What is the key difference between Skillguard and Kastell?

Skillguard belongs to the Security category with local stdio execution, while Kastell belongs to the Security category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Skillguard or Kastell 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 Skillguard and Kastell free or paid?

Skillguard operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). Kastell operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Skillguard lists 6 tools with 1 views and 1 GitHub stars. Kastell lists 6 tools with 4 views and 60 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Skillguard and Kastell 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

Skillguard vs Kastell

In-depth architectural comparison of the Skillguard and Kastell 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

Skillguard

Security · Local stdio

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

Kastell

Security · Local stdio

Quality: 63/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose Skillguard if you need specialized Security tools running via a local process. Choose Kastell 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 Skillguard 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: Exposes a stdio MCP scan_skill tool, Checks SKILL.md files, hooks, and bundled scripts, Includes ten bundled security rule categories.

Explore Skillguard Details

Choose Kastell 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: Server security audits with remediation, SSH hardening and fail2ban setup, UFW firewall management.

Explore Kastell Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Skillguard Security	Kastell kastelldev Security
Summary	Security scanner for third-party AI agent-skill files (SKILL.md, hooks, scripts) via MCP.	Server security auditing and hardening toolkit. 413 security checks across 29 categories (SSH, Firewall, Docker, TLS, HTTP Headers), CIS/PCI-DSS/HIPAA compliance mapping, 19-step production hardening, fleet management, and forensic evidence collection. Supports Hetzner, DigitalOcean, Vultr, and Linode. 13 MCP tools.
Category & Scope	Security

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Skillguard Tools (6)

Exposes a stdio MCP scan_skill tool

Checks SKILL.md files, hooks, and bundled scripts

Includes ten bundled security rule categories

Supports cross-skill privilege-chaining analysis

Returns human, JSON, or SARIF CLI output

Requires no credentials or scan-time network access

Kastell Tools (6)

Server security audits with remediation

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).

Skillguard Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "skillguard": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "skillguard-cli"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Kastell Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kastelldev-kastell": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "kastell"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

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

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