Requirements¶
mcpd does not require every runtime on every machine.
Install the mcpd binary, then install the runtime(s) needed by the MCP servers you plan to run.
Runtime requirements¶
Use the package prefix in .mcpd.toml to tell which runtime a server needs:
| Package Prefix | Install | Required When | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
uvx:: |
uv |
At least one configured server package starts with uvx:: |
https://docs.astral.sh/uv/getting-started/installation/ |
npx:: |
Node.js and npx |
At least one configured server package starts with npx::, or you want to use mcpd inspector |
https://docs.npmjs.com/downloading-and-installing-node-js-and-npm |
docker:: |
Docker | At least one configured server package starts with docker::, or you want to run mcpd itself in Docker |
https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop/ |
Quick start and tutorial
The quick start and tutorial use the time server through uvx, so uv is required for those examples.
Optional tools used in examples¶
| Tool | Why You Might Want It | URL |
|---|---|---|
curl |
Calling the mcpd HTTP API from the shell |
https://curl.se/ |
jq |
Pretty-printing JSON responses in shell examples | https://jqlang.org/ |
Development-only requirements¶
| Tool | Purpose | URL |
|---|---|---|
Go >= 1.26.0 |
Building mcpd, running tests, and contributing to the Go codebase |
https://go.dev/doc/install |
uv |
Serving the local docs site via make docs |
https://docs.astral.sh/uv/getting-started/installation/ |
Internet Connectivity
mcpd typically needs internet access to resolve packages from remote registries and to download server dependencies on first run.