Your MCPs, supercharged. Find any tool instantly, execute with code mode, run on schedule, discover skills, load Photons, ready for any client. Smart loading saves tokens and energy. Instead of your AI juggling 50+ tools scattered across different MCPs, NCP gives it a single, unified interface with code mode execution, scheduling, skills discovery, and custom Photons. Your AI sees just 2-3 simple
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npx mdskills install portel-dev/ncpUnifies multiple MCPs into a single interface with semantic tool discovery and code execution
1[](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@portel/ncp)2[](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@portel/ncp)3[](https://github.com/portel-dev/ncp/releases)4[](https://github.com/portel-dev/ncp/releases/latest)5[](https://www.elastic.co/licensing/elastic-license)6[](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/)78<!-- mcp-name: io.github.portel-dev/ncp -->910<div align="center">1112<img src="./ncp.svg" alt="NCP Logo" width="200" height="200">1314# NCP - Natural Context Provider1516> **1 MCP to rule them all**1718</div>1920Your MCPs, [supercharged](#-supercharged-features). Find any tool instantly, execute with code mode, run on schedule, discover skills, load Photons, ready for any client. Smart loading saves tokens and energy.2122## 💍 **What is NCP?**2324Instead of your AI juggling 50+ tools scattered across different MCPs, NCP gives it a single, unified interface with **code mode execution, scheduling, skills discovery, and custom Photons**.2526Your AI sees just **2-3 simple tools:**27- **`find`** - Search for any tool, skill, or Photon: "I need to read a file" → finds the right tool automatically28- **`code`** - Execute TypeScript directly: `await github.create_issue({...})` (code mode, enabled by default)29- **`run`** - Execute tools individually (when code mode is disabled)3031Behind the scenes, NCP manages all 50+ tools + skills + Photons: routing requests, discovering the right capability, executing code, scheduling tasks, managing health, and caching responses.32333435**Why this matters:**36- Your AI stops analyzing "which tool do I use?" and starts doing actual work37- **Code mode** lets AI write multi-step TypeScript workflows combining tools, skills, and scheduling38- **Skills** provide domain expertise: canvas design, PDF manipulation, document generation, more39- **Photons** enable custom TypeScript MCPs without npm publishing40- **97% fewer tokens burned** on tool confusion (2,500 vs 103,000 for 80 tools)41- **5x faster responses** (sub-second tool selection vs 5-8 seconds)42- **Your AI becomes focused.** Not desperate.4344🚀 **NEW:** Project-level configuration - each project can define its own MCPs automatically4546> **What's MCP?** The [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io) by Anthropic lets AI assistants connect to external tools and data sources. Think of MCPs as "plugins" that give your AI superpowers like file access, web search, databases, and more.4748---4950## 📑 **Quick Navigation**5152- [The Problem](#-the-mcp-paradox-from-assistant-to-desperate) - Why too many tools break your AI53- [The Solution](#-the-before--after-reality) - How NCP transforms your experience54- [Getting Started](#-prerequisites) - Installation & quick start55- [Try It Out](#-test-drive-see-the-difference-yourself) - See the CLI in action56- [Supercharged Features](#-supercharged-features) - How NCP empowers your MCPs57- [Setup by Client](#️-configuration-for-different-ai-clients) - Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, etc.58- [Popular MCPs](#-popular-mcps-that-work-great-with-ncp) - Community favorites to add59- [Advanced Features](#-advanced-features) - Project config, scheduling, remote MCPs60- [Troubleshooting](#-troubleshooting) - Common issues & solutions61- [How It Works](#-deep-dive-how-it-works) - Technical deep dive62- [Contributing](#-contributing) - Help us improve NCP6364---6566## 😤 **The MCP Paradox: From Assistant to