# mcptoon

Compacts MCP tool schemas down to 581 tokens to protect your model context. Useful when running dozens of local tools across desktop and CLI agents.

- MCP server · `type=mcp` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf (Devin Desktop), Cline, Zed, Gemini CLI · ★ 382
- Author: activeing123
- License: Apache-2.0 · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/activeing123/mcptoon
- Updated: 2026-10-23
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/mcptoon

## What it does

The utility creates a compact index of MCP tool schemas instead of passing complete parameter definitions into the context window. Full schemas load on demand. If a tool output gets truncated, the reversible compression mechanism lets you retrieve the original content using an assigned handle.

The package relies solely on the Python standard library and occupies 534KB. You can scan existing local MCP servers with `mcptoon quickstart`, which configures client agents and provides the `/mcptoon` skill automatically.

A fresh setup can stay in direct mode without reducing tokens, so check active behavior with `mcptoon mode`. Agents can also search for uninstalled servers by task description and invoke them directly.

## Requirements
- Needs: Python and uv (commands run via uvx)

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

**Platform CLI**
```bash
claude mcp add mcptoon -- uvx mcptoon
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from mcptoon <command>

### Codex

**Platform CLI**
```bash
codex mcp add mcptoon -- uvx mcptoon
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from mcptoon <command>

### Cursor

**Config file**
File `.cursor/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "mcptoon": {
            "command": "uvx",
            "args": [
                "mcptoon"
            ]
        }
    }
}
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from mcptoon <command>

### GitHub Copilot

**Config file**
File `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "servers": {
        "mcptoon": {
            "type": "stdio",
            "command": "uvx",
            "args": [
                "mcptoon"
            ]
        }
    }
}
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from mcptoon <command>

### Gemini CLI

**Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini mcp add mcptoon uvx mcptoon
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from mcptoon <command>

## When to use it
- shrink tool schema overhead in the model context window
- discover and install MCP servers using plain-text queries
- retrieve uncompressed tool outputs from stored reference handles
- sync tool configurations across multiple CLI and desktop agents

## Example prompts
- Load the /mcptoon skill and check what MCP tools are currently available.
- Locate an MCP tool for HTML to PDF conversion and run it.
- The tool output was cut short, fetch the original text using mcptoon.

## Similar
- [REA](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/rea.md) — MCP server · ★ 386989
- [GitHub](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/github.md) — MCP server · ★ 33918
- [Netdata](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/netdata.md) — MCP server · ★ 81115
- [browser-use](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/browser-use.md) — MCP server · ★ 119160
- [Codebase Memory](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/codebase-memory.md) — MCP server · ★ 47392
- [mcp-server](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/mcp-server.md) — MCP server · ★ 43872

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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