32 lines
2.0 KiB
Markdown
32 lines
2.0 KiB
Markdown
---
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summary: 'Agent-friendly shortcuts for getting help from configured MCP servers.'
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read_when:
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- 'You need a quick reminder of which hidden CLI shortcuts explain MCP servers.'
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---
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# Agent Shortcuts
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These undocumented shortcuts are safe for MCP agents to call when they need a quick description of a server or its tools without memorizing the full `mcporter` CLI surface.
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## `pnpm mcp call <server>.help`
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- Alias for `pnpm mcporter:call <server>.help`, meant for agents that already rely on the old `pnpm mcp:*` helpers.
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- If `<server>` exposes a `help` tool, the call behaves exactly like any other tool invocation and streams the tool's content.
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- When no `help` tool exists, the CLI automatically falls back to `mcporter list <server>` so the agent still sees the server summary, tool signatures, and copy-pasteable examples.
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- Use `--output json` if the agent prefers machine-readable summaries; the fallback will mirror that flag.
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## `mcporter describe <server>`
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- Hidden synonym for `mcporter list <server>`; it prints the same schema-rich output without teaching agents about the `list` verb.
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- Works with any selector the `list` command accepts (configured names, ad-hoc `https://` URLs, or `--stdio/--http-url` flags).
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- Pair with `--schema` or `--all-parameters` when an agent needs the full JSON Schema for every tool.
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### Recommended Usage
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1. Agents wanting prose guidance should run `pnpm mcp call chrome-devtools.help`.
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2. If the server lacks a `help` tool, the command emits a dim hint and then shows the `describe`/`list` output so the agent still learns about the server.
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3. For a guaranteed TypeScript-style summary, skip straight to `mcporter describe chrome-devtools --schema`.
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4. Need the tool menu immediately? Call `pnpm mcp call chrome-devtools.list_tools`—it’s a shortcut for `mcporter list chrome-devtools`.
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> Note: `chrome-devtools` currently ships without a `help` tool, so step 1 always triggers the fallback and prints the same schema-rich output you would see from `mcporter list`.
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