.yaml
2. User config: ~/.config/mcp-server-manager/config.yaml (recommended)
3. Current directory: ./config.yaml
4. Embedded default: Auto-created if none found

First Run

On first run, a default configuration will be automatically created at:

~/.config/mcp-server-manager/config.yaml

Edit this file to configure your MCP servers and client paths.

How It Works

1. Configure once - Add servers via web UI or edit the auto-created config file
2. Control from GUI - Use the web interface to enable/disable servers per client
3. Automatic sync - Changes are automatically applied to all client config files
4. Always available - Runs in background, accessible at http://localhost:6543

Adding MCP Servers

Option 1: Via Web Interface (Recommended)

1. Open http://localhost:6543
2. Click "Add New Server"
3. Choose from example configurations or enter your own
4. Submit and the server is automatically added to your config

Option 2: Edit Configuration File

Manually edit ~/.config/mcp-server-manager/config.yaml and restart the service.

Example Configuration

server_port: 6543

mcp_servers:
  - name: "filesystem"
    command: "npx"
    args: ["@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/path/to/your/directory"]
    clients:
      claude_code: true
      gemini_cli: false

clients:
  - name: "claude_code"
    config_path: "~/.claude.json"
  - name: "gemini_cli"
    config_path: "~/.gemini/settings.json"

That's it! No more manual JSON editing across multiple files.

Service Management

Systemd User Service Commands

# Check service status
systemctl --user status mcp-server-manager

# Start/stop service
systemctl --user start mcp-server-manager
systemctl --user stop mcp-server-manager

# Enable/disable auto-start
systemctl --user enable mcp-server-manager
systemctl --user disable mcp-server-manager

# View logs
journalctl --user -u mcp-server-manager -f

# Restart after config changes
systemctl --user restart mcp-server-manager

Optional: Making the Service Start on Boot (Before Login)

By default, the user service starts automatically only after you log in. For most desktop users, this is sufficient.

However, if you run this on a headless or remote server, you will want the service to start at boot, even before you log in via SSH. To enable this "lingering" behavior, run the following command once:

# Allow the user service to start at boot, even without a login session
sudo loginctl enable-linger $USER

Command Line Options

# Run with default config resolution
./mcp-server-manager

# Specify custom config file
./mcp-server-manager --config /path/to/config.yaml
./mcp-server-manager -c /path/to/config.yaml

# View help
./mcp-server-manager -h

Troubleshooting

Config File Issues

• Check if config file exists: ls ~/.config/mcp-server-manager/config.yaml
• View current config location in logs
• Test config syntax: ensure valid YAML format

Service Issues

• Check service logs: journalctl --user -u mcp-server-manager -f
• Ensure port 6543 is available
• Verify MCP server commands are in PATH (e.g., npx available)