Primitiv vs Ref Tools Ref Tools MCP
A side-by-side look at the Primitiv and Ref Tools Ref Tools MCP MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Primitiv for architecture & design work as a local process; choose Ref Tools Ref Tools MCP for finance & fintech as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Primitiv when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Architecture & Design domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: No auth required.
- You want tools like
get_design_context, get_token, get_component.
Choose Ref Tools Ref Tools MCP when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Finance & Fintech domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You have the keys it needs:
REF_API_KEY. - You want tools like
query, url.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Architecture & Design | Finance & Fintech |
| Quality signal | 65/100 · Great | 63/100 · Good |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | No auth required | Not declared |
| Pricing | Free | Not declared |
| Required env vars | None listed | REF_API_KEY |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 21 | 1,183 |
| Directory activity | 4 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 2 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 6 | 2 |
| Full listing | View Primitiv | View Ref Tools Ref Tools MCP |
Tools & capabilities
Primitiv tools 6
get_design_contextGet tokens, components, conflicts, inferred rules, and violation count. Default (no category) returns a summary with counts. Pass `category: "all" \get_tokenLook up a specific token by name. Pass `category` to narrow search (e.g. `"colors"`, `"spacing"`, `"borderRadius"`); aliases like `"radius"` / `"z-index"` are normalized.get_componentLook up a specific component by name. Returns props, variants, source provenance, and `kind` — `component`, `screen`, `provider`, `icon`, or `other`, so agents reuse real UI and skip screens/providers/icons.get_conflictsGet conflicts between sources. Pass `type: "all" \get_inferred_rulesGet the design rules Primitiv has extracted from your codebase patterns. Pass `category` to filter.get_violationsList token-misuse violations — hardcoded literals in source that bypass the contract, with a suggested token when one fits. Pass `category: "all" \
Ref Tools Ref Tools MCP tools 2
queryurl
Ready-to-paste client configs
Paste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
Primitiv
{
"mcpServers": {
"ai-by-design-primitiv": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@ai-by-design/primitiv"
]
}
}
}
Ref Tools Ref Tools MCP
{
"mcpServers": {
"ref-tools-ref-tools-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"ref-tools-mcp@latest"
],
"env": {
"REF_API_KEY": "YOUR_REF_API_KEY_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Primitiv is categorized under Architecture & Design and uses a local stdio subprocess. Ref Tools Ref Tools MCP belongs to Finance & Fintech and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Primitiv for architecture & design work and Ref Tools Ref Tools MCP for finance & fintech.
Copy the mcpServers block from the config section on this page into your client's config (for example claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json), then fully restart the client.
Primitiv is listed as free. Auth: no auth required. Ref Tools Ref Tools MCP has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. If a server needs environment variables such as API keys, define them under the env key in your client's MCP config.
Yes. MCP clients support multiple servers: add ai-by-design-primitiv and ref-tools-ref-tools-mcp as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Primitiv has a quality signal of 65/100 (Great) with 4 views, 0 installs and 21 GitHub stars. Ref Tools Ref Tools MCP has 63/100 (Good) with 2 views, 0 installs and 1,183 GitHub stars.