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mcp-agentify

MCP orchestrator that converts MPC servers to agents.

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mcp-agentify

AI-Powered MCP Gateway for Tool Orchestration

Overview

mcp-agentify is a Node.js/TypeScript application acting as an AI-Powered MCP (Model Context Protocol) Gateway. This Gateway will:

  • Function as an MCP server, primarily communicating via stdio.
  • Accept requests from a client IDE (e.g., Cursor) through a primary MCP method: agentify/orchestrateTask.
  • Utilize OpenAI's API (specifically Tool Calling) to interpret user queries and context, select appropriate backend MCP tools, and formulate the MCP calls.
  • Dynamically manage stdio-based connections to backend MCP servers.
  • Proxy MCP calls to chosen backends and return responses.
  • Be runnable via npx or as a dependency.
Features
  • Unified MCP Endpoint: Provides a single MCP server endpoint for client applications.
  • Intelligent Task Orchestration: Uses OpenAI (e.g., GPT-4 Turbo) to understand natural language and select from configured backend tools.
  • Dynamic Backend Management: Configure backend MCP servers (like @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem, @browserbasehq/mcp-browserbase) via initializationOptions.
  • Simplified Client Logic: Centralizes tool selection and MCP call formulation.
  • Stdio Communication: Designed for easy integration with IDEs and other tools via standard I/O.
  • Optional Frontend UI: For observing logs, traces, and status.
Installation

As a dependency in your project:

npm install mcp-agentify
# or
yarn add mcp-agentify

To run globally using npx (once published):

npx mcp-agentify
Configuration

mcp-agentify is configured through a combination of environment variables (often set via a .env file for local development or an env block in an IDE's server configuration) and initializationOptions provided by the connecting MCP client during the initialize handshake.

Priority of Core Settings (for mcp-agentify itself):

  1. Environment Variables: OPENAI_API_KEY, LOG_LEVEL, FRONTEND_PORT set in mcp-agentify's own execution environment (e.g., from .env or IDE's env block for the server process) take highest precedence. This allows the Frontend Server to start immediately.
    • FRONTEND_PORT="disabled": If FRONTEND_PORT is set to the exact string "disabled", the Frontend Server will not be started.
  2. initializationOptions from Client: These same keys can be provided by the client as fallbacks if not set in the environment.
  3. Internal Defaults: (e.g., logLevel defaults to 'info').
1. Environment Variables (.env file or IDE env block)

This is the recommended way to set OPENAI_API_KEY, LOG_LEVEL, and FRONTEND_PORT for mcp-agentify's own operation.

Example .env file (for local scripts/dev.sh or npm run dev):

OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-YourOpenAIKeyHereFromDotEnv
LOG_LEVEL=debug
FRONTEND_PORT=3030
# To disable the Frontend UI server, uncomment the next line:
# FRONTEND_PORT="disabled"

# Optional: Define dynamic agents. Comma-separated list of "Vendor/ModelName".
# Example: AGENTS="OpenAI/gpt-4.1,OpenAI/o3,Anthropic/claude-3-opus"
# This will expose MCP methods like: agentify/agent_OpenAI_gpt_4_1, agentify/agent_OpenAI_o3, etc.
AGENTS="OpenAI/gpt-4.1,OpenAI/o3"

When configuring mcp-agentify in an IDE, you'll typically have a way to specify environment variables for the server process. This is where these should go.

2. MCP initialize Request (initializationOptions)

The connecting client (IDE) sends initializationOptions. This is primarily used to define the backends that mcp-agentify will orchestrate.

Example initializationOptions (JSON sent by client):

{
  "logLevel": "trace",
  "OPENAI_API_KEY": "sk-ClientProvidedKeyAsFallbackIfEnvNotSet",
  "FRONTEND_PORT": 3001,
  "backends": [
    {
      "id": "filesystem",
      "displayName": "Local Filesystem Access",
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem",
        "/Users/Shared/Projects",
        "/tmp/agentify-work"
      ],
      "env": {
        "FILESYSTEM_LOG_LEVEL": "debug"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "mcpBrowserbase",
      "displayName": "Cloud Browser (Browserbase)",
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@smithery/cli@latest",
        "run",
        "@browserbasehq/mcp-browserbase",
        "--key", "bb_api_YOUR_KEY_AS_ARG_FOR_BROWSERBASE"
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Key fields in initializationOptions:

  • logLevel, OPENAI_API_KEY, FRONTEND_PORT (optional fallbacks): As mentioned, mcp-agentify prioritizes its own environment variables for these.
  • backends (required, array): Defines the backend MCP servers.
    • id: Unique identifier (e.g., "filesystem").
    • displayName (optional): Human-readable name.
    • type: Must be "stdio".
    • command: Command to start the backend.
    • args (optional): Arguments for the command.
    • env (optional): Environment variables specifically for this spawned backend process.
How to Run & Configure with an MCP Client (IDE)

Your IDE (e.g., Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Desktop) will launch mcp-agentify.

