mcp-list-tools

A simplified command-line tool to list available tools, resources, and prompts from MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers.

Why This Tool?

The official MCP Inspector requires remembering a complex command structure:

npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector --cli <server_command> --method tools/list

With mcp-list-tools, you can simply use:

npx mcp-list-tools <server_command>

Installation

No installation required! Use it directly with npx:

npx mcp-list-tools --help

Usage

Basic Usage

# List tools from a local Node.js server
npx mcp-list-tools node build/index.js

# List tools from an NPM package server
npx mcp-list-tools npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /path/to/directory

# List tools from a Python server
npx mcp-list-tools python -m my_mcp_server

# List tools from a remote server
npx mcp-list-tools https://my-mcp-server.example.com

Advanced Options

# List resources instead of tools
npx mcp-list-tools node build/index.js --resources

# List prompts instead of tools
npx mcp-list-tools node build/index.js --prompts

# Use HTTP transport for remote servers (default is SSE)
npx mcp-list-tools https://my-server.com --transport http

# Show verbose output (displays the underlying inspector command)
npx mcp-list-tools node build/index.js --verbose

Command Reference

Options

• --help, -h: Show help message
• --version, -v: Show version information
• --transport <type>: Specify transport type for remote servers (default: sse)
• --verbose: Show verbose output including the full inspector command
• --resources: List resources instead of tools
• --prompts: List prompts instead of tools

Examples

Local Development

# TypeScript/JavaScript server
npx mcp-list-tools node dist/index.js
npx mcp-list-tools node build/server.js --port 3000

# Python server
npx mcp-list-tools python -m my_mcp_server
npx mcp-list-tools python server.py --config config.json

NPM Package Servers

# Filesystem server
npx mcp-list-tools npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /Users/username/Documents

# GitHub server
npx mcp-list-tools npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-github --token YOUR_TOKEN

# Slack server
npx mcp-list-tools npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-slack --token YOUR_SLACK_TOKEN

Remote Servers

# Default SSE transport
npx mcp-list-tools https://api.example.com/mcp

# HTTP transport
npx mcp-list-tools https://api.example.com/mcp --transport http

# With authentication (if supported by the server)
npx mcp-list-tools https://api.example.com/mcp --transport http

Different Content Types

# List available tools (default)
npx mcp-list-tools node server.js

# List available resources
npx mcp-list-tools node server.js --resources

# List available prompts
npx mcp-list-tools node server.js --prompts

What This Tool Does

This tool is a simple wrapper around the official @modelcontextprotocol/inspector CLI tool. It:

1. Simplifies the command syntax
2. Provides sensible defaults
3. Offers convenient shortcuts for common operations
4. Maintains full compatibility with the underlying inspector

Requirements

• Node.js 14.0.0 or higher
• The @modelcontextprotocol/inspector package (automatically installed via npx)

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. "Command not found" errors: Make sure you have Node.js installed and npx is available
2. Server connection issues: Verify your server is running and accessible
3. Permission errors: Ensure your server command has proper permissions

Verbose Mode

Use the --verbose flag to see the exact inspector command being executed:

npx mcp-list-tools node server.js --verbose

This will show:

Running: npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector --cli node server.js --method tools/list
---
[inspector output follows]

Contributing

This tool is designed to be simple and focused. If you have suggestions for improvements:

1. Keep it simple - the goal is to reduce complexity, not add features
2. Maintain compatibility with the underlying inspector
3. Focus on common use cases

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

Related Projects

• @modelcontextprotocol/inspector - The official MCP Inspector
• Model Context Protocol - Official MCP documentation