Checks a remote MCP server against the Claude directory rules and guides its publication.
Check a remote MCP server against the Claude connector directory rules, then publish it: npm, the official MCP Registry, a Claude Code plugin repo and the Claude connector directory. One step at a time, for people and for agents.
npx mcpship init https://example.com/mcp # writes publish.json; fill in the fields
MCPSHIP_TOKEN=<access token or API key> npx mcpship check
npx mcpship next # the next step, with the exact command
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
init <url> | Writes a publish.json template in the current folder |
check [url] | Tests sign-in discovery, tools and listing; exit code 1 if a rule fails |
packet | Writes docs/directory/submission.md: the text for each directory form step |
next | The first unfinished step, with the command or click |
status | Live state of npm, the MCP Registry, the plugin repo and the directory |
done directory | Records that you submitted the directory form |
mcp | Runs as a local MCP server over stdio |
Add --json for machine-readable output and --dir <path> to point at another folder.
npm counts as published only when you are a maintainer of the package. mcpship asks npm whoami; if you publish with a token instead of npm login, set channels.npm.maintainer to your npm user name in publish.json.
| Rule | Fails when |
|---|---|
| auth.https | the server URL is not https |
| auth.www-authenticate | an unauthenticated call does not return 401 with resource_metadata |
| auth.resource-metadata | protected resource metadata is missing or has no authorization server |
| auth.as-metadata | authorization server metadata is missing |
| auth.pkce | S256 is not supported |
| auth.client-registration | neither Dynamic Client Registration nor Client ID Metadata Documents |
| tools.reachable | tools/list fails with the given token (skipped without one) |
| tools.title | a tool has no title |
| tools.annotations | a tool has neither readOnlyHint nor destructiveHint |
| tools.instructions | a description tells the model what to do ("use it first", "you must", "call X") |
| tools.hidden-text | a description holds invisible characters or encoded text |
| listing.icon-url | the icon URL is not a public https PNG |
| listing.pages | docs, privacy or terms page does not load |
| listing.lengths | name, one-liner or description is over the form limit, or a field is empty |
| listing.unpublished-mention | a page tells users to run npx <package> before it is on npm |
Warnings: tools.mentions (a description names another tool) and listing.em-dash.
/plugin marketplace add emanueltns/mcpship
/plugin install mcpship@mcpship
Then ask Claude to publish your MCP server. The plugin adds the mcpship tools and a skill that walks through each step.
mcpship runs on your machine. It calls your server, the URLs in your publish.json, the MCP Registry API, and whatever npm and gh call. It sends no telemetry. MCPSHIP_TOKEN is read from the environment and never printed.
MIT
Source-derived launch command. Check the maintainer’s required arguments and credentials before running:
npx -y mcpshipMerge this template into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json. Keep existing servers. Add any arguments, credentials, and permissions required by the maintainer; this template has not been install-tested.
{
"mcpServers": {
"io-github-emanueltns-mcpship": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"mcpship"
]
}
}
}Restart Claude Desktop completely for changes to take effect. Confirm the server appears connected in the client’s tool list, then try a read-only example from its documentation.
Claude Desktop setup referencemcpshipnpmmcpship: check and publish MCP servers works with any MCP-compatible client. Copy the config snippet from the Configuration section above and add it to the file shown for your client, then restart the application.
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.jsonRestart Claude Desktop completely for changes to take effect.~/.cursor/mcp.jsonRestart Cursor for changes to take effect..vscode/mcp.jsonReload VS Code window for changes to take effect.~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.jsonRestart Windsurf for changes to take effect..mcp.jsonSave at the project root, then start Claude Code in that project and review the MCP server approval prompt. Keep real credentials out of shared files.