Getting Started

Getting Started

This guide will help you get started with MCP Shell after installation.

Basic Usage

Check that MCP Shell is installed correctly:

mcp-shell --help

View the current version:

mcp-shell version

Running MCP Shell

Start the MCP server:

mcp-shell serve

Configuration

MCP Shell supports hierarchical configuration:

1. Command Line Flags: --log-level debug
2. Environment Variables: MCP_SHELL_LOG_LEVEL=debug
3. Configuration Files: YAML format
4. Default Values: Built-in defaults

Configuration File

Create a configuration file at ~/.config/mcp-shell/config.yaml:

# Application configuration
log_level: "info"        # debug, info, warn, error
output_format: "text"    # text, json, yaml

# Add your application-specific configuration here

Environment Variables

Set environment variables with the MCP_SHELL_ prefix:

export MCP_SHELL_LOG_LEVEL="debug"
export MCP_SHELL_CONFIG_FILE="/path/to/config.yaml"

Examples

Basic Server

Start a basic MCP server:

mcp-shell serve --log-level info

Custom Configuration

Use a custom configuration file:

mcp-shell serve --config /path/to/config.yaml

Debug Mode

Run with verbose logging:

mcp-shell serve --log-level debug

Security Considerations

• MCP Shell follows security best practices
• Commands are executed with appropriate sandboxing
• Regular vulnerability scanning is performed
• Review configuration carefully in production environments

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Permission Denied: Ensure MCP Shell has appropriate permissions
2. Configuration Not Found: Check file paths and permissions
3. Port Already in Use: Specify a different port in configuration

Getting Help

• Check the logs with --log-level debug
• Review the configuration documentation
• Report issues on GitHub

Next Steps

• Configuration: Learn about advanced configuration options
• Development: Contribute to MCP Shell development