SDL-MCP

Name: SDL-MCP
Author: Gary Mullins

Local code index that serves symbol cards, graph slices and bounded source windows to coding agents

By Gary Mullins (individual) TypeScript Local · stdio Developer tools

GitHub npm Website

54 popularity score ★ 497 ↓ 462/wk

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Local (npm)

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Opens the app, which asks before it adds the server.

Or add it by command or config

FirstTerminal

npm install -g sdl-mcp
cd <REPOSITORY_PATH>
sdl-mcp init -y --auto-index

Claude CodeTerminal

claude mcp add sdl -- npx --yes sdl-mcp@latest serve --stdio

Claude Desktopclaude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sdl": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "--yes",
        "sdl-mcp@latest",
        "serve",
        "--stdio"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Cursor~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sdl": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "--yes",
        "sdl-mcp@latest",
        "serve",
        "--stdio"
      ]
    }
  }
}

VS Code.vscode/mcp.json

{
  "servers": {
    "sdl": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "--yes",
        "sdl-mcp@latest",
        "serve",
        "--stdio"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Codex~/.codex/config.toml

[mcp_servers.sdl]
command = "npx"
args = ["--yes", "sdl-mcp@latest", "serve", "--stdio"]

Gemini CLITerminal

gemini mcp add --scope user sdl npx -- --yes sdl-mcp@latest serve --stdio

Settings 4

`SDL_CONFIG`	Optional: Path to sdlmcp.config.json; defaults to the user-global config that `sdl-mcp init` writes (SDL_CONFIG_PATH is an alias).
`SDL_CONFIG_HOME`	Optional: Folder in which to look for sdlmcp.config.json.
`ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`	Optional: Only for optional LLM-generated symbol summaries.
`SDL_MCP_SKIP_SETUP_WIZARD`	Optional: Set to 1 to skip the setup wizard offered after npm install.

What it does

SDL-MCP (Symbol Delta Ledger) parses a local repository with tree-sitter into a graph of symbols and their relationships, stores it in an on-disk graph database, and answers a coding agent's questions from that graph instead of handing it whole files. The agent starts from a compact card per symbol (signature, summary, links), can ask for a task-scoped slice of related symbols under a token budget, and only then requests skeletons, hot paths or a capped window of real source. Where SCIP or language-provider data is configured it adds precise cross-references on top of the parser output.

Beyond reading, it compares indexed versions to list changed symbols and their blast radius, packages pull-request risk evidence with `sdl.pr.risk.analyze`, accepts unsaved editor buffers into a live overlay, can edit files and symbols, runs build and test commands through a governed runtime tool, and keeps optional development memories tied to the repository. It runs over stdio for one agent or over HTTP (with a bearer token, a graph viewer and a dashboard) when several agents share one index.

The tool surface depends on mode. The README's table lists 38 flat tools, but the configuration reference at v0.13.7 sets `codeMode.enabled` and `codeMode.exclusive` to true by default, so a fresh install registers the 7 Code Mode tools and hides the flat and gateway tools until `codeMode.exclusive` is set to false. The licence is source-available, not open source: a separate commercial licence is needed to sell or bundle it in a paid product.

What it needs

Runtime	Node.js 24+

Node.js 24 or later and npm. A local repository to index, set up once with `sdl-mcp init` (or `sdl-mcp init -y --auto-index`), which writes the config and builds the first index. Optional: SCIP or language-provider tooling for precise cross-references, and an LLM API key such as ANTHROPIC_API_KEY only if you turn on generated symbol summaries.

Limits

Running bare `npx sdl-mcp` does not start the server; it needs `serve --stdio` (or `serve --http`). Raw source windows are capped by policy, 180 lines and 1400 tokens in the documented starter config. Development memories, SCIP input and semantic enrichment are off by default. `sdl.runtime.execute` is on by default; its guard against reading repository files is described by its makers as cooperative and not a security boundary. Default runtime limits include 2 concurrent jobs and a 10-minute maximum duration. Selling, sublicensing or bundling it in a monetized product requires a commercial licence.

Who it suits

Suits developers working in medium to large or polyglot repositories who want an agent to pull small, budgeted pieces of code rather than whole files, and who are willing to run an indexing step and keep Node 24 installed. The HTTP mode fits teams that want several agents on one shared index. It is heavier than a plain file-reading server: for small projects, or where you do not want an MCP server that can run commands and edit files, a simpler read-only file or code-search server is a better fit, or disable runtime execution in its config.

