In-depth architectural comparison of the Depscope and Guardvibe 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
Depscope
Security · Local stdio
Quality: 60/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required
Guardvibe
Security · Local stdio
Quality: 65/100 (Great) | Auth: No auth required
Verdict Summary: Choose Depscope if you need specialized Security tools running via a local process. Choose Guardvibe if your workspace requires Security integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.
Which MCP Server Should You Choose?
Choose Depscope when:
You need dedicated capabilities in the Security domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
Package Intelligence for AI agents. 22 tools across 17 ecosystems (npm/pypi/cargo/go/maven/nuget/rubygems/composer/pub/hex/swift/cocoapods/cpan/hackage/cran/conda/homebrew) — check health, vulnerabilities (OSV + CISA KEV + EPSS), typosquats, malicious flags, alternatives, known bugs, breaking changes, stack compatibility and error-to-fix. 31k+ packages, 2.2k+ CVEs enriched. Zero auth, MIT. Remote URL https://mcp.depscope.dev/mcp or stdio npx depscope-mcp.
Security MCP for vibe coding with 330 rules and 29 tools. Purpose-built for AI-generated code — scans Next.js, Supabase, Clerk, Stripe, Prisma, Hono, GraphQL, and 25+ modules. Cross-file taint analysis, host security audit, auto-fix, SARIF export, pre-commit hook, and CVE version detection. Zero config, runs locally.
Tools & Capabilities Breakdown
Depscope Tools (22)
check_malicious
Supply-chain malware check against OpenSSF/OSV. USE WHEN: about to suggest install of an unvetted/unfamiliar package; name came from a blog/tutorial. Call BEFORE check_package for untrusted pkgs. RETURNS: {is_malicious, threat_tier, source}.
check_typosquat
Typosquat detector. USE WHEN: name differs from a well-known package by 1-2 chars (`lodsh`, `reqeusts`); copy-paste from unreliable source; downloads near zero but name looks familiar. RETURNS: {is_typosquat, likely_target, confidence}.
check_bulk
Fast pre-flight filter for a batch of (ecosystem, package) pairs. DB-only, <100ms for 100 items. USE WHEN: about to emit `npm install a b c …` or `pip install a b c …` — catches hallucinated names, stdlib, typos, and known-bad in ONE call. NOT a dep-tree audit (use scan_project for that). RETURNS: per-item {status: exists|stdlib|malicious|typosquat_suspect|historical_incident|unknown}.
package_exists
Boolean registry existence check. USE WHEN: about to emit a package name in an install command but unsure it exists; verifying a name generated from training data. RETURNS: {exists}.
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).
Depscope is categorized under Security and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Guardvibe belongs to Security using local stdio subprocess. Select Depscope when you need capabilities focused on security and Guardvibe when you require tools for security.
Latest published version + deprecation flag — the cheapest call. USE WHEN: only a version string matters (pinning a dep, answering 'what version of X'). If you also need health/vulns use check_package. RETURNS: {latest, deprecated, published_at}.
get_health_score
Single 0-100 health score — cheapest go/no-go gate (>=70 safe). USE WHEN: CI gating or pkg already screened for malware/typos. NOT a first screen — run check_malicious + check_typosquat first. For a verbal verdict use get_package_prompt. RETURNS: {score, verdict}.
install_command
Canonical install command(s) across every package manager of the ecosystem (npm/pnpm/yarn/bun, pip/uv/poetry, cargo, go, composer, maven+gradle, nuget, …). USE WHEN: emitting an install line and you want correct flags. RETURNS: {primary, variants[]}.
get_package_prompt
LLM-optimised package brief — plain text ~300 tokens (~75% cheaper than JSON). Verdict (SAFE/AVOID/URGENT/MALICIOUS) + health + vulns + alternatives + maintainer alerts. USE WHEN: you want to reason over a package and drop the output directly in context; 'is X safe'. PREFER THIS over check_package in 95% of LLM cases. RETURNS: plain-text brief.
check_package
Full machine-readable JSON report (~2k tokens). USE WHEN: you need to programmatically parse specific fields (CI gating, UI, sub-field extraction). Otherwise prefer get_package_prompt. RETURNS: {package, health:{score}, vulnerabilities[], latest, deprecated, maintainers, recommendation}.
