TUI Mode
The TUI is the default when you run mcp-tui without a subcommand. It opens to a connection screen with three tabs: Saved, Discovery, and Manual.
Connect
Section titled “Connect”
- Saved — last successful connections, ready to re-launch.
- Discovery — auto-finds Claude Desktop, VS Code MCP, and native MCP-TUI configs on disk.
- Manual — type a
--cmd-style command directly, or fill in transport/URL.
Tab cycles tabs; ↑/↓ selects within a list; Enter connects.
Browse
Section titled “Browse”
After connecting, the main screen has three columns:
| Column | Source | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Tools | tools/list | Enter opens the input form |
| Resources | resources/list | Enter reads and renders content |
| Prompts | prompts/list | Enter retrieves the prompt template |
←/→ moves between columns. ↑/↓ selects within a column.
Execute a tool
Section titled “Execute a tool”The input form is generated from the tool’s JSON Schema. Required fields are marked. Type coercion runs automatically — numbers, booleans, and JSON literals are parsed from text.
Result panels are scrollable. Ctrl+↑/↓, PgUp/PgDn, Home/End, and v (view fields) all work.
Useful keys
Section titled “Useful keys”| Key | Action |
|---|---|
c | Copy CLI command equivalent of the last action |
Ctrl+C | Copy current result |
Ctrl+D | Open debug screen (HTTP timing, MCP messages, logs) |
Ctrl+L | Open log viewer |
b / Alt+← | Back |
Esc | Cancel / back |
See the keyboard reference for the full list.