understand-quickly — Claude Code MCP server: setup and overview
MCP server connecting agents to code-knowledge graphs and git drift details from the understand-quickly index.
claude mcp add understand-quickly -- npx -y @looptech-ai/understand-quickly-mcpWhat understand-quickly does
The server exposes the understand-quickly index to MCP clients through four tools: list_repos, find_graph_for_repo, get_graph, and search_concepts. An agent can inspect cataloged repositories, read raw parsed graphs, and locate concept terms across projects via cached aggregate stats.
When querying a GitHub URL or project identifier, the server checks drift against repository commits. It returns commit hashes, sync timestamps, and human-readable drift notes. If an exact match fails, it supplies up to five fuzzy suggestions using Levenshtein distance.
Running this package requires Node 20+ due to native fetch. It communicates over stdio. There is no auth or streaming. In-memory caching runs on a 60-second timer, and upstream network failures yield empty payloads rather than throwing errors.
What it helps with
- retrieve knowledge graphs for GitHub repositories directly in the agent
- inspect commit drift between indexed graphs and current branches
- search conceptual terms across cataloged codebases
- browse available project graphs filtered by tags or status
Example prompts for the agent
- Check if there is a knowledge graph for https://github.com/looptech-ai/understand-quickly
- List all repositories in the registry with status ok using list_repos
- Search for authentication concepts across graphs using search_concepts
How to install understand-quickly
Platform CLI
claude mcp add understand-quickly -- npx -y @looptech-ai/understand-quickly-mcpPlatform CLI
codex mcp add mcp -- npx -y @looptech-ai/understand-quickly-mcpConfig file
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@looptech-ai/understand-quickly-mcp"
]
}
}
}Config file
{
"servers": {
"mcp": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@looptech-ai/understand-quickly-mcp"
]
}
}
}Platform CLI
gemini mcp add mcp npx -y @looptech-ai/understand-quickly-mcpStep by step, with commands for each platform: How to add an MCP server to Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and more
Questions about understand-quickly
How to install understand-quickly in Claude Code?
Run claude mcp add understand-quickly -- npx -y @looptech-ai/understand-quickly-mcp. Node 20 or higher is required.
What does the understand-quickly MCP server do?
It connects MCP clients to the understand-quickly public registry. The server allows agents to look up code graphs, search concepts, and inspect commit drift metrics.
What happens if an upstream graph fails to load?
Upstream network failures do not trigger retries or throw errors. The tool returns an empty result for that entry instead of interrupting the agent.
