What is the key difference between Etch and Proof Layer?

Etch belongs to the Developer Tools category with cloud HTTP/SSE execution, while Proof Layer belongs to the Developer Tools category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Etch or Proof Layer 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 Etch and Proof Layer free or paid?

Etch operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). Proof Layer operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Etch lists 0 tools with 2 views and 0 GitHub stars. Proof Layer lists 0 tools with 1 views and 0 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Etch and Proof Layer 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

Etch vs Proof Layer

In-depth architectural comparison of the Etch and Proof Layer 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

Etch

Developer Tools · Remote HTTP/SSE

Quality: 40/100 (Fair) | Auth: No auth required

Proof Layer

Developer Tools · Local stdio

Quality: 35/100 (Fair) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose Etch if you need specialized Developer Tools tools running via a hosted cloud SSE transport. Choose Proof Layer 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 Etch when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
You prefer remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).

Explore Etch Details

Choose Proof Layer 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).

Explore Proof Layer Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Etch Developer Tools	Proof Layer Developer Tools
Summary	Etch is a signed audit chain for AI agent decisions, offline-verifiable against pinned public keys.	Signed, hash-chained provenance receipts for AI agent actions.
Category & Scope	Developer Tools	Developer Tools
Quality signal

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Etch Tools (0)

No explicit tool names declared in metadata yet. Check project README on main listing page.

Proof Layer Tools (0)

No explicit tool names declared in metadata yet. Check project README on main listing page.

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).

Etch Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "etch": {
      "url": "https://etch.systems/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Proof Layer Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "proof-layer": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@proof-layer/mcp@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Etch is categorized under Developer Tools and uses a remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport. In contrast, Proof Layer belongs to Developer Tools using local stdio subprocess. Select Etch when you need capabilities focused on developer tools and Proof Layer when you require tools for developer tools.

More alternatives to Etch More alternatives to Proof Layer Developer Tools category hub