Install mcp-remote with Homebrew

Project links

• Homepage
• Package manager page

Commands and aliases

• mcp-remote
• mcp-remote-client

Project history

The repository was created in March 2025, after the MCP authorization specification introduced a secure model for remote MCP servers. The README calls the project a working proof of concept and explains the gap it fills: many clients could launch local stdio servers, while remote HTTP/SSE servers and OAuth flows were not yet uniformly supported.

The project evolved around practical client configuration examples for Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, and similar tools. Later README sections document transport strategies, custom headers, static OAuth metadata, proxy environment support, debug logs, and client-mode troubleshooting.

Adoption history

mcp-remote gained adoption as a one-line `npx` adapter in client configuration files. GitHub metadata showed more than a thousand stars and hundreds of forks by July 2026, and tags indicated continued 0.1.x package iteration.

Its usage is closely tied to the adoption curve for remote MCP servers. As hosted MCP services appeared before every client had native remote OAuth support, mcp-remote gave users a package-level compatibility layer that could be installed or executed on demand.

How it is used

Typical use places `npx mcp-remote https://remote.mcp.server/sse` in the `command` and `args` section of an MCP client configuration. The README documents flags for headers, resource isolation, HTTP allowances, transport order, OAuth callback port, ignored tools, and proxy environment variables.

The tool stores credential information in `~/.mcp-auth` unless `MCP_REMOTE_CONFIG_DIR` points elsewhere. The README also documents a `mcp-remote-client` mode for running an authorization flow from the command line when troubleshooting stale credentials or token refresh problems.

Why package nerds care

mcp-remote is a textbook bridge package: it exists because the protocol moved faster than client feature support. Package managers matter here because users can patch a capability gap with one command in an MCP client config instead of replacing the host application.

The credential cache and OAuth behavior also make it more than a thin transport pipe. For package maintainers and users, it codifies a reusable auth-and-transport shim around remote MCP services while the ecosystem converges on native implementations.

Timeline

• 2025: GitHub repository created for geelen/mcp-remote.
• 2025: README documents MCP authorization support and stdio-to-remote bridging.
• 2025: Client configuration examples cover Claude Desktop, Cursor, and Windsurf.
• 2026: 0.1.x tags and repository activity continue as remote MCP adoption grows.

Related projects

• sparfenyuk/mcp-proxy provides a broader MCP transport bridge without the same OAuth-centered positioning.
• modelcontextprotocol/inspector can test MCP servers and includes transport/debugging tooling.
• The MCP authorization specification is the upstream protocol feature that motivated the project.

Sources

• https://api.github.com/repos/geelen/mcp-remote
• https://api.github.com/repos/geelen/mcp-remote/tags
• https://github.com/geelen/mcp-remote
• https://github.com/geelen/mcp-remote#readme
• https://modelcontextprotocol.io/specification/2025-03-26/basic/authorization