feat(cli,tui): normalize --catalog / --config with web; update --help (#1347) (#1499)

* feat(cli,tui): normalize --catalog / --config with web; update --help (#1347)

Bring the CLI and TUI in line with the web catalog vs read-only session
model introduced in #1481/#1483, and close the outstanding --help item
from #1347.

Core (core/mcp/node/config.ts):
- Add `catalogPath` to ServerConfigOptions (writable catalog slot).
- `resolveServerSource()` picks the active source: `--catalog` (writable,
  seed-if-missing) wins over `--config` (read-only, error-if-missing).
- Writable sources seed an empty `{"mcpServers":{}}` on first run (matches
  the web backend) instead of erroring; read-only `--config` still errors.
- `serverSourceConflict()` shared conflict matrix (mirrors run-web):
  --catalog/--config mutually exclusive; neither combines with an ad-hoc
  target.
- `readServerListFile()` public loader for runners (TUI) needing the raw map.
- Rename `withDefaultConfigPath` → `withDefaultCatalogPath`; the no-flag
  default now fills the writable catalog slot, not --config.

CLI / TUI:
- Add `--catalog <path>` (+ MCP_CATALOG_PATH) and re-document `--config` as a
  read-only session in --help.
- Enforce the shared conflict matrix before resolution.

Full writable persistence/CRUD threading remains deferred to #1482 / #1432
(CLI/TUI are read consumers today; the split surfaces as seed- vs
error-on-missing).

Tests: core resolution matrix (source/conflict/seed/read-only), CLI catalog
+ conflict integration tests, TUI loadTuiServers unit tests. READMEs updated.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

* test(launcher): add smoke:cli + smoke:tui e2e launcher smokes (#1347)

The launcher smokes only checked `--help` for --cli/--tui; nothing
exercised the launcher → CLI/TUI → core path on the built artifact (only
smoke:web did, for web). Add two end-to-end smokes wired into
validate:launcher between smoke:launcher and smoke:web:

- smoke:cli (scripts/smoke-cli.mjs): runs `--cli` against the bundled
  stdio test server via a temp --catalog and asserts tools/list returns
  the tools, plus the #1347 resolution paths — default-catalog
  seed-on-missing, read-only --config error-without-seed, and the
  --catalog/--config conflict.
- smoke:tui (scripts/smoke-tui.mjs): launches `--tui --catalog <temp>`
  and asserts the Ink app renders its first frame ("MCP Servers") within
  a timeout, then SIGTERMs it (shallow boot/render check).

Both build test-servers/build on demand if missing. Docs updated
(AGENTS.md validate description, launcher README).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

* refactor: address review on #1499 (comment accuracy, CLI/TUI flag parity)

Review feedback from @claude on PR #1499 (all non-blocking):

- Align CLI catalogPath resolution with the TUI: `options.catalog?.trim()
  || process.env.MCP_CATALOG_PATH` so an explicit empty `--catalog ""`
  falls back to MCP_CATALOG_PATH identically in both front-ends (CLI used
  `??`, which only guards undefined/null).
- Clarify the `serverSourceConflict` comment: it mirrors only the
  source-selection portion of web's matrix and deliberately omits web's
  `--header` rejection, since CLI/TUI merge --header into per-server
  settings.
- Note the deliberate --header broadcast semantics in loadTuiServers.
- Share an EMPTY_CATALOG_CONTENT constant between seedEmptyCatalog and
  readServerListContent instead of two separate literals.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

* refactor(cli): trim --config to match --catalog and the TUI (#1499 review)

Cosmetic uniformity follow-up from the re-review: configPath now uses
`options.config?.trim() || undefined`, matching the catalog slot above it
and the TUI. Behavior is unchanged (resolveServerSource/serverSourceConflict
already trim downstream).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

