MCP Lint

Lint MCP tool schemas for cross-client compatibility and agent preflight safety.

Quick Install

Automated & IDE Setup

Copy the AI prompt to install this server into Claude Code, Cursor, or another agent — or use 1-click editor setup below.

Add to Cursor Add to VS Code

Not yet automatically verified

We haven't yet run this listing's install command through our automated sandbox check. This isn't a red flag — we're steadily working through the catalog.

Manual Client & Custom JSON ConfigExpand JSON ▾

Client Config & Setup

Choose your client or environment

Target File:~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

claude_desktop_config.json

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

💡 Paste the JSON block into your client's configuration file under mcpServers, then restart the application.

Documentation Overview

mcp-lint

Lint MCP server tool schemas for cross-client compatibility.

MCP servers expose tool schemas consumed by Claude, Cursor, Gemini, VS Code Copilot, Windsurf, Cline, OpenAI Agents SDK, and Continue.dev. Each client has different JSON Schema support and quirks — a schema that works in Claude may silently break in Cursor or OpenAI. mcp-lint catches these issues before your users do.

Code

$ npx mcp-lint check tools.json

search-tool
  ✖ Schema node at "inputSchema.properties.query" has `required: false` which is not valid JSON Schema.
    inputSchema.properties.query  [no-required-false]
  ⚠ Parameter "limit" in tool "search-tool" is missing a description.
    inputSchema.properties.limit  [description-exists]

1 error, 1 warning

Installation

bash

# One-time use (no install)
npx mcp-lint check tools.json

# Global
npm install -g mcp-lint

# Per-project dev dependency
npm install --save-dev mcp-lint

Quick Start

bash

# Check a JSON or YAML file
mcp-lint check tools.json

# See compatibility across all clients at a glance
mcp-lint compat tools.json

# Learn what a rule does
mcp-lint explain openai/no-additional-properties

# Auto-fix what can be fixed
mcp-lint fix tools.json --in-place

# Generate a config file
mcp-lint init

# Run as an MCP server
mcp-lint-server

`mcp-lint compat` — Compatibility Matrix

See exactly which tools work with which clients:

Code

$ mcp-lint compat tools.json

                    claude    cursor    gemini    vscode    windsurf  cline     openai    continue
search-tool         ✓         ✗         ✓         ✓         ✓         ✓         ✓         ✓
file-reader         ✓         ✓         ✗         ✓         ✓         ✓         ✓         ✗
database-query      ✓         ✓         ✓         ✓         ✓         ✓         ✗         ✓

2 tools have compatibility issues. Run `mcp-lint check` for details.

bash

mcp-lint compat tools.json --format markdown         # for PRs and GitHub Step Summary
mcp-lint compat tools.json --format json             # machine-readable
mcp-lint compat tools.json --client openai           # single client column
mcp-lint compat --server stdio -- node server.js

`mcp-lint explain` — Rule Documentation

Code

$ mcp-lint explain openai/no-additional-properties

Rule: openai/no-additional-properties
Severity:  error
Clients:   openai
Fixable:   yes

Description
OpenAI Agents SDK strict mode requires `additionalProperties: false` on the root inputSchema.

Why
OpenAI's strict function calling mode rejects schemas that don't explicitly set
`additionalProperties: false` at the root level.

Bad example
{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": { "q": { "type": "string" } }
}

Good example
{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": { "q": { "type": "string" } },
  "additionalProperties": false
}

Auto-fix
Add `"additionalProperties": false` to the root inputSchema.

