# Helmdeck

A self-hosted MCP server that hands an agent typed capability packs for browser, desktop, git and code work. Useful when the agent runs on a local model or inside your own network.

- MCP server · `type=mcp` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf (Devin Desktop), Cline, Zed, Gemini CLI · ★ 5
- Author: tosin2013
- License: Apache-2.0 · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/tosin2013/helmdeck
- Updated: 2026-09-21
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/helmdeck

## What it does

Helmdeck runs on your own hardware and answers the agent with one-shot JSON calls instead of an open-ended tool surface. Each call is a capability pack: browser, desktop, git, code edits, PDF parsing. A small model fills in the contract rather than working out the steps itself.

One script brings it up. `./scripts/install.sh` checks for `docker`, `node` ≥20, `go` ≥1.26, `make`, `openssl` and `curl`, writes fresh secrets to `deploy/compose/.env.local`, builds the Management UI, the Go binaries and the browser sidecar image, then starts the Compose stack and prints the URL with a generated admin password. No `docker` on the machine means no install. Flags `--reset` and `--no-build` are there for reinstalls and quick restarts.

A running stack does nothing on its own — you still wire a client to it. For Claude the bridge starts with `npx -y @helmdeck/mcp-bridge`, and `HELMDECK_URL` plus `HELMDECK_TOKEN` go into the environment. The binary ships 57 packs, 21 built-in pipelines and a pack marketplace.

## Requirements
- Needs: Node.js (commands run via npx)
- Environment variables: `HELMDECK_URL`, `HELMDECK_TOKEN` — keys and tokens: ask the human for the values, never commit them or put them in shared files.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

**Platform CLI**
```bash
claude mcp add helmdeck -e HELMDECK_URL=<HELMDECK_URL> -e HELMDECK_TOKEN=<HELMDECK_TOKEN> -- npx -y @helmdeck/mcp-bridge
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Codex

**Platform CLI**
```bash
codex mcp add helmdeck --env HELMDECK_URL=<HELMDECK_URL> --env HELMDECK_TOKEN=<HELMDECK_TOKEN> -- npx -y @helmdeck/mcp-bridge
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Cursor

**Config file**
File `.cursor/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "helmdeck": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "@helmdeck/mcp-bridge"
            ],
            "env": {
                "HELMDECK_URL": "<HELMDECK_URL>",
                "HELMDECK_TOKEN": "<HELMDECK_TOKEN>"
            }
        }
    }
}
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### GitHub Copilot

**Config file**
File `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "servers": {
        "helmdeck": {
            "type": "stdio",
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "@helmdeck/mcp-bridge"
            ],
            "env": {
                "HELMDECK_URL": "<HELMDECK_URL>",
                "HELMDECK_TOKEN": "<HELMDECK_TOKEN>"
            }
        }
    }
}
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Gemini CLI

**Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini mcp add -e HELMDECK_URL=<HELMDECK_URL> -e HELMDECK_TOKEN=<HELMDECK_TOKEN> helmdeck npx -y @helmdeck/mcp-bridge
```
Replace <…> with your own values

## When to use it
- give an agent browser and desktop access without leaving the VPC
- run a code-edit loop on a local model
- turn a PDF into structured Markdown
- let an agent log into SaaS without seeing credentials
- break one prompt into an ordered step plan

## Example prompts
- Route this task to the right pack: fetch a page and post a GitHub comment
- Decompose this request with `helmdeck.plan` and show me the steps
- Store in memory that I work on the `release/1.2` branch

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NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md