Desperate**6768You gave your AI assistant 50 tools to be more capable. Instead, you got desperation:6970- **Paralyzed by choice** ("Should I use `read_file` or `get_file_content`?")71- **Exhausted before starting** ("I've spent my context limit analyzing which tool to use")72- **Costs explode** (50+ tool schemas burn tokens before any real work happens)73- **Asks instead of acts** (used to be decisive, now constantly asks for clarification)7475---7677## 🧸 **Why Too Many Tools Break the System**7879Think about it like this:8081**A child with one toy** → Treasures it, masters it, creates endless games with it82**A child with 50 toys** → Can't hold them all, gets overwhelmed, stops playing entirely8384**Your AI is that child.** MCPs are the toys. More isn't always better.8586The most creative people thrive with **constraints**, not infinite options. A poet given "write about anything" faces writer's block. Given "write a haiku about rain"? Instant inspiration.8788**Your AI is the same.** Give it one perfect tool → Instant action. Give it 50 tools → Cognitive overload. NCP provides just-in-time tool discovery so your AI gets exactly what it needs, when it needs it.8990---9192## 📊 **The Before & After Reality**9394### **Before NCP: Desperate Assistant** 😵💫9596When your AI assistant manages 50 tools directly:9798```99🤖 AI Assistant Context:100├── Filesystem MCP (12 tools) ─ 15,000 tokens101├── Database MCP (8 tools) ─── 12,000 tokens102├── Web Search MCP (6 tools) ── 8,000 tokens103├── Email MCP (15 tools) ───── 18,000 tokens104├── Shell MCP (10 tools) ───── 14,000 tokens105├── GitHub MCP (20 tools) ──── 25,000 tokens106└── Slack MCP (9 tools) ────── 11,000 tokens107108💀 Total: 80 tools = 103,000 tokens of schemas109```110111**What happens:**112- AI burns 50%+ of context just understanding what tools exist113- Spends 5-8 seconds analyzing which tool to use114- Often picks wrong tool due to schema confusion115- Hits context limits mid-conversation116117### **After NCP: Executive Assistant** ✨118119With NCP as Chief of Staff:120121```122🤖 AI Assistant Context:123└── NCP (2 unified tools) ──── 2,500 tokens124125🎯 Behind the scenes: NCP manages all 80 tools126📈 Context saved: 100,500 tokens (97% reduction!)127⚡ Decision time: Sub-second tool selection128🎪 AI behavior: Confident, focused, decisive129```130131**Real results from our testing:**132133| Your MCP Setup | Without NCP | With NCP | Token Savings |134|----------------|-------------|----------|---------------|135| **Small** (5 MCPs, 25 tools) | 15,000 tokens | 8,000 tokens | **47% saved** |136| **Medium** (15 MCPs, 75 tools) | 45,000 tokens | 12,000 tokens | **73% saved** |137| **Large** (30 MCPs, 150 tools) | 90,000 tokens | 15,000 tokens | **83% saved** |138| **Enterprise** (50+ MCPs, 250+ tools) | 150,000 tokens | 20,000 tokens | **87% saved** |139140**Translation:**141- **5x faster responses** (8 seconds → 1.5 seconds)142- **12x longer conversations** before hitting limits143- **90% reduction** in wrong tool selection144- **Zero context exhaustion** in typical sessions145146---147148## 📋 **Prerequisites**149150- **Node.js 18+** ([Download here](https://nodejs.org/))151- **npm** (included with Node.js) or **npx** for running packages152- **Command line access** (Terminal on Mac/Linux, Command Prompt/PowerShell on Windows)153154## 🚀 **Installation**155156Choose your MCP client for setup instructions:157158| Client | Description | Setup Guide |159|--------|-------------|-------------|160| **Claude Desktop** | Anthropic's official desktop app. **Best for NCP** - one-click .dxt install with auto-sync | **[→ Full Guide](docs/clients/claude-desktop.md)** |161| **Claude Code** | Terminal-first AI workflow. Works out of the box! | Built-in support |162| **VS Code** | GitHub Copilot with Agent Mode. Use NCP for semantic tool discovery | **[→ Setup](docs/clients/vscode.md)** |163| **Cursor** | AI-first code editor with Composer. Popular VS Code alternative | **[→ Setup](docs/clients/cursor.md)** |164| **Windsurf** | Codeium's AI-native IDE with Cascade. Built on VS Code | **[→ Setup](docs/clients/windsurf.md)** |165| **Cline** | VS Code extension for AI-assisted development with MCP support | **[→ Setup](docs/clients/cline.md)** |166| **Continue** | VS Code AI assistant with Agent Mode and local LLM support | **[→ Setup](docs/clients/continue.md)** |167| **Want more clients?