---------

Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
This commit is contained in:
Cliff Hall 2026-06-19 17:30:26 -04:00 • committed by GitHub
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@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
import { existsSync, readFileSync } from "fs";
import { resolve } from "path";
import { existsSync, mkdirSync, readFileSync, writeFileSync } from "fs";
import { dirname, resolve } from "path";
import { getDefaultMcpConfigPath } from "../../storage/store-io.js";
import type {
MCPConfig,
@ -15,6 +15,17 @@ import { normalizeServerType } from "../serverList.js";
* Core exports this type so runners can type the subset they pass in.
*/
export interface ServerConfigOptions {
/**
* Writable catalog file (`--catalog` / `MCP_CATALOG_PATH`): seeded as an empty
* catalog if it doesn't exist, then served. This is the slot the no-flag
* default (`~/.mcp-inspector/mcp.json`) fills. Wins over `configPath`.
*/
catalogPath?: string;
/**
* Read-only session file (`--config`): served as-is and never written, seeded,
* or migrated. Errors if absent (so a typo'd path is a clear error, not a
* silently empty list). Used when `catalogPath` is unset.
*/
configPath?: string;
serverName?: string;
/** Command + args for stdio, or [url] for SSE/HTTP. Positional / args after -- */
@ -74,22 +85,53 @@ export function parseHeaderPair(
return { ...previous, [key]: val };
}
/** On-disk contents of a freshly seeded empty catalog (pretty-printed). */
const EMPTY_CATALOG_CONTENT = `${JSON.stringify({ mcpServers: {} }, null, 2)}\n`;
/**
* Write an empty catalog (`{ "mcpServers": {} }`) to `resolvedPath`, creating
* parent directories. Seeds a writable catalog on first run so CLI/TUI match
* the web backend instead of erroring on a missing default file.
*/
function seedEmptyCatalog(resolvedPath: string): void {
mkdirSync(dirname(resolvedPath), { recursive: true });
writeFileSync(resolvedPath, EMPTY_CATALOG_CONTENT, { mode: 0o600 });
}
/**
* Read the raw contents of a server-list file. A missing *writable* catalog is
* seeded as an empty catalog and its contents returned; a missing *read-only*
* config throws so a typo'd path is a clear error, not a silently empty list.
*/
function readServerListContent(configPath: string, writable: boolean): string {
const resolvedPath = resolve(process.cwd(), configPath);
if (!existsSync(resolvedPath)) {
if (writable) {
seedEmptyCatalog(resolvedPath);
return EMPTY_CATALOG_CONTENT;
}
throw new Error(`Config file not found: ${resolvedPath}`);
}
return readFileSync(resolvedPath, "utf-8");
}
/**
* Loads and validates an MCP servers configuration file.
* Checks file existence before reading. Normalizes each server's type
* (missing → "stdio", "http" → "streamable-http").
* Seeds an empty catalog when `writable` and the file is missing; otherwise a
* missing file throws. Normalizes each server's type (missing → "stdio",
* "http" → "streamable-http").
*
* @param configPath - Path to the config file (relative to process.cwd() or absolute)
* @param writable - true for a `--catalog`/default source (seed-if-missing); false for `--config` (error-if-missing)
* @returns The parsed MCPConfig with normalized server types
* @throws Error if the file is missing, cannot be loaded, parsed, or is invalid
* @throws Error if a read-only file is missing, or any file cannot be loaded, parsed, or is invalid
*/
function loadMcpServersConfig(configPath: string): MCPConfig {
function loadMcpServersConfig(
configPath: string,
writable: boolean,
): MCPConfig {
try {
const resolvedPath = resolve(process.cwd(), configPath);
if (!existsSync(resolvedPath)) {
throw new Error(`Config file not found: ${resolvedPath}`);
}
const configContent = readFileSync(resolvedPath, "utf-8");
const configContent = readServerListContent(configPath, writable);
