Vet vs Shellward

In-depth architectural comparison of the Vet and Shellward 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.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Vet when:

• You need dedicated capabilities in the Security domain.
• You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
• Your security boundary fits: API Key required (Free / Open Source).
• Primary tools included: npm package vetting, PyPI package vetting, Vulnerability checks.

Explore Vet Details

Choose Shellward 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).
• You have access to required keys: SHELLWARD_MODE, SHELLWARD_LOCALE, SHELLWARD_THRESHOLD, SHELLWARD_BASELINE_PATH.
• Primary tools included: Stdio MCP server with local execution, Prompt injection detection for Chinese and English text, PII, credential, and sensitive-data scanning.

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Vet safedep Security	Shellward jnMetaCode Security
Summary	vet-mcp checks open source packages—like those suggested by AI coding tools—for vulnerabilities and malicious code. It supports npm and PyPI, and runs locally via Docker or as a standalone binary for fast, automated vetting.	AI Agent Security Middleware & MCP Server with 8-layer defense including prompt injection detection, DLP data flow tracking, command blocking, and PII detection. 7 MCP tools, zero dependencies.
Category & Scope

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

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).

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "safedep-vet": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "safedep-vet"
      ]
    }
  }
}

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "jnmetacode-shellward": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "shellward"
      ],
      "env": {
        "SHELLWARD_MODE": "YOUR_SHELLWARD_MODE_HERE",
        "SHELLWARD_LOCALE": "YOUR_SHELLWARD_LOCALE_HERE",
        "SHELLWARD_THRESHOLD": "YOUR_SHELLWARD_THRESHOLD_HERE",
        "SHELLWARD_BASELINE_PATH": "YOUR_SHELLWARD_BASELINE_PATH_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

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