MCP Overview
Rostyman supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP) — an open standard created by Anthropic that lets AI tools and API clients work together through a common interface. Rostyman operates in both directions: as an MCP server (so AI tools can access your workspace) and as an MCP client (so Rostyman can connect to external tools).
What is MCP?
MCP is a protocol that defines how applications expose data and actions to AI tools. Think of it as a universal adapter: any AI tool that speaks MCP can interact with any application that implements an MCP server.
In practical terms:
- An AI assistant like Claude Desktop, Cursor, or VS Code Copilot can browse your API collections, send requests, manage variables, and create new requests — all by asking in natural language
- Rostyman can connect to external MCP servers (GitHub, Postgres, file systems, custom APIs) and use their tools in the built-in AI chat
Two Sides of MCP in Rostyman
Rostyman as MCP Server
When Rostyman acts as an MCP server, AI tools connect to it and interact with your workspace data. The server exposes:
- ~80 tools across read, execute, and write — grouped by module (Collections, Requests, Folders, Environments, Variables, Workflows, Databases, Browser tests, Scheduler, Mock Server, AI conversations, MCP servers themselves)
- 4 resources that AI tools can subscribe to for live data
- stdio transport — always available, used by local AI tools (Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code Copilot)
- HTTP/SSE transport — Rostyman's built-in HTTP server on
localhost:3100, which supports remote connections, Claude.ai web, and tunneled access
See MCP Server for setup and a full tool reference.
Rostyman as MCP Client
When Rostyman acts as an MCP client, it connects to external MCP servers and makes their tools available inside the app. Connected server tools are automatically offered to the built-in AI Assistant, which can call them while answering your questions.
See MCP Client for setup and examples.
The MCP Panel
Access all MCP features from the right panel — click the Server icon (the last icon in the vertical tab bar on the right edge of the window), or press Ctrl+J and select MCP.
The panel has three tabs:
| Tab | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Overview | Your MCP server status and controls, connected clients and servers in a tabbed view, quick-action buttons |
| Servers | Manage external MCP server connections — add, connect, disconnect, and delete servers |
| Logs | Live log viewer for all MCP activity with search, verbose mode, and log file management |
Overview Tab
The Overview tab is divided into two sections:
Your MCP Server card — shows whether the server is running, its port, and the number of connected clients. Includes:
- Start / Stop button
- Register with Claude Desktop button — one-click auto-registration
- Copy Config button — copies the MCP JSON config to clipboard for any AI tool
Connections tab bar — switches between:
- Connected Clients — AI agents currently connected to your MCP server, each showing their friendly name (Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, etc.), IP address, connection duration, and a Disconnect button
- Connected Servers — external MCP servers Rostyman is connected to as a client, showing name, status (connected / error), and tool count
Both tabs show a count badge and a Refresh button.
Servers Tab
Lists all configured external MCP servers. Each entry shows:
- Connection status indicator (green checkmark, spinning loader, red X)
- Server name
- Command (for stdio) or URL (for HTTP)
- Error message if the last connection attempt failed
- Connect or Disconnect button
- Tool count when connected
Click + Add Server (the dashed button at the top) to open the Add Server dialog.
Logs Tab
Live log viewer showing all MCP activity:
- Search input filters log lines by content
- Verbose checkbox — toggles full request/response payloads in the log
- Clear Logs button — clears the in-memory ring buffer (does not delete log files)
- Open folder button — opens the log files directory in your file manager
- Log level colors: errors in red, warnings in amber, tool calls in accent color, info in muted
A stats bar at the bottom shows the number of log files and total size on disk.
Security Model
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Local by default | The HTTP/SSE server listens only on localhost — no external access without explicit configuration |
| CORS restriction | In local mode, only localhost origins can connect (prevents cross-site attacks) |
| Auth token | Network mode requires a Bearer token on every request |
| Rate limiting | Network connections rate-limited to 60 requests/minute per IP |
| Body size limit | POST requests capped at 1 MB |
| TLS/HTTPS | Optional HTTPS via locally-trusted certificates from mkcert |
| No cloud | All MCP communication is direct machine-to-tool; no data transits Rostyman's servers |
| Secret masking | Secret-type environment variables are returned as •••••• in tool responses |
Status Bar
The bottom status bar shows a green dot and the connected client count when the MCP server is running. Click it to jump directly to the MCP panel.
Settings
Configure the MCP server in Settings (Ctrl+,) → Integrations → MCP Server. Available settings include port, access mode, auth token, TLS toggle, mkcert detection, rate limit, and tunnel commands. See MCP Server for a full settings reference.