What is the key difference between Wayback Machine and When?

Wayback Machine belongs to the Command Line category with local stdio execution, while When belongs to the Command Line category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Wayback Machine or When 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 Wayback Machine and When free or paid?

Wayback Machine operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). When operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Wayback Machine lists 7 tools with 0 views and 53 GitHub stars. When lists 6 tools with 2 views and 3 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Wayback Machine and When 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

Wayback Machine vs When

In-depth architectural comparison of the Wayback Machine and When 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

Wayback Machine

Command Line · Local stdio

Quality: 57/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required

When

Command Line · Local stdio

Quality: 56/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose Wayback Machine if you need specialized Command Line tools running via a local process. Choose When if your workspace requires Command Line integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Wayback Machine when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Command Line domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
Primary tools included: save_url, get_archived_url, search_archives.

Explore Wayback Machine Details

Choose When when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Command Line domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
Primary tools included: Single MCP server exposing eight endpoints for six tools, Auto-detect stack and regenerate context files, Port conflict scanning.

Explore When Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Wayback Machine Command Line	When WhenLabs-org Command Line
Summary
Category & Scope	Command Line	Command Line
Quality signal

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Wayback Machine Tools (7)

save_url

Archive a URL to the Wayback Machine using the SPN2 API.

get_archived_url

Retrieve an archived snapshot's content and metadata.

search_archives

Search the CDX API for archived versions of a URL.

check_archive_status

Check archival statistics for a URL — capture counts, yearly breakdowns, and first/last capture dates.

list_screenshots

List available screenshots for a URL.

compare_snapshots

Compare two archived snapshots of a URL. Fetches the raw content of both and provides a visual diff URL.

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).

Wayback Machine Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

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

When Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "whenlabs-org-when": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@whenlabs/when"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Wayback Machine is categorized under Command Line and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, When belongs to Command Line using local stdio subprocess. Select Wayback Machine when you need capabilities focused on command line and When when you require tools for command line.

More alternatives to Wayback Machine More alternatives to When Command Line category hub