cameroncooke/reloaderoo

**A dual-mode MCP development tool** that operates as both a CLI inspection tool and a transparent proxy server for the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Works excellently with VSCode MCP, well with Claude Code, and supports other MCP-enabled clients.
🔄 Two Modes, One Tool
**reloaderoo** provides two distinct operational modes to fit different development workflows:
🔍 **CLI Mode** (Inspection & Testing)
Direct command-line access to MCP servers without client setup:
- ✅ **One-shot commands** - Test tools, list resources, get server info
- ✅ **No MCP client required** - Perfect for testing and debugging
- ✅ **Raw JSON output** - Ideal for scripts and automation
- ✅ **8 inspection commands** - Complete MCP protocol coverage
🔄 **Proxy Mode** (Hot-Reload Development)
Transparent proxy server that enables seamless hot-reloading:
- ✅ **Hot-reload MCP servers** without disconnecting your AI client
- ✅ **Session persistence** - Keep your development context intact
- ✅ **Automatic restart_server tool** - AI agents can restart servers on demand
- ✅ **Transparent forwarding** - Full MCP protocol passthrough
🎯 Why reloaderoo?
When developing MCP servers, you typically face two problems:
1. **Testing requires complex MCP client setup** → CLI mode solves this
2. **Code changes require restarting your entire AI session** → Proxy mode solves this
Both modes work together to create a seamless MCP development experience.
🚀 Quick Start
Installation
Choose Your Mode
🔍 **CLI Mode** - Testing & Debugging
Perfect for testing MCP servers without client setup:
🔄 **Proxy Mode** - Hot-Reload Development
For AI client integration with hot-reload capabilities:
Then configure your AI client to connect to reloaderoo instead of directly to your server.
🎯 **Recommended Clients**
**Best Experience**: **VSCode** & **Cursor** - Full protocol support with automatic capability detection
**Good Experience**: **Claude Code** & **Windsurf** - Works well, may need manual refresh for new tools
🛠️ Development Workflow
🔍 **CLI Mode Workflow** (Testing & Debugging)
Perfect for testing individual tools or debugging server issues:
🔄 **Proxy Mode Workflow** (Hot-Reload Development)
For full development sessions with AI clients:
1. **Start Development Session**
Configure your AI client to connect to reloaderoo proxy instead of your server directly:
2. **Develop Your MCP Server**
Work on your server code as usual:
3. **Test Changes Instantly**
Ask your AI agent to restart the server:
The agent will call the restart_server tool automatically. Your new capabilities are immediately available!
4. **Continue Development**
Your AI session continues with the updated server capabilities. No connection loss, no context reset.
📋 Command Line Interface
reloaderoo provides two primary modes of operation:
🔄 **Proxy Mode Commands** (Hot-Reload Development)
🔍 **CLI Mode Commands** (Inspection & Testing)
**Info Command (Diagnostics)**
🔍 CLI Mode Deep Dive (Inspection & Testing)
CLI mode provides direct command-line access to MCP servers without requiring client setup - perfect for testing and debugging.
🤖 **AI Agent Use Case** - The Primary Design Goal
**CLI mode is specifically designed for AI agents** (like Claude Code, Cursor, etc.) that have terminal access but don't have MCP server configuration capabilities. This solves a critical development workflow problem:
**The Problem:** When an AI agent is helping you develop an MCP server, it needs to test changes, but: