> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://coding-1afcb9be.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Installation & Configuration

> Install and configure Coding Tools MCP.

# Installation & Configuration

Coding Tools MCP is a Python package that installs a single CLI command: `coding-tools-mcp`.

## Installation

```bash theme={null}
python -m pip install coding-tools-mcp
```

The package requires Python `>=3.11` and declares `PyJWT` as a runtime dependency. Development extras are available through `coding-tools-mcp[dev]`; image support declares `coding-tools-mcp[image]`.

## Core CLI options

| Option                               | Default                                               | Purpose                                                            |
| ------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `--workspace`                        | `CODING_TOOLS_MCP_WORKSPACE` or current directory     | Root directory exposed to direct file tools and command execution. |
| `--host`                             | `CODING_TOOLS_MCP_HOST` or `127.0.0.1`                | HTTP bind host.                                                    |
| `--port`                             | `CODING_TOOLS_MCP_PORT` or `8000`                     | HTTP bind port.                                                    |
| `--stdio`                            | `false`                                               | Use newline-delimited JSON-RPC over stdio instead of HTTP.         |
| `--auth-token`                       | `CODING_TOOLS_MCP_AUTH_TOKEN`                         | Require `Authorization: Bearer <token>` on `/mcp`.                 |
| `--oauth-mode`                       | `false`                                               | Enable OAuth 2.1 Authorization Code + PKCE.                        |
| `--tool-profile`                     | `CODING_TOOLS_MCP_TOOL_PROFILE` or `full`             | Controls which MCP tools are exposed.                              |
| `--shell-env-inherit`                | `CODING_TOOLS_MCP_SHELL_ENV_INHERIT` or `core`        | Baseline environment inherited by `exec_command`.                  |
| `--permission-mode`                  | mode policy default                                   | Controls `exec_command` safety gates.                              |
| `--allow-network`                    | `false`                                               | Compatibility alias allowing network-looking command calls.        |
| `--enable-view-image`                | enabled unless `CODING_TOOLS_MCP_ENABLE_VIEW_IMAGE=0` | Expose `view_image`.                                               |
| `--dangerously-skip-all-permissions` | `false`                                               | Compatibility alias for `--permission-mode dangerous`.             |

## Transports

### HTTP

```bash theme={null}
coding-tools-mcp --workspace /repo --host 127.0.0.1 --port 8000
```

HTTP requests go to `/mcp`. The server also exposes metadata at `/.well-known/mcp.json` and `/.well-known/mcp/server-card.json`.

### Stdio

```bash theme={null}
coding-tools-mcp --stdio --workspace /repo
```

Stdio is best for clients that manage MCP servers as subprocesses.

## Authentication

Local loopback HTTP can run without auth. Non-loopback binding is rejected unless one of these is configured:

* `--auth-token` or `CODING_TOOLS_MCP_AUTH_TOKEN`
* `--oauth-mode` or `CODING_TOOLS_MCP_OAUTH_MODE=1`
* `CODING_TOOLS_MCP_AUTH_MODE=noauth` for an explicit no-auth deployment behind another trusted boundary

The recognized `CODING_TOOLS_MCP_AUTH_MODE` values are `bearer`, `noauth`, and `oauth`.

OAuth settings are read from:

* `CODING_TOOLS_MCP_OAUTH_CLIENT_ID`
* `CODING_TOOLS_MCP_OAUTH_CLIENT_SECRET`
* `CODING_TOOLS_MCP_OAUTH_PASSWORD`
* `CODING_TOOLS_MCP_SERVER_URL`
* `CODING_TOOLS_MCP_OAUTH_TOKEN_SECRET`
* `CODING_TOOLS_MCP_OAUTH_TOKEN_TTL`

If OAuth password or token secret values are omitted, the server generates runtime values and prints the password to stderr.

## Tool profiles

| Profile               | Behavior                                                                                                                 |
| --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `full`                | Exposes the full implemented tool set.                                                                                   |
| `read-only`           | Hides tools that mutate files, process state, or runtime permissions.                                                    |
| `compat-readonly-all` | Advertises every exposed tool as read-only for compatibility, while mutation-capable tools can still mutate local state. |

## Permission modes

| Mode        | Network-looking commands | Shell expansion and inline scripts | Landlock filesystem confinement | Secret env filtering |
| ----------- | ------------------------ | ---------------------------------- | ------------------------------- | -------------------- |
| `safe`      | Blocked                  | Blocked                            | Enabled when available          | Enabled              |
| `trusted`   | Allowed                  | Allowed                            | Enabled when available          | Enabled              |
| `dangerous` | Allowed                  | Allowed                            | Disabled                        | Disabled             |

Use `trusted` for normal local development tasks that need package managers, test runners, or shell features. Use `dangerous` only when an outer sandbox already provides the real isolation boundary.

## Command environment

`exec_command` inherits a controlled environment. `--shell-env-inherit` accepts:

* `core`: inherit core variables such as PATH and locale values.
* `all`: inherit the process environment subject to filtering.
* `none`: start from an empty baseline except explicit values.

The server also supports environment policy variables for includes, excludes, and fixed values. Keep secrets out of `exec_command.env`; secret-looking names, values, and risky loader/startup variables are filtered in safe and trusted modes.

## Runtime files

The server uses a runtime root named `coding-tools-mcp` under the system temp directory unless `CODING_TOOLS_MCP_RUNTIME_ROOT` is set. This root is used for runtime-managed home/tmp areas and command sessions.