Ncp

🚀 NCP - Natural Context Provider

NCP is a powerful tool that transforms multiple scattered MCP servers into a single intelligent orchestrator. It simplifies the tool selection process for AI, enhancing its focus, efficiency, and cost - effectiveness.

✨ Features

The MCP Paradox

Adding more MCPs to AI can lead to reduced productivity, including issues like the AI picking wrong tools, early session endings, cost explosions, and indecisiveness.

Why Too Many Tools Are a Problem

Just like a child with too many toys or a person at a large buffet, an AI with too many MCPs can experience cognitive overload. Constraints can spark creativity in both humans and AI.

The Before & After Reality

• Before NCP: AI faces a tool schema explosion, with high token consumption, long decision - making times, and a high rate of wrong tool selection.
• After NCP: AI benefits from unified intelligence, with significant token savings, faster tool selection, and longer conversations.

Key Advantages

• Restores AI Focus: Helps AI quickly select the right tool.
• Massive Token Savings: Reduces token consumption by up to 40x.
• Eliminates Tool Confusion: Uses a semantic engine to find the appropriate tool.
• Faster, Smarter Responses: Enables instant tool selection and immediate action.

📦 Installation

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+ (Download here)
• npm (included with Node.js) or npx for running packages
• Command line access (Terminal on Mac/Linux, Command Prompt/PowerShell on Windows)

2 - Minute Setup for Existing MCP Users

Step 1: Import Your Existing MCPs ⚡

# Install NCP globally (recommended)
npm install -g @portel/ncp

# Copy your claude_desktop_config.json content to clipboard:
# 1. Open your claude_desktop_config.json file (see locations above)
# 2. Select all content (Ctrl+A / Cmd+A) and copy (Ctrl+C / Cmd+C)
# 3. Then run:
ncp config import

# ✨ Magic! NCP auto - detects and imports ALL your MCPs from clipboard

Note: All commands below assume global installation (npm install -g). For npx usage, see the Alternative Installation section.

Step 2: Connect NCP to Your AI 🔗

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ncp": {
      "command": "ncp"
    }
  }
}

Step 3: Watch the Magic ✨

Your AI now sees just 2 simple tools instead of 50+ complex ones.

Alternative Installation with npx

# Import MCPs
npx @portel/ncp config import

# Add MCPs
npx @portel/ncp add filesystem npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ~/Documents

# Find tools
npx @portel/ncp find "file operations"

# Configure client (example: Claude Desktop)
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ncp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@portel/ncp"]
    }
  }
}

💻 Usage Examples

Test Drive: See the Difference Yourself

Smart Discovery

# Ask like your AI would ask:
ncp find "I need to read a file"
ncp find "help me send an email"
ncp find "search for something online"

Ecosystem Overview

# See your complete MCP ecosystem:
ncp list --depth 2

# Get help anytime:
ncp --help

Direct Testing

# Test any tool safely:
ncp run filesystem:read_file --params '{"path": "/tmp/test.txt"}'

Verify Everything Works

# 1. Check NCP is installed correctly
ncp --version

# 2. Confirm your MCPs are imported
ncp list

# 3. Test tool discovery
ncp find "file"

# 4. Test a simple tool (if you have filesystem MCP)
ncp run filesystem:read_file --params '{"path": "/tmp/test.txt"}' --dry - run

📚 Documentation

For Power Users: Manual Setup

# Add the most popular MCPs:

# AI reasoning and memory
ncp add sequential - thinking npx @modelcontextprotocol/server - sequential - thinking
ncp add memory npx @modelcontextprotocol/server - memory

# File and development tools
ncp add filesystem npx @modelcontextprotocol/server - filesystem ~/Documents  # Path: directory to access
ncp add github npx @modelcontextprotocol/server - github                       # No path needed

# Search and productivity
ncp add brave - search npx @modelcontextprotocol/server - brave - search           # No path needed

Popular MCPs That Work Great with NCP

Most Downloaded

# Community favorites (download counts from Smithery.ai):
ncp add sequential - thinking npx @modelcontextprotocol/server - sequential - thinking  # 5,550+ downloads
ncp add memory npx @modelcontextprotocol/server - memory                            # 4,200+ downloads
ncp add brave - search npx @modelcontextprotocol/server - brave - search                # 680+ downloads

Development Essentials

# Popular dev tools:
ncp add filesystem npx @modelcontextprotocol/server - filesystem ~/code
ncp add github npx @modelcontextprotocol/server - github
ncp add shell npx @modelcontextprotocol/server - shell

Productivity & Integrations

# Enterprise favorites:
ncp add gmail npx @mcptools/gmail - mcp
ncp add slack npx @modelcontextprotocol/server - slack
ncp add google - drive npx @modelcontextprotocol/server - gdrive
ncp add postgres npx @modelcontextprotocol/server - postgres
ncp add puppeteer npx @hisma/server - puppeteer

Configuration for Different AI Clients

Claude Desktop

Replace your entire claude_desktop_config.json with:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ncp": {
      "command": "ncp"
    }
  }
}

Claude Code

ncp add <your - mcps>

VS Code with GitHub Copilot

Add to your VS Code settings.json:

{
  "mcp.servers": {
    "ncp": {
      "command": "ncp"
    }
  }
}

Cursor IDE

{
  "mcp": {
    "servers": {
      "ncp": {
        "command": "ncp"
      }
    }
  }
}

Advanced Features

Smart Health Monitoring

ncp list --depth 1    # See health status
ncp config validate   # Check configuration health

Multi - Profile Organization

# Development setup
ncp add --profile dev filesystem npx @modelcontextprotocol/server - filesystem ~/dev

# Production setup
ncp add --profile prod database npx production - db - server

# Use specific profile
ncp --profile dev find "file tools"

Project - Level Configuration

# In any project directory, create local MCP configuration:
mkdir .ncp
ncp add filesystem npx @modelcontextprotocol/server - filesystem ./
ncp add github npx @modelcontextprotocol/server - github

# NCP automatically detects and uses project - local configuration
ncp find "save file"  # Uses only project MCPs

Import from Anywhere

# From clipboard (any JSON config)
ncp config import

# From specific file
ncp config import "~/my - mcp - config.json"

# From Claude Desktop (auto - detected paths)
ncp config import

🔧 Technical Details

📖 Read the Technical Guide → Learn about vector similarity search algorithms, N - to - 1 orchestration architecture, real - world token usage comparisons, and health monitoring and failover systems.

🛟 Troubleshooting

Import Issues

# Check what was imported
ncp list

# Validate health of imported MCPs
ncp config validate

# See detailed import logs
DEBUG=ncp:* ncp config import

AI Not Using Tools

• Check connection: ncp list (should show your MCPs)
• Test discovery: ncp find "your query"
• Validate config: Ensure your AI client points to ncp command

Performance Issues

# Check MCP health (unhealthy MCPs slow everything down)
ncp list --depth 1

# Clear cache if needed
rm -rf ~/.ncp/cache

# Monitor with debug logs
DEBUG=ncp:* ncp find "test"

🤝 Contributing

• 🐛 Bug reports: GitHub Issues
• 💡 Feature requests: GitHub Discussions
• 🔄 Pull requests: Contributing Guide

📄 License

Elastic License 2.0 - Full License TLDR: Free for all use including commercial. Cannot be offered as a hosted service to third parties.