Tools 47 of 49

sdl.action.search: Find which SDL action fits a task
sdl.info: Report version, config, database and feature status
sdl.context: Build task-shaped context from the index (Code Mode)
sdl.file: Read or write files, including non-indexed ones (Code Mode)
sdl.manual: Return usage guidance for the SDL actions (Code Mode)
sdl.retrieve: Fetch cards, skeletons or source for symbols (Code Mode)
sdl.workflow: Chain several SDL actions, including runtime execution, in one call (Code Mode)
sdl.agent: Gateway namespace for agent-level actions
sdl.code: Gateway namespace for code-reading actions
sdl.query: Gateway namespace for search and query actions
sdl.repo: Gateway namespace for repository management
sdl.agent.feedback: Record feedback about which symbols were useful
sdl.agent.feedback.query: Look up stored agent feedback
sdl.buffer.checkpoint: Checkpoint unsaved editor buffers into the live overlay
sdl.buffer.push: Send an unsaved file buffer to the live index
sdl.buffer.status: Show live-buffer overlay state
sdl.code.getHotPath: Return the lines of a symbol that matter for given identifiers
sdl.code.getSkeleton: Return a code outline without bodies
sdl.code.needWindow: Request a policy-capped window of raw source
sdl.delta.get: List symbols changed between indexed versions
sdl.file.read: Read a file from the repository
sdl.file.write: Write a file in the repository
sdl.index.refresh: Re-index the repository fully or incrementally
sdl.memory.query: Search stored development memories
sdl.memory.remove: Delete a development memory
sdl.memory.store: Save a decision or task note linked to code
sdl.memory.surface: Bring up memories relevant to current symbols
sdl.policy.get: Show the source-access policy
sdl.policy.set: Change the source-access policy
sdl.pr.risk.analyze: Assess change risk and suggest tests for a pull request
sdl.repo.overview: Summarise repository structure
sdl.repo.register: Add a repository to the index
sdl.repo.status: Show index state of a repository
sdl.repo.unregister: Remove a repository from the index
sdl.response.get: Fetch a stored large response by handle
sdl.runtime.execute: Run code or a build/test command under configured limits
sdl.runtime.queryOutput: Search the saved output of a runtime job
sdl.search.edit: Search and replace across files
sdl.semantic.enrichment.refresh: Refresh provider-backed graph enrichment
sdl.semantic.enrichment.status: Show semantic enrichment status
sdl.slice.build: Build a token-budgeted graph slice for a task or symbol
sdl.slice.refresh: Update an existing slice after changes
sdl.slice.spillover.get: Fetch symbols that did not fit in a slice
sdl.symbol.edit: Edit a symbol in place
sdl.symbol.getCard: Return the compact card for one symbol
sdl.symbol.search: Search indexed symbols by name or meaning
sdl.usage.stats: Report token savings and usage figures

Popularity

54 popularity score, on our list (the bar is 36)

★ 497 ↓ 462/wk

GitHub stars	497	32.4 points
npm downloads, last week	462	21.3 points

Measured 2026-11-07. How the score works.

Where it is published

Code	glitterkill/sdl-mcp ★ 497
npm	sdl-mcp 0.13.7, 2026-09-07

What it can reach

Runs	On your machine
Reaches	Files on your machine, Your code, Runs shell commands
Changes things	Yes: it can write, send, create or delete
Sign-in	None
Licence	FREE PERSONAL USE LICENSE (its licence file)
Last code change	2026-10-14

Runs on your machine against repositories you register; the index sits in a local graph database. Tools can write files (`sdl.file.write`, `sdl.search.edit`), change the access policy and store memories. `sdl.runtime.execute` is enabled by default and runs node, typescript, python, shell and powershell code or commands, with limits on executables, working directory, passed-through environment variables, concurrency and time; its makers state the repository-inspection guard is not a security boundary and advise disabling runtime execution where one is needed. Raw source windows are gated by policy settings. In HTTP mode it prints a bearer token at startup unless auth is turned off in config. No account is needed; network use comes from optional LLM summaries or HTTP serving.

Over time

GitHub stars 497 +7 (+1 %)

497490

13 Oct 20267 Nov 2026

npm downloads a week 462 +138 (+43 %)

1.9k58

23 Feb 20267 Nov 2026

Before the site measured it, read from npm's daily download counts.

Popularity score 54 +1 (+2 %)

5847

13 Oct 20267 Nov 2026

What is rising across the directory

Sources

Page checked 2026-10-15.

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Connect your client

Add in one click

Or add it by command or config

Settings 4

What it does

What it needs

Limits

Who it suits

Tools 47 of 49

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