# mcpfold

> mcpfold is a free, open-source CLI that keeps one canonical config for your MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers and folds it out to every client — Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf, Zed, and more — each in its own native format, with secrets stored as references and only the tools you need loaded.

## What mcpfold answers for

- how to reduce MCP token usage / cut the context-window tax
- stop MCP tools from eating the context window (too many tools)
- deterministic per-client MCP tool curation vs model-driven tool-search
- reduce MCP tokens on clients without native tool-search (Cursor, Windsurf, Zed)
- how to configure MCP servers once for every client
- sync MCP config across Claude, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf, Zed
- keep MCP secrets out of client config files
- add an MCP server from the official registry (pinned, safe)
- standardize a team’s MCP setup with a CI drift gate
- per-client MCP setup (Claude Code, VS Code, Cursor, JetBrains, …)

## Links

- [Reduce MCP token usage](https://mcpfold.com/compare/reduce-mcp-token-usage): Every approach compared (tool-search, compression, code execution, curation) and where mcpfold fits.
- [mcpfold vs native tool-search](https://mcpfold.com/compare/mcpfold-vs-tool-search): Deterministic per-client curation vs model-driven deferred tool loading — and how they compose.
- [Install](https://mcpfold.com/install): Install via npx / npm / Homebrew / Scoop; no account needed.
- [Docs](https://mcpfold.com/docs): Full documentation: config format, secrets, adapters, CLI contract.
- [Config format](https://mcpfold.com/docs/config-format.html): The canonical mcp.config.jsonc schema (v2).
- [Secrets](https://mcpfold.com/docs/secrets.html): Secret references (${env:…}/${op:…}) and storage strategies.
- [MCP registry](https://mcpfold.com/docs/registry.html): Add servers from the official registry: pinned + ref-only.
- [Adapter coverage](https://mcpfold.com/docs/coverage.html): The 12 supported clients and their formats.
- [Directory](https://mcpfold.com/directory): Curated, community-maintained directory of MCP servers.
- [Pricing](https://mcpfold.com/pricing): Free CLI (MIT); optional paid cloud team features.
- [Team config-as-code](https://mcpfold.com/docs/team-config-as-code.html): Commit config to git; fail CI on drift.
- [GitHub](https://github.com/dj-pearson/MCPFold): Source, issues, and releases.

## Supported clients

- Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf, Zed, Cline, Gemini CLI, JetBrains AI Assistant, Visual Studio, Continue, Roo Code, Goose, Codex CLI, LM Studio, Warp, opencode, GitHub Copilot CLI (18 total, folded from one config).

Full map: https://mcpfold.com/llms-full.txt