get_vulnerabilities
CVE/OSV advisories affecting the latest (or specified) version. USE WHEN: security-sensitive project; user asks 'any CVEs in X'; you already know the pkg exists. RETURNS: {vulnerability_count, vulnerabilities[]: {id, severity, cvss, fixed_in}}.
find_alternatives
Curated replacements for deprecated/unhealthy packages, including stdlib built-ins (e.g. `fs.rm` for rimraf). USE WHEN: pkg flagged AVOID/URGENT; 'what to use instead of X'; before guessing a replacement name. RETURNS: {alternatives[]: {name, reason, is_stdlib}}.
get_migration_path
Prescriptive migration plan between DIFFERENT packages — rationale + literal code diff + breaking changes + effort minutes. USE WHEN: replacing `request`→`axios`, `moment`→`dayjs`, `flask`→`fastapi`, etc.; both endpoints known. RETURNS: {rationale, diff, breaking_changes[], estimated_minutes}.
+10 more tools listed on main page
Guardvibe Tools (39)
check_code
Analyze inline code for security vulnerabilities (OWASP Top 10, XSS, SQL injection, insecure patterns). Pass code as a string parameter. For scanning files on disk, use scan_file instead. Example: check_code({code: 'app.get(...)', language: 'javascript'})
check_project
Scan multiple files for security vulnerabilities and generate a project-wide security report with a security score. Use this for comprehensive security audits.
get_security_docs
Get security best practices and remediation guidance for a specific topic, framework, or vulnerability type. Covers OWASP Top 10, framework-specific hardening (Next.js, Supabase, Stripe), and secure coding patterns. Returns actionable guidance with code examples.
check_dependencies
Check npm, PyPI, or Go packages for known security vulnerabilities (CVEs) using the OSV database. Use this before adding new dependencies or to audit existing ones.
scan_directory
Scan all files in a directory on disk for security vulnerabilities. Pass a directory path — reads files from filesystem. Returns security score (A-F) and findings. Results may be truncated for large projects — check fileRanking in JSON output for top files. Example: scan_directory({path: './src'})
scan_dependencies
Parse a lockfile or manifest (package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, go.mod) and check all dependencies for known CVEs via the OSV database. Reads the file directly. Use this after installing dependencies, during CI, or when auditing existing projects for vulnerable packages.
scan_hallucinated_packages
Detect AI-hallucinated and slopsquatted packages in a repo — the supply-chain seam commodity SCA misses. OFFLINE (deterministic): flags phantom imports (a package imported in source but absent from every package.json — a classic LLM hallucination tell) and typosquats of popular packages. ONLINE (opt-in, default on; gracefully degrades offline): adds npm-registry truth — packages that return 404 (definitive hallucination) and brand-new low-download packages (slopsquat-registration pattern). Run on AI-generated code at PR time, before `npm install`. Pass online:false for a fully deterministic, air-gapped scan.
scan_secrets
Scan files and directories for leaked secrets, API keys, tokens, and credentials. Detects high-entropy strings, known API key patterns (AWS, Stripe, OpenAI, GitHub, Supabase), exposed .env files, and missing .gitignore coverage. Returns findings with exact line numbers and remediation steps.
scan_staged
Scan git-staged files for security vulnerabilities before committing. Run this before every commit to catch issues early. No input needed — automatically reads staged files. Diff-aware by default: reports only issues on newly-staged lines (set diff_aware:false for whole staged files).
compliance_report
Map security findings to compliance controls (SOC2, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, ISO27001, EUAIACT). Scans a directory and groups issues by control. Output includes a summary section at the top; for large projects, findings are truncated to top 50. Use mode=executive for C-level summary. Example: compliance_report({path: '.', framework: 'SOC2'})
export_sarif
Scan a directory and export results in SARIF v2.1.0 format for CI/CD integration (GitHub, GitLab, Azure DevOps). Returns JSON string.
check_package_health
Check npm packages for typosquat risk, maintenance status, adoption metrics, and deprecation. Use this before adding new dependencies to catch suspicious or risky packages.