Model Context Protocol CLI

What is Model Context Protocol CLI?

The Model Context Protocol CLI is a protocol-level command-line client that interacts with an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server. It lets users send commands, query data, and explore server resources. It runs on any system with Python 3.8+ and the UV package manager. It is intended for developers and technical users who need direct, scriptable access to MCP servers.

How to use Model Context Protocol CLI?

1. Clone the repository and install UV (pip install uv).
2. Run uv sync --reinstall inside the cloned directory.
3. Start the client with uv run mcp-cli --server <server> (e.g., sqlite).
4. Pass optional arguments for provider (--provider openai or ollama), model (--model), config file (--config-file), or use all servers (--all).
5. Once running, type chat to enter interactive chat mode, or use commands like ping or list-tools directly.

Key features of Model Context Protocol CLI

• Protocol-level communication with an MCP server.
• Dynamic tool, resource, and prompt exploration.
• Support for OpenAI and Ollama providers.
• Default models: gpt-4o-mini (OpenAI) and llama3.2 (Ollama).
• Interactive chat mode with tool invocation.
• Configurable via JSON file and command‑line arguments.

Use cases of Model Context Protocol CLI

• Querying data from an MCP‑enabled SQLite server.
• Discovering and inspecting available tools and resources.
• Interacting with multiple MCP servers concurrently (e.g., SQLite + Exa + filesystem).
• Building automated workflows that chain MCP commands.
• Testing and debugging MCP server implementations.

FAQ from Model Context Protocol CLI

What does Model Context Protocol CLI do?

It is a command-line client for MCP servers that allows you to send commands, query resources, and use tools—either interactively or via scripted commands.

What providers and models are supported?

Two providers: OpenAI (default model gpt-4o-mini) and Ollama (default model llama3.2). You can override the model with the --model flag.

How do I install Model Context Protocol CLI?

Clone the repository, install UV (pip install uv), then run uv sync --reinstall in the cloned directory. No additional system dependencies are required beyond Python 3.8+.

What commands are available?

ping, list-tools, list-resources, list-prompts, chat, clear, help,