CLI Reference

The frontmcp CLI provides commands for development, process management, and package management. Install it globally or use via npx.

frontmcp <command> [options]

Development Commands

Commands for building, testing, and debugging your FrontMCP server.

Command	Description
`dev`	Start in development mode (tsx —watch + async type-check)
`build`	Build for a deployment target (defaults to `--target node`)
`build --target node`	Build distributable executable bundle (esbuild + tsc)
`build --target cli`	Build CLI executable with subcommands per tool
`build --target mcpb`	Package server as an `.mcpb` archive for MCPB-aware clients
`mcpb validate <path>`	Validate a `.mcpb` archive against the MCPB v0.3 spec
`test`	Run E2E tests with auto-injected Jest configuration
`init`	Create or fix a tsconfig.json suitable for FrontMCP
`doctor`	Check Node/npm versions and tsconfig requirements
`inspector`	Launch MCP Inspector (`npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector`)
`create [name]`	Scaffold a new FrontMCP project (interactive if name omitted)
`socket <entry>`	Start Unix socket daemon for local MCP server

Process Manager Commands

Manage long-running MCP servers with automatic supervision, restart policies, and logging.

Command	Description
`start <name>`	Start a named MCP server with supervisor
`stop <name>`	Stop a managed server (graceful by default)
`restart <name>`	Restart a managed server
`status [name]`	Show process status (detail if name given, table if omitted)
`list`	List all managed processes
`logs <name>`	Tail log output for a managed server
`service <action> [name]`	Install/uninstall systemd/launchd service (optional service name)

Package Manager Commands

Install, configure, and manage MCP apps from npm, local paths, or git repositories.

Command	Description
`install <source>`	Install an MCP app from npm, local path, or git
`uninstall <name>`	Remove an installed MCP app
`configure <name>`	Re-run setup questionnaire for an installed app

Plugin Commands (issue #411)

Emit the current FrontMCP server as a plugin for an AI tool. Today supports Claude Code (.claude/plugins/<name>/) and Codex (~/.codex/config.toml).

Command	Description
`plugin install --claude` / `--codex`	Emit a Claude Code plugin folder and/or Codex `mcp_servers` entry
`plugin uninstall --claude` / `--codex`	Remove what `plugin install` wrote, preserving any user files
`plugin status --claude` / `--codex`	Report install state per provider (installed v X / outdated / missing)

Flags shared across the three subcommands:

Flag	Description
`--scope <s>`	`project` (default → `./.claude/plugins/`) or `user` (→ `~/.claude/plugins/`)
`--dir <path>`	Override the plugin destination root (testing or non-standard installs)
`--no-skills`	Skip the `skills/` subtree
`--no-commands`	Skip the `commands/` subtree
`--only-mcp`	Skip the plugin folder; just write the `mcpServers` entry
`--command <cmd>`	Override the MCP server invocation in the plugin manifest
`--env <NAME>`	Surface an env-var placeholder in the plugin (repeatable)
`--dry-run`	Print the plan; do not write

End-user path (built bin): every CLI built with frontmcp build --target cli inherits install -p claude|codex AND uninstall -p claude|codex. Pass -p (repeatable) plus the same scope flags above to get the same plugin emit (or removal) from the installed binary — the bin reads its sibling bin-meta.json and _skills/ tree, no SDK boot or schema extraction required at install time.

# Dev-time: from a FrontMCP project root
frontmcp plugin install --claude
frontmcp plugin install --codex --dry-run
frontmcp plugin status --claude

# End-user: from the installed bin
my-bin install -p claude -p codex
my-bin install --status
my-bin uninstall -p claude          # remove the Claude plugin tree
my-bin uninstall -p claude -p codex # remove both providers in one shot

SKILL.md frontmatter is synthesized from @Skill metadata. When a server ships @Skill({ name, description, tags, license, instructions: { file } }) entries, the install flow composes proper YAML frontmatter from the decorator fields (so Claude Code’s filesystem loader can index the skill) and copies the instruction file body verbatim. If the source body already starts with a --- frontmatter block, it is preserved as-is — the user’s authoring is treated as authoritative.