CLI Reference

`mcp-lint check [input]`

bash

mcp-lint check tools.json

# Output formats
mcp-lint check tools.json --format terminal   # default, colored output
mcp-lint check tools.json --format json       # machine-readable (CI/CD)
mcp-lint check tools.json --format markdown   # for PRs and GitHub summaries

# Filters
mcp-lint check tools.json --clients claude,cursor,openai   # only these clients' rules
mcp-lint check tools.json --severity error                 # errors only
mcp-lint check tools.json --quiet                          # same as --severity error
mcp-lint check tools.json --ignore "debug-tool,internal-tool"

# Config
mcp-lint check tools.json --config path/to/.mcplintrc.json
mcp-lint check tools.json --no-color

# Quality score (0–100 per tool with A-F grades)
mcp-lint check tools.json --score

# Watch mode (re-lints on file change)
mcp-lint check tools.json --watch

# Live servers
mcp-lint check --server stdio -- node my-server.js
mcp-lint check --server stdio -- python my_server.py arg1 arg2
mcp-lint check --server sse --url http://localhost:3000/sse

Exit codes:

Code	Meaning
`0`	No errors (warnings don't count)
`1`	One or more errors found
`2`	Invalid input or configuration error

`mcp-lint diff <before> <after>`

Compare lint results between two versions of your schema — useful in CI to catch regressions.

bash

mcp-lint diff tools-v1.json tools-v2.json
mcp-lint diff tools-v1.json tools-v2.json --format markdown >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
mcp-lint diff tools-v1.json tools-v2.json --format json

Exit codes: 0 = no new errors introduced, 1 = new errors found, 2 = error

`mcp-lint fix [input]`

Auto-fixes issues that are safe to fix automatically (no semantic changes).

bash

mcp-lint fix tools.json                            # fixed output to stdout
mcp-lint fix tools.json --output fixed-tools.json  # write to file
mcp-lint fix tools.json --in-place                 # overwrite original
mcp-lint fix tools.json --dry-run                  # show what would be fixed
mcp-lint fix tools.json --rules no-required-false,no-empty-enum  # specific rules only

`mcp-lint init`

Creates a default .mcplintrc.json in the current directory.

bash

mcp-lint init          # fails if file already exists
mcp-lint init --force  # overwrite existing

Rules

Universal (all clients)

Rule	Severity	Fixable	Description
`no-required-false`	🔴 error	✅	`required: false` on properties is not valid JSON Schema
`no-content-encoding`	🔴 error	✅	`contentEncoding` is not supported by MCP clients
`no-empty-enum`	🔴 error	✅	Empty `enum: []` makes a parameter impossible to satisfy
`no-recursive-refs`	🔴 error	❌	Circular `$ref` causes crashes in most clients
`valid-json-schema-subset`	🔴 error	❌	Unsupported keywords: `oneOf`, `anyOf`, `allOf`, `if/then/else`, `not`, `patternProperties`…
`description-exists`	🟡 warning	❌	Tools and parameters should have descriptions
`max-depth`	🟡 warning	❌	Schema nesting deeper than 5 levels hurts LLM comprehension
`no-unsupported-formats`	🟡 warning	✅	Obscure `format` values (`iri`, `json-pointer`, `regex`…) not widely supported

Claude-specific

Rule	Severity	Fixable	Description
`claude/no-type-array`	🟡 warning	✅	`"type": ["string", "null"]` array syntax may not work correctly in Claude

Cursor-specific

Rule	Severity	Fixable	Description
`cursor/no-default-without-type`	🔴 error	✅	Cursor requires explicit `type` when a `default` value is present
`cursor/no-missing-title`	🟡 warning	❌	Cursor displays tool and parameter titles in the tool picker

Gemini-specific

Rule	Severity	Fixable	Description
`gemini/no-optional-without-default`	🟡 warning	❌	Gemini handles optional params better when `default` is explicit
`gemini/no-nested-objects`	🟡 warning	❌	Gemini has limited support for object properties nested more than 2 levels

VS Code Copilot-specific

Rule	Severity	Fixable	Description
`vscode/max-params`	🟡 warning	❌	VS Code Copilot performance degrades with more than 15 parameters

Windsurf-specific

Rule	Severity	Fixable	Description
`windsurf/no-union-types`	🟡 warning	❌	`anyOf` with more than 2 variants not supported