** | See the full list of MCP-compatible clients and tools | [Official MCP Clients](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers#clients) • [Awesome MCP](https://github.com/punkpeye/awesome-mcp) |168| **Other Clients** | Any MCP-compatible client via npm | [Quick Start ↓](#quick-start-npm) |169170---171172### Quick Start (npm)173174For advanced users or MCP clients not listed above:175176**Step 1: Install NCP**177```bash178npm install -g @portel/ncp179```180181**Step 2: Import existing MCPs (optional)**182```bash183ncp config import # Paste your config JSON when prompted184```185186**Step 3: Configure your MCP client**187188Add to your client's MCP configuration:189```json190{191 "mcpServers": {192 "ncp": {193 "command": "ncp"194 }195 }196}197```198199**✅ Done!** Your AI now sees just 2 tools instead of 50+.200201202203---204205## 🧪 **Test Drive: See the Difference Yourself**206207Want to experience what your AI experiences? NCP has a human-friendly CLI:208209### **🔍 Smart Discovery**210```bash211# Ask like your AI would ask:212ncp find "I need to read a file"213ncp find "help me send an email"214ncp find "search for something online"215```216217218219**Notice:** NCP understands intent, not just keywords. Just like your AI needs.220221### **📋 Ecosystem Overview**222```bash223# See your complete MCP ecosystem:224ncp list --depth 2225226# Get help anytime:227ncp --help228```229230231232### **⚡ Direct Testing**233```bash234# Test any tool safely:235ncp run filesystem read_file --path "/tmp/test.txt"236```237238**Why this matters:** You can debug and test tools directly, just like your AI would use them.239240### **✅ Verify Everything Works**241242```bash243# 1. Check NCP is installed correctly244ncp --version245246# 2. Confirm your MCPs are imported247ncp list248249# 3. Test tool discovery250ncp find "file"251252# 4. Test a simple tool (if you have filesystem MCP)253ncp run filesystem read_file --path "/tmp/test.txt" --dry-run254```255256**✅ Success indicators:**257- NCP shows version number258- `ncp list` shows your imported MCPs259- `ncp find` returns relevant tools260- Your AI client shows only NCP in its tool list261262---263264## 💪 **From Tools to Automation: The Real Power**265266You've seen `find` (discover tools) and `code` (execute TypeScript). Individually, they're useful. **Together with scheduling, they become an automation powerhouse.**267268### A Real Example: The MCP Conference Scraper269270We wanted to stay on top of MCP-related conferences and workshops for an upcoming release. Instead of manually checking websites daily, we asked Claude:271272> "Set up a daily scraper that finds MCP conferences and saves them to a CSV file"273274**What Claude did:**2752761. **Used `code` to write the automation:**277 ```typescript278 // Search the web for MCP conferences279 const results = await web.search({280 query: "Model Context Protocol conference 2025"281 });282283 // Read each result and extract details284 for (const url of results) {285 const content = await web.read({ url });286 // Extract title, deadline, description...287 // Save to ~/.ncp/mcp-conferences.csv288 }289 ```2902912. **Used `schedule` to automate it:**292 ```bash293 ncp schedule create code:run "every day at 9am" \294 --name "MCP Conference Scraper" \295 --catchup-missed296 ```297298**How to set this up yourself:**299300First, install the web photon (provides search and read capabilities):301```bash302# Install from the official photons repo303ncp photon add https://raw.githubusercontent.com/portel-dev/photons/main/web.photon.ts304```305306Then ask Claude to create the scraper - it will use the web photon automatically.307308**What happens