Ocular vs Stepgate
A side-by-side look at the Ocular and Stepgate MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Ocular for coding agents work as a local process; choose Stepgate for coding agents as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Ocular when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Coding Agents domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You have the keys it needs:
OCULAR_BASE_URL, OCULAR_API_KEY, OCULAR_MODEL. - You want tools like
analyze_image, extract_text_from_image, analyze_ui_screenshot.
Choose Stepgate when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Coding Agents domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You have the keys it needs:
TAVILY_API_KEY. - You want tools like
stepgate_call, stepgate_submit, stepgate_guide.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Coding Agents | Coding Agents |
| Quality signal | 60/100 · Good | 63/100 · Good |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | Not declared | Not declared |
| Pricing | Not declared | Not declared |
| Required env vars | OCULAR_BASE_URLOCULAR_API_KEYOCULAR_MODEL | TAVILY_API_KEY |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 0 | 13 |
| Directory activity | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 2 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 8 | 8 |
| Full listing | View Ocular | View Stepgate |
Tools & capabilities
Ocular tools 8
analyze_imageAnalyze a general image and return structured JSON for a coding agent.extract_text_from_imageExtract OCR text from screenshots, documents, tables, terminal output, or code images.analyze_ui_screenshotAnalyze a webpage, app, UI, or design mockup screenshot for frontend implementation work.diagnose_error_screenshotAnalyze error, terminal, console, browser, or build failure screenshots.compare_ui_screenshotsCompare two UI screenshots and return implementation-useful visual differences.extract_table_from_imageExtract visible table data from an image as structured JSON, Markdown, or CSV-oriented output.analyze_chart_imageAnalyze a chart image and return labels, trends, approximate values, and limitations.create_upload_sessionReturns upload instructions for the binary side channel (use this to analyze LOCAL image files without base64 corruption). Before uploading, verify the local file exists and is non-empty with Bash (e.g. `ls -la <path>` or `test -f <path> && stat -c %s <path>`). Then PUT the raw bytes to the returned upload_url with curl --data-binary (NOT base64); the response gives a file_id to pass to any vision tool. Stateless -- call once to learn the endpoint.
Stepgate tools 8
stepgate_callCalls one of the current step's operations for a Stepgate run and returns its result. Stepgate makes the request and adds any credentials.stepgate_submitSubmits the current step's output for a Stepgate run. Returns the next step, the gate failures to fix, or the finished run's outputs.stepgate_guideReturns how to write a stepfile: the authoring workflow, the full format reference and the JSON Schema. Call it before writing or editing a stepfile.stepgate_examplesLists the catalog's stepfiles, or with a name returns that stepfile's YAML and README, to copy a working pattern from.stepgate_validateChecks a draft stepfile against the schema and every load-time rule. Returns each issue with its path, or the stepfile's identity and whether stepgate_try accepts it.stepgate_inspect_apiFetches a public OpenAPI document or MCP server without credentials and reports what a stepfile needs: the document's sha256, servers, security schemes and operationIds, or an MCP server's tools and their schema_sha256.stepgate_outlineTurns a SKILL.md or markdown SOP into a skeleton stepfile: one step per numbered item or second-level heading, each rule it states marked as a gate to write, and TODO markers where only an author can decide. stepgate_validate lists the markers left.stepgate_tryStarts a run of a draft stepfile from its text, without adding it to the server. Drive it with stepgate_call and stepgate_submit. Drafts may call only public https URLs, and use only the credentials and settings the operator granted to drafts.
Ready-to-paste client configs
Paste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
Ocular
{
"mcpServers": {
"ocular": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"ocular-mcp"
],
"env": {
"OCULAR_BASE_URL": "YOUR_OCULAR_BASE_URL_HERE",
"OCULAR_API_KEY": "YOUR_OCULAR_API_KEY_HERE",
"OCULAR_MODEL": "YOUR_OCULAR_MODEL_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Stepgate
{
"mcpServers": {
"stepgate": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"stepgate"
],
"env": {
"TAVILY_API_KEY": "YOUR_TAVILY_API_KEY_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Ocular is categorized under Coding Agents and uses a local stdio subprocess. Stepgate belongs to Coding Agents and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Ocular for coding agents work and Stepgate for coding agents.
Copy the mcpServers block from the config section on this page into your client's config (for example claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json), then fully restart the client.
Ocular has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. Stepgate has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. If a server needs environment variables such as API keys, define them under the env key in your client's MCP config.
Yes. MCP clients support multiple servers: add ocular and stepgate as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Ocular has a quality signal of 60/100 (Good) with 1 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars. Stepgate has 63/100 (Good) with 2 views, 0 installs and 13 GitHub stars.