Options Reference

General Options

Option	Description
`-h, --help`	Show help message
`-o, --out-dir <dir>`	Output directory (default: `./dist`)
`-e, --entry <path>`	Manually specify entry file path

Build Options

Option	Description
`--target <target>`	Build target: `node`, `cli`, `sdk`, `browser`, `vercel`, `lambda`, `cloudflare`, `distributed`, `mcpb`
`--js`	Emit plain JavaScript bundle instead of SEA (use with `--target cli`)
`--sea`	Also build a single-executable binary for the host platform (use with `--target mcpb`)
`--merge-from <dir>`	Merge cross-platform SEA binaries from `{dir}/{platform}/{name}` (use with `--target mcpb`)
`--icon <path>`	Override the icon path included in the archive (use with `--target mcpb`)
`--no-deterministic`	Disable deterministic archive output (use with `--target mcpb`)
`--stage-only`	Leave the MCPB staging directory intact and skip zipping (use with `--target mcpb`)

Start Options

Option	Description
`-e, --entry <path>`	Entry file for the server
`-p, --port <N>`	Port number for the server
`-s, --socket <path>`	Unix socket path
`--db <path>`	SQLite database path
`--max-restarts <N>`	Maximum auto-restart attempts (default: `5`)

Stop Options

Option	Description
`-f, --force`	Force kill (SIGKILL instead of SIGTERM)

Logs Options

Option	Description
`-F, --follow`	Follow log output (like `tail -f`)
`-n, --lines <N>`	Number of lines to show (default: `50`)

Install Options

Option	Description
`--registry <url>`	npm registry URL for private packages
`-y, --yes`	Silent mode (use defaults, skip questionnaire)
`-p, --port <N>`	Override default port

Create Options

Option	Description
`-y, --yes`	Use defaults (non-interactive mode)
`--target <target>`	Deployment target: `node`, `vercel`, `lambda`, `cloudflare`
`--redis <setup>`	Redis setup: `docker`, `existing`, `none` (node target only)
`--pm <pm>`	Package manager: `npm`, `yarn`, `pnpm`
`--cicd`	Enable GitHub Actions CI/CD
`--no-cicd`	Disable GitHub Actions CI/CD
`--nx`	Scaffold an Nx monorepo workspace
`--skills <bundle>`	Skills bundle: `recommended`, `minimal`, `full`, `none` (default: `recommended`)

The create command automatically initializes a git repository and creates an initial commit after scaffolding. If git is not installed, this step is silently skipped.

Socket Options

Option	Description
`-s, --socket <path>`	Unix socket path (default: `~/.frontmcp/sockets/{app}.sock`)
`--db <path>`	SQLite database path for persistence
`-b, --background`	Run as background daemon (detached process)

Test Options

Option	Description
`-i, --runInBand`	Run tests sequentially (recommended for E2E)
`-w, --watch`	Run tests in watch mode
`-v, --verbose`	Show verbose test output
`-t, --timeout <ms>`	Set test timeout (default: `60000ms`)
`-c, --coverage`	Collect test coverage

Generated Executable CLI

When you build with --target cli, the output is a self-contained executable whose commands are auto-generated from your MCP server’s tools, resources, prompts, and templates.

Building

frontmcp build --target cli

This produces a self-contained executable in dist/ that can be distributed and run directly. Use --js to emit a plain JavaScript bundle instead.

Global Options

Option	Description	Default
`--output <mode>`	Output format: `text` or `json`	`text`
`-h, --help`	Show grouped help (Tools, Resources, Auth, etc)	—
`-V, --version`	Print version	—

Command Groups

The generated CLI organizes commands into five groups: Tools — Each MCP tool becomes a kebab-case subcommand. Flags are derived from the tool’s input schema. Object-typed parameters accept JSON strings:

# Pass an object-typed parameter as JSON
./myapp create-user --profile '{"name":"Alice","role":"admin"}'

Resources & Prompts — resource list, resource read <uri>, template list, template <name>, prompt list, prompt <name>. Auth — login, logout, sessions list, sessions switch <name>, connect --token <TOKEN>. Subscriptions — subscribe resource <uri>, subscribe notification <name>. System — serve, daemon start|stop|status|logs, doctor, install, uninstall.