now:**309- Every morning at 9am, the scraper runs automatically310- Searches for new MCP events and adds them to the CSV311- If our laptop was closed at 9am, it catches up when we open it312- We wake up to fresh conference data - no manual work313314**The insight:** `find` and `code` let AI write automation. `schedule` makes it run forever. That's the powerhouse.315316---317318## 💡 **Why NCP Transforms Your AI Experience**319320### **🧠 From Desperation to Delegation**321- **Desperate Assistant:** "I see 50 tools... which should I use... let me think..."322- **Executive Assistant:** "I need file access. Done." *(NCP handles the details)*323324### **💰 Massive Token Savings**325- **Before:** 100k+ tokens burned on tool confusion326- **After:** 2.5k tokens for focused execution327- **Result:** 40x token efficiency = 40x longer conversations328329### **🎯 Eliminates Choice Paralysis**330- **Desperate:** AI freezes, picks wrong tool, asks for clarification331- **Executive:** NCP's Chief of Staff finds the RIGHT tool instantly332333### **🚀 Confident Action**334- **Before:** 8-second delays, hesitation, "Which tool should I use?"335- **After:** Instant decisions, immediate execution, zero doubt336337**Bottom line:** Your AI goes from desperate assistant to **executive assistant**.338339---340341## ⚡ **Supercharged Features**342343Here's exactly how NCP empowers your MCPs:344345| Feature | What It Does | Why It Matters |346|---------|-------------|----------------|347| **🔍 Instant Tool Discovery** | Semantic search understands intent ("read a file") not just keywords | Your AI finds the RIGHT tool in <1s instead of analyzing 50 schemas |348| **📦 On-Demand Loading** | MCPs and tools load only when needed, not at startup | Saves 97% of context tokens - AI starts working immediately |349| **⏰ Automated Scheduling** | Run any tool on cron schedules or natural language times | Background automation without keeping AI sessions open |350| **🔌 Universal Compatibility** | Works with Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, and any MCP client | One configuration for all your AI tools - no vendor lock-in |351| **💾 Smart Caching** | Intelligent caching of tool schemas and responses | Eliminates redundant indexing - energy efficient and fast |352353**The result:** Your MCPs go from scattered tools to a **unified, intelligent system** that your AI can actually use effectively.354355---356357## 🛠️ **For Power Users: Manual Setup**358359Prefer to build from scratch? Add MCPs manually:360361```bash362# Add the most popular MCPs:363364# AI reasoning and memory365ncp add sequential-thinking npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking366ncp add memory npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-memory367368# File and development tools369ncp add filesystem npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ~/Documents # Path: directory to access370ncp add github npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-github # No path needed371372# Search and productivity373ncp add brave-search npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-brave-search # No path needed374```375376377378**💡 Pro tip:** Browse [Smithery.ai](https://smithery.ai) (2,200+ MCPs) or [mcp.so](https://mcp.so) to discover tools for your specific needs.379380---381382## 🎯 **Popular MCPs That Work Great with NCP**383384### **🔥 Most Downloaded**385```bash386# Community favorites (download counts from Smithery.ai):387ncp add sequential-thinking npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking # 5,550+ downloads388ncp add memory npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-memory # 4,200+ downloads389ncp add brave-search npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-brave-search # 680+ downloads390```391392### **🛠️ Development Essentials**393```bash394# Popular dev tools:395ncp add filesystem npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ~/code396ncp add github npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-github397ncp add shell npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-shell398```399400### **🌐 Productivity & Integrations**401```bash402# Enterprise favorites:403ncp add gmail npx @mcptools/gmail-mcp404ncp add slack npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-slack405ncp add google-drive npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-gdrive406ncp add postgres npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-postgres407ncp add puppeteer npx @hisma/server-puppeteer408```409410411## 🤖 **Internal MCPs**412413NCP includes powerful internal MCPs that extend functionality beyond external tool orchestration:414415### **Scheduler MCP** - Automate Any Tool416Schedule any MCP tool to run automatically using cron or natural language schedules.417418```bash419# Schedule a daily backup check420ncp run schedule:create --params '{421 "name": "Daily Backup",422 "schedule": "every day at 2am",423 "tool": "filesystem:list_directory",424 "parameters": {"path": "/backups"}425}'426```427428**Features:**429- ✅ Natural language schedules ("every day at 9am", "every monday")430- ✅ Standard cron expressions for advanced control431- ✅ Automatic validation before scheduling432- ✅ Execution history and monitoring433- ✅ Works even when NCP is not running (system cron integration)434435**[→ Full Scheduler Guide](docs/SCHEDULER_USER_GUIDE.md)**436437### **MCP Management MCP** - Install MCPs from AI438Install and configure MCPs dynamically through natural language.439440```bash441# AI can discover and install MCPs for you442ncp find "install mcp"443# Shows: mcp:add, mcp:remove, mcp:list444```445446**Features:**447- ✅ Search and discover MCPs from registries448- ✅ Install MCPs without manual configuration449- ✅ Update and remove MCPs programmatically450- ✅ AI can self-extend with new capabilities451452### **Skills Management MCP** - Extend Claude with Plugins453454Manage Anthropic Agent Skills - modular extensions that add specialized knowledge and tools to Claude.455456```typescript457// Discover skills using vector search458const results = await skills.find({ query: "canvas design" });459460// Install a skill461await skills.add({ skill_name: "canvas-design" });462463// List installed skills464const installed = await skills.list();465466// Read skill resources467const template = await skills.read_resource({468 skill_name: "canvas-design",469 file_path: "resources/templates.md"470});471```472473**Features:**474- ✅ Vector-powered semantic search for skills475- ✅ One-command install from official marketplace476- ✅ Progressive disclosure (metadata → full content → resources)477- ✅ Official Anthropic marketplace integration478- ✅ Custom marketplace support479- ✅ Auto-loading of installed skills480481**[→ Full Skills Guide](./SKILLS.md)**482483### **Analytics MCP** - Visualize Usage & Performance484View usage statistics, token savings, and performance metrics directly in your chat.485486```bash487# View usage overview with ASCII charts488ncp run analytics:overview --params '{"period": 7}'489```490491**Features:**492- ✅ Usage trends and most used tools493- ✅ Token savings analysis (Code-Mode efficiency)494- ✅ Performance metrics (response times, error rates)495- ✅ ASCII-formatted charts for AI consumption496497**Configuration:**498Internal MCPs are disabled by default. Enable in your profile settings:499500```json501{502 "settings": {503 "enable_schedule_mcp": true,504 "enable_mcp_management": true,505 "enable_skills": true,506 "enable_analytics_mcp": true507 }508}509```510511---512513## 🔧 **Advanced Features**514515### **Smart Health Monitoring**516NCP automatically detects broken MCPs and routes around them:517518```bash519ncp list --depth 1 # See health status520ncp config validate # Check configuration health521```522523**🎯 Result:** Your AI never gets stuck on broken tools.524525### **Multi-Profile Organization**526Organize MCPs by project or environment:527528```bash529# Development setup530ncp add --profile dev filesystem npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ~/dev531532# Production