Configuring Your IDE

You need to tell your IDE:

  1. How to start mcp-agentify: This is typically the command and args (if any), and the workingDirectory. For local development, this often points to bash scripts/dev.sh or npm run dev.
  2. Environment Variables for mcp-agentify: Set OPENAI_API_KEY, LOG_LEVEL, FRONTEND_PORT here.
  3. initializationOptions: Provide the JSON for backends and any fallback settings.

Conceptual IDE Configuration Example (e.g., for a claude_desktop_config.json-like file):

{
  "mcpServers": [
    {
      "mcp-agentify": {
        "type": "stdio",
        "command": "/Users/steipete/Projects/mcp-agentify/scripts/dev.sh",
        "env": {
          "logLevel": "trace",
          "FRONTEND_PORT": 3030,
          "OPENAI_API_KEY": "sk-YourOpenAIKeyFromIDESettingsPlaceholder"
        },
        "initializationOptions": {
          "backends": [
            {
              "id": "filesystem",
              "displayName": "Local Filesystem (Agentify)",
              "type": "stdio",
              "command": "npx",
              "args": [
                "-y",
                "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem",
                "${workspaceFolder}"
              ]
            },
            {
              "id": "mcpBrowserbase",
              "displayName": "Web Browser (Browserbase via Agentify)",
              "type": "stdio",
              "command": "npx",
              "args": [
                "-y",
                "@smithery/cli@latest",
                "run",
                "@browserbasehq/mcp-browserbase",
                "--key",
                "YOUR_BROWSERBASE_KEY_IF_NEEDED"
              ]
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    }
    // ... other MCP server configurations ...
  ]
}

Key Points for IDE Configuration:

  • The IDE's env block for the mcp-agentify server is crucial for setting its core operational parameters like OPENAI_API_KEY, logLevel, and FRONTEND_PORT (for immediate Frontend UI).
  • initializationOptions is mainly for defining the backends array.
  • Use placeholders like ${workspaceFolder} if your IDE supports them.

Local Development Startup Methods (referenced by IDE command):

  • bash scripts/dev.sh:
    • Recommended for IDEs.
    • Uses nodemon and ts-node.
    • Picks up .env from mcp-agentify project root for OPENAI_API_KEY, LOG_LEVEL, FRONTEND_PORT.
    • The IDE's env block settings (see example above) would override these if the IDE sets environment variables when launching the script.
  • npm run dev:
    • Similar to bash scripts/dev.sh.
    • Also uses nodemon and ts-node.
    • Also respects .env and environment variables set by the IDE.
Frontend UI

mcp-agentify includes an optional Frontend UI, also referred to as the Frontend Server.

Enabling the Frontend UI

Set the FRONTEND_PORT environment variable for mcp-agentify. This is best done via:

  1. A .env file in the mcp-agentify project root when running locally:
    FRONTEND_PORT=3030
# To disable, set FRONTEND_PORT="disabled"
  2. The env block in your IDE's server configuration for mcp-agentify.

The Frontend UI will start immediately when mcp-agentify launches if FRONTEND_PORT is set to a valid number in its environment. If FRONTEND_PORT is set to "disabled", the UI server will not start. If provided only as a fallback in initializationOptions by a client, it will start after the MCP handshake (unless disabled by an environment variable).

Accessing the Frontend UI

Once mcp-agentify is running and the Frontend UI is enabled (e.g., FRONTEND_PORT=3030 in its environment), open:
http://localhost:3030 (replace 3030 with your FRONTEND_PORT if different)

Features

The Frontend UI provides the following sections:

  • Gateway Status:
    • Shows the overall status of the gateway (e.g., running, uptime).
    • Lists configured backend MCP servers and their readiness status (e.g., "Filesystem: Ready", "Browserbase: Not Ready").
  • Gateway Configuration:
    • Displays the current (sanitized) configuration the gateway is using, including log level, backend definitions, etc. Sensitive information like API keys will be redacted.
  • Real-time Logs:
    • Streams logs directly from the gateway in real-time via WebSockets.
    • Allows filtering logs by minimum severity level (Trace, Debug, Info, Warn, Error, Fatal).
    • Provides an "Auto-scroll" option to keep the latest logs in view.
    • Displays log timestamps, levels, messages, and any structured details.
  • MCP Traces:
    • Streams MCP messages exchanged between the gateway and backend servers, as well as between the client IDE and the gateway.
    • Shows direction (Incoming to Gateway, Outgoing from Gateway), backend ID (if applicable), MCP method, request/response ID, and sanitized parameters or results.
    • Also provides an "Auto-scroll" option.
How it Works
  • The FrontendServer component (src/frontendServer.ts) serves the static HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files located in frontend/public/.
  • It provides API endpoints (/api/status, /api/config, /api/logs, /api/mcptrace) that the frontend JavaScript uses to fetch initial state or paginated historical data (though historical data fetching is not fully implemented in the PoC's UI script).
  • A WebSocket connection is established between the frontend UI and the FrontendServer.
  • The gateway's main logger (src/logger.ts) is configured to pipe log entries (as JSON objects) to the FrontendServer if the frontend UI is active.
  • The BackendManager and main server logic (src/server.ts) emit MCP trace events.
  • The FrontendServer receives these log entries and trace events and broadcasts them to all connected WebSocket clients (i.e., open frontend UI pages).
  • The client-side JavaScript (frontend/src/index.tsx and components) receives these WebSocket messages and dynamically updates the corresponding sections in the HTML to display the information.
Local Install and Global Usage (Advanced)

While npm run dev is great for active development and npx mcp-agentify (once published) is convenient for project-local use, you might want to install mcp-agentify globally from your local clone for broader testing or to simulate how a published global package would behave.