Example Session

# View all available commands grouped by category
./myapp --help

# Run a tool subcommand
./myapp search-users --query "alice" --limit 10

# List and read resources
./myapp resource list
./myapp resource read "file://config.json"

# Read a resource template with parameters
./myapp template user-profile --user-id 42

# OAuth login and session management
./myapp login --server https://auth.example.com
./myapp sessions list
./myapp sessions switch production

# Stream resource updates
./myapp subscribe resource "file://config.json"

# JSON output mode
./myapp search-users --query "alice" --output json

Configuration

Control the generated CLI via the cli block on the cli deployment in frontmcp.config.js:

module.exports = {
  name: 'myapp',
  deployments: [
    {
      target: 'cli',
      cli: {
        outputDefault: 'text',
        authRequired: false,
        description: 'My MCP CLI',
        excludeTools: [],
        oauth: {
          serverUrl: 'https://auth.example.com',
          clientId: 'my-app',
          defaultScope: 'read write',
          portRange: [17830, 17850],
        },
      },
    },
  ],
};

Tool Name Conflicts

If a tool name collides with a built-in command (login, logout, serve, connect, doctor, install, uninstall, resource, template, prompt, subscribe, sessions, daemon, job, skills), the tool subcommand is automatically suffixed with -tool (e.g., login-tool).

Examples

Development

# Start dev server with hot-reload
frontmcp dev

# Build to custom output directory
frontmcp build --out-dir build

# Build distributable executable
frontmcp build --target node

# Build CLI executable with subcommands per tool
frontmcp build --target cli

# Run E2E tests sequentially
frontmcp test --runInBand

# Initialize tsconfig
frontmcp init

# Check environment
frontmcp doctor

# Launch MCP Inspector
frontmcp inspector

Project Scaffolding

# Interactive mode
npx frontmcp create

# Use defaults (non-interactive)
npx frontmcp create my-mcp --yes

# Target Vercel deployment
npx frontmcp create my-mcp --target vercel

# Scaffold an Nx monorepo workspace
npx frontmcp create my-workspace --nx

Unix Socket

# Start socket server
frontmcp socket ./src/main.ts --socket /tmp/my-app.sock

# Start with SQLite persistence
frontmcp socket ./src/main.ts --socket /tmp/my-app.sock --db ~/.frontmcp/data/app.sqlite

Process Management

# Start a named server
frontmcp start my-app --entry ./src/main.ts --port 3005

# Stop a server
frontmcp stop my-app

# Tail logs
frontmcp logs my-app --follow

# Install as system service
frontmcp service install my-app

Package Management

# Install from npm (private registry)
frontmcp install @company/my-mcp --registry https://npm.company.com

# Install from local path
frontmcp install ./my-local-app

# Install from GitHub
frontmcp install github:user/repo

# Re-configure an installed app
frontmcp configure my-app

# Uninstall
frontmcp uninstall my-app

Get Started

Concepts

Build

Deploy

Plugins

Adapters

Extensibility

Testing

React SDK

Guides

Development Commands

Process Manager Commands

Package Manager Commands

Plugin Commands (issue #411)

Options Reference

General Options

Build Options

Start Options

Stop Options

Logs Options

Install Options

Create Options

Socket Options

Test Options

Generated Executable CLI

Building

Global Options

Command Groups

Example Session

Configuration

Tool Name Conflicts

Examples

Development

Project Scaffolding

Unix Socket

Process Management

Package Management

​Development Commands

​Process Manager Commands

​Package Manager Commands

​Plugin Commands (issue #411)

​Options Reference

​General Options

​Build Options

​Start Options

​Stop Options

​Logs Options

​Install Options

​Create Options

​Socket Options

​Test Options

​Generated Executable CLI

​Building

​Global Options

​Command Groups

​Example Session

​Configuration

​Tool Name Conflicts

​Examples

​Development

​Project Scaffolding

​Unix Socket

​Process Management

​Package Management

Development Commands

Process Manager Commands

Package Manager Commands

Plugin Commands (issue #411)

Options Reference

General Options

Build Options

Start Options

Stop Options

Logs Options

Install Options

Create Options

Socket Options

Test Options

Generated Executable CLI

Building

Global Options

Command Groups

Example Session

Configuration

Tool Name Conflicts

Examples

Development

Project Scaffolding

Unix Socket

Process Management

Package Management