const config = JSON.parse(configContent) as MCPConfig;
if (!config.mcpServers) {
@ -118,8 +160,9 @@ function loadMcpServersConfig(configPath: string): MCPConfig {
function loadServerFromConfig(
configPath: string,
serverName: string,
writable: boolean,
): MCPServerConfig {
const config = loadMcpServersConfig(configPath);
const config = loadMcpServersConfig(configPath, writable);
if (!config.mcpServers[serverName]) {
const available = Object.keys(config.mcpServers).join(", ");
throw new Error(
@ -220,14 +263,81 @@ export function hasAdHocServerOptions(options: ServerConfigOptions): boolean {
);
}
/** When no --config and no ad-hoc target, use ~/.mcp-inspector/mcp.json (same as web). */
export function withDefaultConfigPath(
/**
* Identify the active server-list source and whether it's writable.
* `--catalog` (writable: seeded if missing) wins over `--config` (read-only:
* served as-is, never seeded/written). Returns null when neither is set
* (ad-hoc / no source).
*/
export function resolveServerSource(
options: ServerConfigOptions,
): { path: string; writable: boolean } | null {
if (options.catalogPath?.trim()) {
return { path: options.catalogPath, writable: true };
}
if (options.configPath?.trim()) {
return { path: options.configPath, writable: false };
}
return null;
}
export interface ServerSourceFlags {
hasCatalog: boolean;
hasConfig: boolean;
hasAdHoc: boolean;
}
/**
* Validate the `--catalog` / `--config` / ad-hoc combination shared by all
* runners (mirrors the *source-selection* portion of the web `run-web` conflict
* matrix). It deliberately omits web's `--header` + `--catalog`/`--config`
* rejection: unlike web, the CLI/TUI merge `--header` into per-server settings
* (`headersToServerSettings` / `mergeSettings`), so headers are allowed
* alongside a catalog/config here. Returns an error message for an illegal
* combination, or null when the flags are coherent.
*/
export function serverSourceConflict(flags: ServerSourceFlags): string | null {
if (flags.hasCatalog && flags.hasConfig) {
return "--catalog and --config are mutually exclusive. --catalog is the writable catalog; --config is a read-only session file.";
}
if (flags.hasCatalog && flags.hasAdHoc) {
return "--catalog cannot be combined with an ad-hoc server URL/command.";
}
if (flags.hasConfig && flags.hasAdHoc) {
return "--config cannot be combined with an ad-hoc server URL/command. --config selects a read-only session file.";
}
return null;
}
/**
* Public catalog/config loader for runners that need the raw server map (e.g.
* the TUI, which derives per-server settings via `mcpConfigToServerEntries`).
* Applies the same seed-if-writable / error-if-read-only semantics as
* `resolveServerConfigs`; server `type` fields are normalized.
*/
export function readServerListFile(
configPath: string,
writable: boolean,
): MCPConfig {
return loadMcpServersConfig(configPath, writable);
}
/**
* When no `--catalog`, no `--config`, and no ad-hoc target is given, default the
* writable catalog to ~/.mcp-inspector/mcp.json (the same file the web backend
* uses). Fills the *catalog* (writable, seed-if-missing) slot — not `--config`.
*/
export function withDefaultCatalogPath(
options: ServerConfigOptions,
): ServerConfigOptions {
if (options.configPath?.trim() || hasAdHocServerOptions(options)) {
if (
options.catalogPath?.trim() ||
options.configPath?.trim() ||
hasAdHocServerOptions(options)
) {
return options;
}
return { ...options, configPath: getDefaultMcpConfigPath() };
return { ...options, catalogPath: getDefaultMcpConfigPath() };
}
/**
@ -239,14 +349,15 @@ export function resolveServerConfigs(
options: ServerConfigOptions,
mode: ResolveServerConfigsMode,
): MCPServerConfig[] {
const hasConfigPath = Boolean(options.configPath?.trim());
const source = resolveServerSource(options);
const hasAdHoc = hasAdHocServerOptions(options);