1. Global Install from Local Clone

After cloning the repository and ensuring all dependencies are installed (npm install):

  1. Navigate to the project root directory:

    cd path/to/mcp-agentify

  2. Build the project (if you want to install the compiled version):

    npm run build

  3. Install globally:
    To install the current local version globally, use:

    npm install -g .

    This command links the current directory (.) as a global package. If you've run npm run build, it will typically link the compiled version based on your package.json's bin and files fields.

  4. Run the globally installed command:
    Now you should be able to run mcp-agentify from any directory:

    mcp-agentify

    The gateway will start and listen on stdio.

  5. Uninstalling:
    To remove the global link, you'll typically use the package name defined in package.json:

    npm uninstall -g @your-scope/mcp-agentify # Replace with actual package name

    If you used a different name or if it was just a link, npm unlink . from the project directory might also be needed, or check npm list -g --depth=0 to find the linked package name.

2. Using npm link (Recommended for Development)

npm link is a more development-friendly way to create a global-like symlink to your local project. This means changes you make to your local code (even without rebuilding, if you run the linked version via ts-node or if your IDE points to the source) can be reflected immediately when you run the global command.

  1. Navigate to the project root directory:

    cd path/to/mcp-agentify

  2. Create the link:

    npm link

    This creates a global symlink named after your package name (e.g., mcp-agentify or @your-scope/mcp-agentify) that points to your current project directory.

  3. Run the linked command:
    You can now run mcp-agentify (or your package name) from any terminal:

    mcp-agentify

    If your package.json bin points to dist/cli.js, you'll need to run npm run build for changes to src to be reflected in the linked command. If your bin could somehow point to a ts-node invoker for src/cli.ts (more advanced setup), then changes might be live.

  4. Unlinking:
    To remove the symlink:

    npm unlink --no-save @your-scope/mcp-agentify # Replace with actual package name
# or from the project directory:
# npm unlink

Note on .env with Global Installs:
When running a globally installed or linked mcp-agentify, it will look for a .env file in the current working directory from where you run the command, not necessarily from the mcp-agentify project's original root. For consistent behavior, especially with API keys, ensure your .env file is in the directory where you execute the mcp-agentify command, or configure these settings via initializationOptions from your client tool.

Development
  1. Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/steipete/mcp-agentify.git
  2. Navigate to the project directory: cd mcp-agentify
  3. Install dependencies: npm install
  4. Create a .env file in the project root (copy from .env.example) and add your OPENAI_API_KEY.
    OPENAI_API_KEY=your_openai_api_key_here
LOG_LEVEL=debug
FRONTEND_PORT=3030
  5. Run in development mode (with hot reloading):
    npm run dev
    This uses nodemon and ts-node to execute src/cli.ts.
Testing

Run tests with Vitest:

npm test

To run in watch mode:

npm run test:watch

To get a coverage report:

npm run test:coverage

(Note: Unit and integration tests are planned under Task 11 and 12 respectively.)

License

MIT

Dynamic Agent Methods via AGENTS Environment Variable

mcp-agentify can expose direct agent interaction methods on the fly based on the AGENTS environment variable. This is useful for quickly testing different models or providing direct access to specific LLM configurations without defining them as full backend tools.

  • Set the AGENTS environment variable as a comma-separated string of "Vendor/ModelName" pairs.
    • Format: AGENTS="Vendor1/ModelNameA,Vendor2/ModelNameB"
    • Example: AGENTS="OpenAI/gpt-4.1,OpenAI/o3"
    • Note on "OpenAI" vendor: The vendor name "OpenAI" is treated case-insensitively and will be standardized to lowercase openai (e.g., "OPENAI/gpt-4.1" becomes "openai/gpt-4.1"). Other vendor names are case-sensitive.
    • (Ensure the model names are valid for the specified vendor, e.g., as per OpenAI API documentation for gpt-4.1, o3, etc.)
  • For each entry, mcp-agentify will register an MCP method:
    • The Vendor/ModelName string is sanitized (non-alphanumerics, including /, become _).
    • The method will be named agentify/agent_<sanitized_Vendor_ModelName>.
    • Example: AGENTS="OpenAI/gpt-4.1" creates agentify/agent_OpenAI_gpt_4_1.
  • These methods currently accept a { query: string, context?: OrchestrationContext } payload and return a placeholder response.
    Full LLM interaction logic for these dynamic agents will be implemented in the future.
Author Information
Peter Steinberger
Peter Steinberger

vibe coding my way to happiness. Previously: Founder of @PSPDFKit.

Full-Time Open Source BuilderVienna & London
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