setup533ncp add --profile prod database npx production-db-server534535# Use specific profile536ncp --profile dev find "file tools"537```538539### **🚀 Project-Level Configuration**540**New:** Configure MCPs per project with automatic detection - perfect for teams and Cloud IDEs:541542```bash543# In any project directory, create local MCP configuration:544mkdir .ncp545ncp add filesystem npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ./546ncp add github npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-github547548# NCP automatically detects and uses project-local configuration549ncp find "save file" # Uses only project MCPs550```551552**How it works:**553- 📁 **Local `.ncp` directory exists** → Uses project configuration554- 🏠 **No local `.ncp` directory** → Falls back to global `~/.ncp`555- 🎯 **Zero profile management needed** → Everything goes to default `all.json`556557**Perfect for:**558- 🤖 **Claude Code projects** (project-specific MCP tooling)559- 👥 **Team consistency** (ship `.ncp` folder with your repo)560- 🔧 **Project-specific tooling** (each project defines its own MCPs)561- 📦 **Environment isolation** (no global MCP conflicts)562563```bash564# Example project structures:565frontend-app/566 .ncp/profiles/all.json # → playwright, lighthouse, browser-context567 src/568569api-backend/570 .ncp/profiles/all.json # → postgres, redis, docker, kubernetes571 server/572```573574### **HTTP/SSE Transport & Hibernation Support**575576NCP supports both **stdio** (local) and **HTTP/SSE** (remote) MCP servers:577578**Stdio Transport** (Traditional):579```bash580# Local MCP servers running as processes581ncp add filesystem npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ~/Documents582```583584**HTTP/SSE Transport** (Remote):585```json586{587 "mcpServers": {588 "remote-mcp": {589 "url": "https://mcp.example.com/api",590 "auth": {591 "type": "bearer",592 "token": "your-token-here"593 }594 }595 }596}597```598599**OAuth 2.1 with PKCE** (MCP 2025-03-26 spec):600```json601{602 "mcpServers": {603 "oauth-mcp": {604 "url": "https://mcp.example.com/api",605 "auth": {606 "type": "oauth",607 "oauth21": {608 "scopes": ["read", "write"],609 "callbackPort": 9876,610 "clientId": "optional-pre-registered-client-id",611 "clientSecret": "optional-client-secret"612 }613 }614 }615 }616}617```618619**OAuth 2.1 Features:**620- ✅ **PKCE (Proof Key for Code Exchange)** - Required by OAuth 2.1 for security621- ✅ **Dynamic Client Registration (RFC 7591)** - Auto-registers if no clientId provided622- ✅ **Token Storage & Auto-Refresh** - Tokens saved to `~/.ncp/auth/` and refreshed automatically623- ✅ **Browser Authorization Flow** - Opens browser for user consent624- ✅ **Headless Fallback** - Manual code entry for servers/CI environments625- ✅ **Protected Resource Discovery (RFC 9728)** - Auto-discovers OAuth endpoints626627**First-time setup flow:**6281. NCP opens browser to authorization URL6292. You grant permissions6303. Browser redirects to local callback (`http://localhost:9876`)6314. NCP exchanges code for access token (with PKCE)6325. Token saved and refreshed automatically for future requests633634**🔋 Hibernation-Enabled Servers:**635636NCP automatically supports hibernation-enabled MCP servers (like Cloudflare Durable Objects or Metorial):637- **Zero configuration needed** - Hibernation works transparently638- **Automatic wake-up** - Server wakes on demand when NCP makes requests639- **State preservation** - Server state is maintained across hibernation cycles640- **Cost savings** - Only pay when MCPs are actively processing requests641642**How it works:**6431. Server hibernates when idle (consumes zero resources)6442. NCP sends a request → Server wakes instantly6453. Server processes request and responds6464. Server returns to hibernation after idle timeout647648**Perfect for:**649- 💰 **Cost optimization** - Only pay for active processing time650- 🌐 **Cloud-hosted MCPs** - Metorial, Cloudflare Workers, serverless platforms651- ♻️ **Resource efficiency** - No idle server