Cline-specific

Rule	Severity	Fixable	Description
`cline/description-max-length`	🟡 warning	✅	Descriptions over 200 characters are truncated by Cline

OpenAI Agents SDK-specific

Rule	Severity	Fixable	Description
`openai/no-additional-properties`	🔴 error	✅	Strict mode requires `additionalProperties: false` on root inputSchema
`openai/strict-types`	🔴 error	❌	Only `string`, `number`, `boolean`, `object`, `array`, `null` allowed

Continue.dev-specific

Rule	Severity	Fixable	Description
`continue/no-default-values`	🟡 warning	❌	Continue.dev ignores `default` fields — document defaults in descriptions instead

Configuration

mcp-lint auto-discovers .mcplintrc.json starting from the current directory up to your home folder. Override with --config.

config.json

{
  "rules": {
    "no-required-false": "error",
    "description-exists": "warning",
    "max-depth": "off",
    "claude/no-type-array": "error"
  },
  "clients": ["claude", "cursor", "gemini", "vscode", "windsurf", "cline", "openai", "continue"],
  "ignore": ["internal-debug-tool"],
  "maxDepth": 5
}

Presets

Use "extends" to start from a built-in preset:

config.json

{ "extends": "recommended" }

config.json

{
  "extends": "strict",
  "rules": {
    "description-exists": "warning"
  }
}

Preset	Description
`recommended`	All 8 clients enabled, default severities
`strict`	All rules set to `error`, `maxDepth: 3`

Read the full README →View source on GitHub →

Related MCP Servers

View all in Developer Tools View all alternatives

Reviews

No reviews yet — be the first to share how this listing worked for you.

Frequently Asked Questions about MCP Lint

Add the following block to your claude_desktop_config.json under mcpServers: "mcpServers": { "mcp-lint": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "mcp-lint"] } }

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Technical Specs & Signals

CategoryDeveloper Tools

35Quality signal: Fair · 35/100How this signal is calculated ▾

Server availabilityNot measured

Not scored for repo-hosted servers — we can't reach the running server, only its GitHub page. Hosted MCP endpoints are health-checked live.

Verified ownership10/20

Documentation & tools15/30

Adoption & activity1/15

Community engagement0/10

A guidance signal from public completeness & health data — not a user rating. New listings start lower and rise as they add docs, get verified, and grow adoption. Signals we can't observe for a listing are skipped, not counted against it.

★ Spotlight Slot

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This directory is pre-filled from public sources. Claim via GitHub README, site badge, or DNS TXT to unlock edit access and the Official badge — proof is checked automatically, then reviewed by our team.

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Claim & get free dofollow

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Add our SVG badge (dark/light directory styles) or embeddable widget to your site.

Explore more

More in 💻 Developer Tools →Best MCP servers for Developers →Alternatives to MCP Lint →Install in Claude Desktop Install in Cursor Install in VS Code

MCP Lint

Lint MCP tool schemas for cross-client compatibility and agent preflight safety.

Quick Install

Automated & IDE Setup

Copy the AI prompt to install this server into Claude Code, Cursor, or another agent — or use 1-click editor setup below.

Add to Cursor Add to VS Code

Not yet automatically verified

We haven't yet run this listing's install command through our automated sandbox check. This isn't a red flag — we're steadily working through the catalog.

Manual Client & Custom JSON ConfigExpand JSON ▾

Client Config & Setup

Choose your client or environment

Target File:~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

claude_desktop_config.json

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

💡 Paste the JSON block into your client's configuration file under mcpServers, then restart the application.

Documentation Overview

mcp-lint

Lint MCP server tool schemas for cross-client compatibility.