if (mode === "single") {
if (hasConfigPath && options.serverName) {
if (source && options.serverName) {
const config = loadServerFromConfig(
options.configPath!,
source.path,
options.serverName,
source.writable,
);
return [
applyOverrides(config, {
@ -255,9 +366,8 @@ export function resolveServerConfigs(
}),
];
}
if (hasConfigPath && !options.serverName) {
const configPath = options.configPath!;
const mcpConfig = loadMcpServersConfig(configPath);
if (source && !options.serverName) {
const mcpConfig = loadMcpServersConfig(source.path, source.writable);
const servers = Object.keys(mcpConfig.mcpServers);
if (servers.length === 0)
throw new Error("No servers found in config file");
@ -268,7 +378,11 @@ export function resolveServerConfigs(
}
const serverName = servers[0];
if (!serverName) throw new Error("No servers found in config file");
const config = loadServerFromConfig(configPath, serverName);
const config = loadServerFromConfig(
source.path,
serverName,
source.writable,
);
return [
applyOverrides(config, {
env: options.env,
@ -280,14 +394,13 @@ export function resolveServerConfigs(
}
if (mode === "multi") {
if (hasConfigPath && hasAdHoc) {
if (source && hasAdHoc) {
throw new Error(
"In multi-server mode with a config file, do not pass --transport, --server-url, or positional command/URL. Use only --config with optional -e, --cwd.",
);
}
if (hasConfigPath && options.configPath) {
const configPath = options.configPath;
const mcpConfig = loadMcpServersConfig(configPath);
if (source) {
const mcpConfig = loadMcpServersConfig(source.path, source.writable);
const configs = Object.values(mcpConfig.mcpServers).map((c) =>
applyOverrides({ ...c } as MCPServerConfig, {
env: options.env,
@ -303,31 +416,31 @@ export function resolveServerConfigs(
}
/**
* Launch-time resolver for CLI/TUI: applies the default catalog path when no
* `--config` or ad-hoc target is given, then delegates to `resolveServerConfigs`.
* Launch-time resolver for CLI/TUI: applies the default writable catalog path
* when no `--catalog`, `--config`, or ad-hoc target is given, then delegates to
* `resolveServerConfigs`.
*/
export function resolveLaunchServerConfigs(
options: ServerConfigOptions,
mode: ResolveServerConfigsMode,
): MCPServerConfig[] {
return resolveServerConfigs(withDefaultConfigPath(options), mode);
return resolveServerConfigs(withDefaultCatalogPath(options), mode);
}
/**
* Returns named server configs from a config file (multi-server). Use when the caller
* needs server names (e.g. TUI). Errors if config path is missing or if ad-hoc options
* (target, transport, serverUrl) are also provided.
* Returns named server configs from a catalog/config file (multi-server). Use
* when the caller needs server names. Resolves the active source via
* `resolveServerSource` (a writable `--catalog` is seeded if missing; a
* read-only `--config` errors if absent). Errors if neither source is set or if
* ad-hoc options (target, transport, serverUrl) are also provided.
*/
export function getNamedServerConfigs(
options: ServerConfigOptions,
): Record<string, MCPServerConfig> {
const hasConfigPath = Boolean(options.configPath?.trim());
const hasAdHoc =
(options.target && options.target.length > 0) ||
Boolean(options.transport) ||
Boolean(options.serverUrl);
const source = resolveServerSource(options);
const hasAdHoc = hasAdHocServerOptions(options);
if (!hasConfigPath) {
if (!source) {
throw new Error("Config path is required for getNamedServerConfigs.");
}
if (hasAdHoc) {
@ -336,7 +449,7 @@ export function getNamedServerConfigs(
);
}
const mcpConfig = loadMcpServersConfig(options.configPath!);
const mcpConfig = loadMcpServersConfig(source.path, source.writable);
const result: Record<string, MCPServerConfig> = {};
for (const [name, config] of Object.entries(mcpConfig.mcpServers)) {
result[name] = applyOverrides(