MCP servers

Model Context Protocol connects agents and model requests to tools, resources, and prompts. The open-source BitRouter daemon acts as a client and gateway for MCP servers you configure.

MCP gateway

The gateway puts BitRouter between an agent or model request and its third-party MCP servers. Configure upstreams once, then expose each server directly or combine them behind one aggregate endpoint.

BitRouter OSS is the client and gateway on this path. It does not add BitRouter-owned administrative tools to the catalog.

Configure upstream servers

Upstreams can use local stdio processes or Streamable HTTP endpoints. Declare transports, credentials, and environment overrides in MCP connections. When no upstreams are configured, the daemon does not mount MCP routes.

Direct and aggregate routes

Aggregate tool and prompt names are prefixed with the server id to avoid collisions. Each upstream can retain its direct route while being excluded from aggregation. Use MCP connections to set the aggregate endpoint, prefixes, and participation.

Diagnose upstreams

bro mcp check performs a tools/list round trip and reports transport, reachability, latency, negotiated tool capability, and advertised tool names:

bro mcp check             # every configured upstream
bro mcp check context7    # one upstream

Configuration remains the source of truth; the check does not maintain a separate global tool registry.

Cache discovery, not execution

Aggregate list calls use bounded TTL caches; tool execution is never cached. Configure the discovery TTLs or disable caching in MCP connections.

Execute tools inside a model request

The gateway lets an external agent call MCP tools. Selecting upstream ids in Server tools configuration also makes them available to BitRouter's model loop.

BitRouter advertises those tools to the model, executes selected calls, returns results, and continues until the model stops requesting tools or a loop bound is reached. Declaring an upstream alone does not put it into this loop. See Server tools for request opt-in and execution behavior.

Connect a coding agent

bro launch injects the aggregate endpoint into supported native harnesses without editing their user configuration. Claude, Codex, OpenCode, and Hermes have an injectable MCP surface; other harnesses may not.

bro launch codex

The launch summary states whether model routing and MCP injection were applied. Local filesystem skills use the agent host's normal plugin or skill mechanism; they are not served by a BitRouter origin MCP process.

Operating BitRouter from an agent

BitRouter OSS is not a first-party origin MCP server for local administrative commands. To inspect status, models, routes, or requests, install Agent Skills in a shell-capable host. The skill selects structured bro commands; the host obtains approval and executes them.