# mcp-use review

> mcp-use is a TypeScript framework for building, testing, and shipping MCP servers, ChatGPT apps, and Claude connectors, with a Python version too.

Devtoolwatch Board, the week of Oct 25–31, 2026. Canonical page: https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/mcp-use/

## TL;DR

mcp-use is an open-source framework for building MCP servers and MCP Apps for ChatGPT and Claude. It targets TypeScript developers, and a Python package covers servers, clients, and agents. It sets itself apart with typed Zod tool schemas, React Views bound to tools, a built-in Inspector, tunneling, and a View screenshot CLI.

## mcp-use at a glance

- **Category:** [MCP and agent tools](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/categories/mcp-servers/)
- **Maintained by:** Manufact (organization, [@mcp-use](https://github.com/mcp-use) on GitHub)
- **License:** MIT
- **Language:** TypeScript, Python, JavaScript
- **Repository:** [github.com/mcp-use/mcp-use](https://github.com/mcp-use/mcp-use)
- **Website:** [manufact.com](https://manufact.com)
- **npm package:** [mcp-use](https://www.npmjs.com/package/mcp-use) 2.11.2
- **PyPI package:** [mcp-use](https://pypi.org/project/mcp-use/) 1.7.1
- **Latest release:** [mcp-use@2.11.2](https://github.com/mcp-use/mcp-use/releases/tag/mcp-use%402.11.2) on GitHub, Oct 21, 2026
- **First published:** Mar 28, 2025

## What mcp-use does

- mcp-use defines MCP tools with Zod input and output schemas, and those types flow to structured results, View props, and tool calls.
- mcp-use binds React Views to tools, so you can ship interactive apps inside ChatGPT without custom extension wiring.
- mcp-use includes an Inspector at /mcp/inspector for invoking tools, validating inputs, and viewing interactive Views during development.
- mcp-use can open a tunnel that gives a local MCP server a public URL for testing with ChatGPT and Claude.
- mcp-use provides a client CLI that lists and calls tools headlessly and captures View screenshots from the terminal.
- mcp-use offers packages for MCP clients in Node.js, browsers, and React, plus model-powered agents built on MCP clients.

### How it works

mcp-use builds on the official TypeScript SDK v2. You scaffold a project with create-mcp-use-app and define tools in index.ts. Views go in views/<name>/view.tsx. Development mode serves the MCP endpoint at localhost:3000/mcp. You can deploy to Manufact with npm run deploy or follow the self-hosting guide.

## How to install mcp-use

**Scaffold a new project**

```
npx -y create-mcp-use-app@latest
```

**Add the client CLI**

```
npm install --save-dev @mcp-use/client
```

### Requirements

- Node.js >=22.22.2 for the npm package
- Python >=3.11 for the Python package

### First steps

1. Run npx -y create-mcp-use-app@latest to scaffold a server with TypeScript config, dev scripts, Inspector, and a React view pipeline.
2. Run npm run dev in the generated project to serve the MCP endpoint at http://localhost:3000/mcp.
3. Open http://localhost:3000/mcp/inspector to invoke tools and inspect Views.
4. Run npm run build for a production build, then npm run deploy to ship to Manufact.

## Who mcp-use is for

- TypeScript developers building MCP Apps with interactive UI for ChatGPT and Claude
- Teams that want typed tool-to-UI contracts and built-in debugging for MCP servers
- Developers who drive scaffolding, inspection, and deployment through a coding agent

### Limitations

- mcp-use v2 changed enough that v1 projects need a migration following the official guide.
- mcp-use requires a recent Node.js release, version 22.22.2 or later.
- The README focuses on TypeScript, and Python is offered as a separate package.