Code

$ npx mcp-lint check tools.json

search-tool
  ✖ Schema node at "inputSchema.properties.query" has `required: false` which is not valid JSON Schema.
    inputSchema.properties.query  [no-required-false]
  ⚠ Parameter "limit" in tool "search-tool" is missing a description.
    inputSchema.properties.limit  [description-exists]

1 error, 1 warning

Installation

bash

# One-time use (no install)
npx mcp-lint check tools.json

# Global
npm install -g mcp-lint

# Per-project dev dependency
npm install --save-dev mcp-lint

Quick Start

bash

# Check a JSON or YAML file
mcp-lint check tools.json

# See compatibility across all clients at a glance
mcp-lint compat tools.json

# Learn what a rule does
mcp-lint explain openai/no-additional-properties

# Auto-fix what can be fixed
mcp-lint fix tools.json --in-place

# Generate a config file
mcp-lint init

# Run as an MCP server
mcp-lint-server

`mcp-lint compat` — Compatibility Matrix

See exactly which tools work with which clients:

Code

$ mcp-lint compat tools.json

                    claude    cursor    gemini    vscode    windsurf  cline     openai    continue
search-tool         ✓         ✗         ✓         ✓         ✓         ✓         ✓         ✓
file-reader         ✓         ✓         ✗         ✓         ✓         ✓         ✓         ✗
database-query      ✓         ✓         ✓         ✓         ✓         ✓         ✗         ✓

2 tools have compatibility issues. Run `mcp-lint check` for details.

bash

mcp-lint compat tools.json --format markdown         # for PRs and GitHub Step Summary
mcp-lint compat tools.json --format json             # machine-readable
mcp-lint compat tools.json --client openai           # single client column
mcp-lint compat --server stdio -- node server.js

`mcp-lint explain` — Rule Documentation

Code

$ mcp-lint explain openai/no-additional-properties

Rule: openai/no-additional-properties
Severity:  error
Clients:   openai
Fixable:   yes

Description
OpenAI Agents SDK strict mode requires `additionalProperties: false` on the root inputSchema.

Why
OpenAI's strict function calling mode rejects schemas that don't explicitly set
`additionalProperties: false` at the root level.

Bad example
{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": { "q": { "type": "string" } }
}

Good example
{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": { "q": { "type": "string" } },
  "additionalProperties": false
}

Auto-fix
Add `"additionalProperties": false` to the root inputSchema.

CLI Reference

`mcp-lint check [input]`

bash

mcp-lint check tools.json

# Output formats
mcp-lint check tools.json --format terminal   # default, colored output
mcp-lint check tools.json --format json       # machine-readable (CI/CD)
mcp-lint check tools.json --format markdown   # for PRs and GitHub summaries

# Filters
mcp-lint check tools.json --clients claude,cursor,openai   # only these clients' rules
mcp-lint check tools.json --severity error                 # errors only
mcp-lint check tools.json --quiet                          # same as --severity error
mcp-lint check tools.json --ignore "debug-tool,internal-tool"

# Config
mcp-lint check tools.json --config path/to/.mcplintrc.json
mcp-lint check tools.json --no-color

# Quality score (0–100 per tool with A-F grades)
mcp-lint check tools.json --score

# Watch mode (re-lints on file change)
mcp-lint check tools.json --watch

# Live servers
mcp-lint check --server stdio -- node my-server.js
mcp-lint check --server stdio -- python my_server.py arg1 arg2
mcp-lint check --server sse --url http://localhost:3000/sse

Exit codes:

Code	Meaning
`0`	No errors (warnings don't count)
`1`	One or more errors found
`2`	Invalid input or configuration error

`mcp-lint diff <before> <after>`

Compare lint results between two versions of your schema — useful in CI to catch regressions.

bash

mcp-lint diff tools-v1.json tools-v2.json
mcp-lint diff tools-v1.json tools-v2.json --format markdown >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
mcp-lint diff tools-v1.json tools-v2.json --format json

Exit codes: 0 = no new errors introduced, 1 = new errors found, 2 = error

`mcp-lint fix [input]`

Auto-fixes issues that are safe to fix automatically (no semantic changes).

bash

mcp-lint fix tools.json                            # fixed output to stdout
mcp-lint fix tools.json --output fixed-tools.json  # write to file
mcp-lint fix tools.json --in-place                 # overwrite original
mcp-lint fix tools.json --dry-run                  # show what would be fixed
mcp-lint fix tools.json --rules no-required-false,no-empty-enum  # specific rules only