costs652- 🚀 **Scale to zero** - Servers automatically sleep when not needed653654> **Note:** Hibernation is a server-side feature. NCP's standard HTTP/SSE client automatically works with both traditional and hibernation-enabled servers without any special configuration.655656### **Photon Runtime (CLI vs DXT)**657658The TypeScript Photon runtime is enabled by default, but the toggle lives in different places depending on how you run NCP:659660- **CLI / npm installs:** Edit `~/.ncp/settings.json` (or run `ncp config`) and set `enablePhotonRuntime: true` or `false`. You can also override ad‑hoc with `NCP_ENABLE_PHOTON_RUNTIME=true ncp find "photon"`.661- **DXT / client bundles (Claude Desktop, Cursor, etc.):** These builds **ignore** `~/.ncp/settings.json`. Configure photons by setting the env var inside the client config:662663```json664{665 "mcpServers": {666 "ncp": {667 "command": "ncp",668 "env": {669 "NCP_ENABLE_PHOTON_RUNTIME": "true"670 }671 }672 }673}674```675676If you disable the photon runtime, internal MCPs continue to work, but `.photon.ts` files are ignored until you re-enable the flag.677678### **Import from Anywhere**679```bash680# From clipboard (any JSON config)681ncp config import682683# From specific file684ncp config import "~/my-mcp-config.json"685686# From Claude Desktop (auto-detected paths)687ncp config import688```689690---691692## 🛟 **Troubleshooting**693694### **Import Issues**695```bash696# Check what was imported697ncp list698699# Validate health of imported MCPs700ncp config validate701702# See detailed import logs703DEBUG=ncp:* ncp config import704```705706### **AI Not Using Tools**707- **Check connection:** `ncp list` (should show your MCPs)708- **Test discovery:** `ncp find "your query"`709- **Validate config:** Ensure your AI client points to `ncp` command710711### **Performance Issues**712```bash713# Check MCP health (unhealthy MCPs slow everything down)714ncp list --depth 1715716# Clear cache if needed717rm -rf ~/.ncp/cache718719# Monitor with debug logs720DEBUG=ncp:* ncp find "test"721```722723---724725## 🌓 **Why We Built This**726727**Like Yin and Yang, everything relies on the balance of things.**728729**Compute** gives us precision and certainty.730**AI** gives us creativity and probability.731732We believe breakthrough products emerge when you combine these forces in the right ratio.733734**How NCP embodies this balance:**735736| What NCP Does | AI (Creativity) | Compute (Precision) | The Balance |737|---------------|-----------------|---------------------|-------------|738| **Tool Discovery** | Understands "read a file" semantically | Routes to exact tool deterministically | Natural request → Precise execution |739| **Orchestration** | Flexible to your intent | Reliable tool execution | Natural flow → Certain outcomes |740| **Health Monitoring** | Adapts to patterns | Monitors connections, auto-failover | Smart adaptation → Reliable uptime |741742Neither pure AI (too unpredictable) nor pure compute (too rigid).743744Your AI stays creative. NCP handles the precision.745746---747748## 📚 **Deep Dive: How It Works**749750Want the technical details? Token analysis, architecture diagrams, and performance benchmarks:751752📖 **[Read the Technical Guide →](HOW-IT-WORKS.md)**753754Learn about:755- Vector similarity search algorithms756- N-to-1 orchestration architecture757- Real-world token usage comparisons758- Health monitoring and failover systems759760---761762## 🤝 **Contributing**763764Help make NCP even better:765766- 🐛 **Bug reports:** [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/portel-dev/ncp/issues)767- 💡 **Feature requests:** [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/portel-dev/ncp/discussions)768- 🔄 **Pull requests:** [Contributing Guide](CONTRIBUTING.md)769770---771772## 📄 **License**773774Elastic License 2.0 - [Full License](LICENSE)775776**TLDR:** Free for all use including commercial. Cannot be offered as a hosted service to third parties.
Full transparency — inspect the skill content before installing.