Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison
Arcgis Cary vs Arcgis Cranston
In-depth architectural comparison of the Arcgis Cary and Arcgis Cranston MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.
At a Glance & Executive Verdict
Arcgis Cary
Developer Tools · Local stdio
Quality: 44/100 (Fair) | Auth: No auth required
Arcgis Cranston
Developer Tools · Local stdio
Quality: 44/100 (Fair) | Auth: No auth required
Verdict Summary: Choose Arcgis Cary if you need specialized Developer Tools tools running via a local process. Choose Arcgis Cranston if your workspace requires Developer Tools integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's
mcpServers manifest.Which MCP Server Should You Choose?
A
Choose Arcgis Cary when:
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
- You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
- Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
- Primary tools included: search_datasets, query_layer, layer_info.
A
Choose Arcgis Cranston when:
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
- You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
- Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
- Primary tools included: search_datasets, query_layer, layer_info.
Feature & Specification Comparison
Tools & Capabilities Breakdown
Arcgis Cary Tools (3)
search_datasets
Search Town of Cary GIS open geospatial datasets (parcels, zoning, parks & town services) by keyword. Returns each dataset's name, summary, record_count, owner/org, and its Feature Service `url` — pass that url to query_layer / layer_info.
query_layer
Query an ArcGIS Feature Service / Map Service layer by its url (from search_datasets). SQL-like `where`, comma-separated `out_fields`, `order_by`, `limit`, `offset`. Returns attribute rows (and geometry). Use where="1=1" + out_fields="*" to sample.
layer_info
Get an ArcGIS Feature/Map Service layer's schema by url: fields (name + type), geometry type, total record count, and capabilities.
Arcgis Cranston Tools (3)
search_datasets
Search Cranston GIS open geospatial datasets (parcels, zoning & city services) by keyword. Returns each dataset's name, summary, record_count, owner/org, and its Feature Service `url` — pass that url to query_layer / layer_info.
Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations
Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).
Arcgis Cary Configuration
Arcgis Cranston Configuration