What is the key difference between HOL Guard and Pkgxray?

HOL Guard belongs to the Security category with local stdio execution, while Pkgxray belongs to the Security category with local stdio execution.

How do I install HOL Guard or Pkgxray 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 HOL Guard and Pkgxray free or paid?

HOL Guard operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). Pkgxray operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

HOL Guard lists 6 tools with 2 views and 828 GitHub stars. Pkgxray lists 6 tools with 4 views and 11 GitHub stars.

Can I use both HOL Guard and Pkgxray 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

HOL Guard vs Pkgxray

In-depth architectural comparison of the HOL Guard and Pkgxray 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

HOL Guard

Security · Local stdio

Quality: 44/100 (Fair) | Auth: No auth required

Pkgxray

Security · Local stdio

Quality: 47/100 (Fair) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose HOL Guard if you need specialized Security tools running via a local process. Choose Pkgxray 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 HOL Guard 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).
Primary tools included: Pre-action review for agent operations, Policy-based allow, block, and approval decisions, Local receipts and approval history.

Explore HOL Guard Details

Choose Pkgxray 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).
Primary tools included: Static quarantined package analysis, SAFE, REVIEW, and BLOCK verdicts, Cited file-level evidence.

Explore Pkgxray Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	HOL Guard Security	Pkgxray Security
Summary
Category & Scope	Security	Security
Quality signal

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

HOL Guard Tools (6)

Pre-action review for agent operations

Policy-based allow, block, and approval decisions

Local receipts and approval history

MCP proxy and native agent hook integrations

Workspace dependency scanning

Plugin and skill security scanning

Pkgxray Tools (6)

Static quarantined package analysis

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).

HOL Guard Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "hol-guard": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "hol-guard"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Pkgxray Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pkgxray": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "--yes",
        "pkgxray@1.0.5"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

HOL Guard is categorized under Security and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Pkgxray belongs to Security using local stdio subprocess. Select HOL Guard when you need capabilities focused on security and Pkgxray when you require tools for security.

More alternatives to HOL Guard More alternatives to Pkgxray Security category hub