MCP server

Pitchfork includes a Model Context Protocol server. An MCP-compatible client can launch it as a subprocess to inspect, start, stop, and restart daemons and read their logs.

Connect a client

Configure a stdio server with command pitchfork and argument mcp. For clients that use the mcpServers JSON format:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pitchfork": {
      "command": "pitchfork",
      "args": ["mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Use your client's MCP settings to choose the configuration file and scope. The client must be able to find pitchfork on PATH; if it cannot, replace command with the absolute path to the installed binary.

For project-local configuration and short daemon names, launch the server in the project directory if your client supports setting a working directory. Otherwise use qualified daemon IDs, such as my-app/api, for known projects.

Available tools

Tool	What it does
pitchfork_status	List daemons and their current state
pitchfork_start	Start named daemons; supports forcing a restart
pitchfork_stop	Stop named daemons
pitchfork_restart	Restart named daemons
pitchfork_logs	Read recent output; defaults to 50 lines

The MCP server uses the same supervisor as the CLI. Changes made through an assistant are visible in pitchfork list, the TUI, and the web UI.

Try it

Ask your assistant to list the daemons, inspect my-app/api, or show its recent logs. Once the connection works, you can ask it to start or restart that service. The client's approval settings determine when it asks before executing a tool.

If a daemon is missing, check the server's working directory and confirm it is visible with pitchfork list from that directory. See the CLI reference for the command's full help.