`mcp-lint init`

Creates a default .mcplintrc.json in the current directory.

bash

mcp-lint init          # fails if file already exists
mcp-lint init --force  # overwrite existing

Rules

Universal (all clients)

Rule	Severity	Fixable	Description
`no-required-false`	🔴 error	✅	`required: false` on properties is not valid JSON Schema
`no-content-encoding`	🔴 error	✅	`contentEncoding` is not supported by MCP clients
`no-empty-enum`	🔴 error	✅	Empty `enum: []` makes a parameter impossible to satisfy
`no-recursive-refs`	🔴 error	❌	Circular `$ref` causes crashes in most clients
`valid-json-schema-subset`	🔴 error	❌	Unsupported keywords: `oneOf`, `anyOf`, `allOf`, `if/then/else`, `not`, `patternProperties`…
`description-exists`	🟡 warning	❌	Tools and parameters should have descriptions
`max-depth`	🟡 warning	❌	Schema nesting deeper than 5 levels hurts LLM comprehension
`no-unsupported-formats`	🟡 warning	✅	Obscure `format` values (`iri`, `json-pointer`, `regex`…) not widely supported

Claude-specific

Rule	Severity	Fixable	Description
`claude/no-type-array`	🟡 warning	✅	`"type": ["string", "null"]` array syntax may not work correctly in Claude

Cursor-specific

Rule	Severity	Fixable	Description
`cursor/no-default-without-type`	🔴 error	✅	Cursor requires explicit `type` when a `default` value is present
`cursor/no-missing-title`	🟡 warning	❌	Cursor displays tool and parameter titles in the tool picker

Gemini-specific

Rule	Severity	Fixable	Description
`gemini/no-optional-without-default`	🟡 warning	❌	Gemini handles optional params better when `default` is explicit
`gemini/no-nested-objects`	🟡 warning	❌	Gemini has limited support for object properties nested more than 2 levels

VS Code Copilot-specific

Rule	Severity	Fixable	Description
`vscode/max-params`	🟡 warning	❌	VS Code Copilot performance degrades with more than 15 parameters

Windsurf-specific

Rule	Severity	Fixable	Description
`windsurf/no-union-types`	🟡 warning	❌	`anyOf` with more than 2 variants not supported

Cline-specific

Rule	Severity	Fixable	Description
`cline/description-max-length`	🟡 warning	✅	Descriptions over 200 characters are truncated by Cline

OpenAI Agents SDK-specific

Rule	Severity	Fixable	Description
`openai/no-additional-properties`	🔴 error	✅	Strict mode requires `additionalProperties: false` on root inputSchema
`openai/strict-types`	🔴 error	❌	Only `string`, `number`, `boolean`, `object`, `array`, `null` allowed

Continue.dev-specific

Rule	Severity	Fixable	Description
`continue/no-default-values`	🟡 warning	❌	Continue.dev ignores `default` fields — document defaults in descriptions instead

Configuration

mcp-lint auto-discovers .mcplintrc.json starting from the current directory up to your home folder. Override with --config.

config.json

{
  "rules": {
    "no-required-false": "error",
    "description-exists": "warning",
    "max-depth": "off",
    "claude/no-type-array": "error"
  },
  "clients": ["claude", "cursor", "gemini", "vscode", "windsurf", "cline", "openai", "continue"],
  "ignore": ["internal-debug-tool"],
  "maxDepth": 5
}

Presets

Use "extends" to start from a built-in preset:

config.json

{ "extends": "recommended" }

config.json

{
  "extends": "strict",
  "rules": {
    "description-exists": "warning"
  }
}

Preset	Description
`recommended`	All 8 clients enabled, default severities
`strict`	All rules set to `error`, `maxDepth: 3`

Read the full README →View source on GitHub →

Related MCP Servers

View all in Developer Tools View all alternatives

Reviews

No reviews yet — be the first to share how this listing worked for you.

