What is the key difference between DevTool MCP and Vscode Terminal MCP?

DevTool MCP belongs to the Developer Tools category with local stdio execution, while Vscode Terminal MCP belongs to the Developer Tools category with local stdio execution.

How do I install DevTool MCP or Vscode Terminal MCP in Claude Desktop or Cursor?

Copy the mcpServers JSON configuration snippet provided on this page into your claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json file and restart your AI client.

Are DevTool MCP and Vscode Terminal MCP free or paid?

DevTool MCP operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). Vscode Terminal MCP operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

DevTool MCP lists 15 tools with 0 views and 20 GitHub stars. Vscode Terminal MCP lists 7 tools with 0 views and 2 GitHub stars.

Can I use both DevTool MCP and Vscode Terminal MCP together in the same MCP host?

Yes! MCP hosts like Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and VS Code support configuring multiple servers under the mcpServers object simultaneously.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

DevTool MCP vs Vscode Terminal MCP

In-depth architectural comparison of the DevTool MCP and Vscode Terminal MCP 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

DevTool MCP

Developer Tools · Local stdio

Quality: 55/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required

Vscode Terminal MCP

Developer Tools · Local stdio

Quality: 52/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose DevTool MCP if you need specialized Developer Tools tools running via a local process. Choose Vscode Terminal MCP 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?

Choose DevTool MCP 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: detect, run, proc.

Explore DevTool MCP Details

Choose Vscode Terminal MCP 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: run, create, exec.

Explore Vscode Terminal MCP Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	D DevTool MCP Developer Tools	V Vscode Terminal MCP Developer Tools
Summary	Development tooling MCP server with process management, proxy, and frontend diagnostics	Execute commands in visible VSCode terminal tabs with output capture and session reuse.
Category & Scope	Developer Tools	Developer Tools
Quality signal

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

DevTool MCP Tools (15)

detect

Auto-detect project type and available scripts

run

Execute scripts or commands (background/foreground)

proc

Manage processes: status, output, stop, list

proxy

Reverse proxy: start, stop, exec, status

proxylog

Query logs: http, error, screenshot, sketch, panel_message

currentpage

View active page sessions with grouped resources

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).

DevTool MCP Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "devtool-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "skills"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Vscode Terminal MCP Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vscode-terminal-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "vscode-terminal-mcp@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

DevTool MCP is categorized under Developer Tools and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Vscode Terminal MCP belongs to Developer Tools using local stdio subprocess. Select DevTool MCP when you need capabilities focused on developer tools and Vscode Terminal MCP when you require tools for developer tools.

More alternatives to DevTool MCP More alternatives to Vscode Terminal MCP Developer Tools category hub