Client Ref is a terminal-based user interface for testing Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. It simplifies debugging and configuration for MCP-based applications.

How do I configure Client Ref?

Client Ref is configured via a JSON file that lists the MCP servers you want to connect to, following the format used by the Claude Desktop app.

Which LLM does Client Ref use?

By default, Client Ref uses the Claude Haiku model via the magentic library. You can configure other models within the client code.

What is the MCP server inspector?

The MCP server inspector is a debugging tool within Client Ref that allows you to test and inspect your MCP servers directly from the terminal UI.

What is Model Context Protocol?

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a protocol that provides a standardized way for applications to interact with Language Model (LLM) services.

Client Ref

Name: Client Ref
Author: ananis25

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Provides a terminal-based user interface for testing Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers.

Client Ref is a terminal-based client designed for interacting with and testing Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. Built with the Textual TUI library, it allows developers to connect to MCP servers defined in a configuration file (following the format used by the Claude Desktop app) and inspect their functionality. It leverages the magentic library to connect to LLM APIs, and defaults to using the Claude Haiku model (requiring an ANTHROPIC_API_KEY). The client also features an inspector screen accessible through the command palette, aiding in debugging and testing server behavior.

Key Features

01Terminal-based user interface built with Textual

02Supports MCP server configuration via JSON file

03Includes an MCP server inspector for debugging

04Connects to LLM APIs using the magentic library

05Uses Claude Haiku model by default

061 GitHub stars

Use Cases

01Testing and debugging MCP server implementations

02Interacting with MCP servers from the command line

03Inspecting the behavior of MCP servers