Frequently Asked Questions about MCP Lint

Add the following block to your claude_desktop_config.json under mcpServers: "mcpServers": { "mcp-lint": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "mcp-lint"] } }

AllMCPs Directory Badge

Full Badge Customizer

Showcase your server listing on GitHub or your project documentation. Embed this dynamic SVG badge to highlight official listing status and live engagement.

Badge Style:

Live Dynamic SVG Preview

Markdown (GitHub README)

[![AllMCPs](https://allmcps.com/api/badge/mcp-lint?style=directory)](https://allmcps.com/mcp/mcp-lint)

HTML Embed

<a href="https://allmcps.com/mcp/mcp-lint"><img src="https://allmcps.com/api/badge/mcp-lint?style=directory" alt="MCP Lint on AllMCPs" /></a>

Technical Specs & Signals

CategoryDeveloper Tools

35Quality signal: Fair · 35/100How this signal is calculated ▾

Server availabilityNot measured

Not scored for repo-hosted servers — we can't reach the running server, only its GitHub page. Hosted MCP endpoints are health-checked live.

Verified ownership10/20

Documentation & tools15/30

Adoption & activity1/15

Community engagement0/10

★ Spotlight Slot

Feature Your MCP Server

Get maximum visibility for your server across our directory, search results, and detail pages.

Spotlight Your Server

Own this project?

Free dofollow backlink: add your website and place the AllMCPs badge on it — no claim needed. We detect it automatically and keep it verified as long as the badge stays live.

Claim & get free dofollow

Share & Embed

Add our SVG badge (dark/light directory styles) or embeddable widget to your site.

Explore more

More in 💻 Developer Tools →Best MCP servers for Developers →Alternatives to MCP Lint →Install in Claude Desktop Install in Cursor Install in VS Code

MCP Lint

Quick Install

Client Config & Setup

Documentation Overview

mcp-lint

Installation

Quick Start

mcp-lint compat — Compatibility Matrix

mcp-lint explain — Rule Documentation

CLI Reference

mcp-lint check [input]

mcp-lint diff <before> <after>

mcp-lint fix [input]

mcp-lint init

Rules

Universal (all clients)

Claude-specific

Cursor-specific

Gemini-specific

VS Code Copilot-specific

Windsurf-specific

Cline-specific

OpenAI Agents SDK-specific

Continue.dev-specific

Configuration

Presets

Related MCP Servers

Reviews

Frequently Asked Questions about MCP Lint

AllMCPs Directory Badge

Technical Specs & Signals

Feature Your MCP Server

Own this project?

Share & Embed

Explore more

MCP Lint

Quick Install

Client Config & Setup

Documentation Overview

mcp-lint

Installation

Quick Start

mcp-lint compat — Compatibility Matrix

mcp-lint explain — Rule Documentation

CLI Reference

mcp-lint check [input]

mcp-lint diff <before> <after>

mcp-lint fix [input]

mcp-lint init

Rules

Universal (all clients)

Claude-specific

Cursor-specific

Gemini-specific

VS Code Copilot-specific

Windsurf-specific

Cline-specific

OpenAI Agents SDK-specific

Continue.dev-specific

Configuration

Presets

Related MCP Servers

Reviews

Frequently Asked Questions about MCP Lint

AllMCPs Directory Badge

Technical Specs & Signals

Feature Your MCP Server

Own this project?

Share & Embed

Explore more

`mcp-lint compat` — Compatibility Matrix

`mcp-lint explain` — Rule Documentation

`mcp-lint check [input]`

`mcp-lint diff <before> <after>`

`mcp-lint fix [input]`

`mcp-lint init`

`mcp-lint compat` — Compatibility Matrix

`mcp-lint explain` — Rule Documentation

`mcp-lint check [input]`

`mcp-lint diff <before> <after>`

`mcp-lint fix [input]`

`mcp-lint init`