## Usage data (the week of Oct 25–31, 2026)

- Board rank: #325 overall, #50 in MCP and agent tools, momentum score 27
- Downloads that week: 61.8k (+7% vs 4-week average)
- New GitHub stars per week (last 12 weeks): Aug 9: 32; Aug 16: 33; Aug 23: 28; Aug 30: 49; Sep 6: 33; Sep 13: 44; Sep 20: 28; Sep 27: 47; Oct 4: 34; Oct 11: 39; Oct 18: 32; Oct 25: 26

## mcp-use alternatives

| Rank | Tool | Stars | Downloads/wk |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | [REA](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/morluto-rea/) | 415.5k | 760.6k |
| #2 | [ha-mcp](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/homeassistant-ai-ha-mcp/) | 5.4k | 118.1k |
| #3 | [Treg](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/superdesigndev-treg/) | 6.9k | 6.7k |
| #4 | [Chrome DevTools MCP](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/chrome-devtools-mcp/) | 54.6k | 2.7M |
| #5 | [codebase-memory-mcp](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/deusdata-codebase-memory-mcp/) | 47.9k | – |
| #6 | [open-computer-use](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/ifuryst-open-computer-use/) | 2.8k | – |

## mcp-use FAQ

### Is mcp-use free and open source?

Yes. mcp-use's source code is on GitHub (mcp-use/mcp-use) under the MIT license, so you can use it for free. Its website also links to a pricing page (https://manufact.com/pricing) for any paid plans.

### How do I install mcp-use?

Run `npx -y create-mcp-use-app@latest`. It needs Node.js >=22.22.2. The install section above has the other options from the project's README.

### Is mcp-use still maintained?

Yes. The mcp-use/mcp-use repository was last updated on Oct 22, 2026, and the latest release, mcp-use@2.11.2 on GitHub, came out on Oct 21, 2026.

### How popular is mcp-use?

mcp-use has 10.8k GitHub stars as of Nov 1, 2026. It gained 26 new stars in the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, against a 12-week average of 35 a week. Its main package had about 61.8k downloads that week, +7% against its own 4-week average. That made it #50 among MCP servers and agent tools on the Devtoolwatch Board.

### What are the best alternatives to mcp-use?

Other MCP servers and agent tools on the Devtoolwatch Board in the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, by momentum: REA (#1), ha-mcp (#2), Treg (#3), Chrome DevTools MCP (#4), codebase-memory-mcp (#5). The alternatives table above has their numbers.

### What is mcp-use built on?

mcp-use builds on the official TypeScript MCP SDK v2. It adds Views, typed tool-to-UI contracts, a stateless runtime, the Inspector, screenshot verification, agent-first CLI workflows, and deployment.

### Can I test a local mcp-use server in ChatGPT or Claude?

Yes. mcp-use can expose a local server publicly so you can test it with ChatGPT and Claude before deployment. Start a tunnel from the Inspector UI or run mcp-use dev --tunnel.

### Do I have to deploy mcp-use servers to Manufact?

No. mcp-use servers can deploy to Manufact with npm run deploy, but the README also links a self-hosting guide.

### Does mcp-use support Python?

Yes. mcp-use has a Python package on PyPI for building MCP servers, clients, and agents. It requires Python 3.11 or later.

### How do I add a UI View to an mcp-use tool?

In mcp-use, create views/<name>/view.tsx, where the directory name matches view.name on the tool. Then use hooks such as useToolContext and useCallTool from mcp-use/react.

## Sources

1. [mcp-use/mcp-use on GitHub](https://github.com/mcp-use/mcp-use)
2. [mcp-use README](https://github.com/mcp-use/mcp-use/blob/main/README.md)
3. [mcp-use on npm](https://www.npmjs.com/package/mcp-use)
4. [mcp-use on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/mcp-use/)
5. [mcp-use website](https://manufact.com)
6. [Release mcp-use@2.12.0-canary.1 (Oct 22, 2026)](https://github.com/mcp-use/mcp-use/releases/tag/mcp-use%402.12.0-canary.1)
7. [Release @mcp-use/inspector@20.3.25-canary.1 (Oct 22, 2026)](https://github.com/mcp-use/mcp-use/releases/tag/%40mcp-use/inspector%4020.3.25-canary.1)
8. [Release mcp-use@2.11.3-canary.0 (Oct 21, 2026)](https://github.com/mcp-use/mcp-use/releases/tag/mcp-use%402.11.3-canary.0)
9. [Hacker News: Show HN: Mcp-use – Connect any LLM to any MCP](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44747229)
10. [Hacker News: Launch HN: Manufact (YC S25) – MCP Cloud](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48762862)
11. [Hacker News: Show HN: mcp-use v2 rebuilt from scratch for stateless 2026-07-28 MCP spec](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49198472)
12. [Devtoolwatch Board, the week of Oct 25–31, 2026](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/)