Pabal MCP

🚀 MCP server for App Store Connect & Play Console API

Up-to-date ASO workflows exposed as MCP tools. Run it as a stdio MCP server (Claude Code, Cursor, MCP Inspector, etc.) to manage metadata, releases, and store syncs without leaving your AI client.

⚠️ Important Note

Runs 100% locally on your machine, so credentials and cached ASO data never leave your environment (store API calls are made directly from your device).

✨ Features

❌ Without pabal-mcp

• Manual App Store Connect and Google Play Console clicks for every update.
• Copy-paste errors across locales and release notes.
• Repeating the same setup per client or project.

✅ With pabal-mcp

• One MCP server that handles ASO pulls/pushes for both stores.
• Consistent release note updates and version checks from your AI client.
• Reusable, scriptable workflows backed by local cache and config.

📦 Installation

Requirements

• Node.js >= 18
• MCP client: Cursor, Claude Code, VS Code, Windsurf, etc.

💡 Usage Tip

If you repeatedly do ASO/store tasks, add a client rule like "always use pabal-mcp" so the MCP server auto-invokes without typing it every time.

Global install (recommended)

npm install -g pabal-mcp
# or
yarn global add pabal-mcp

Install globally first for fastest starts and to avoid npm download issues (proxy/firewall/offline). You can still use npx -y pabal-mcp, but global install is recommended. After global install, set your MCP config to command: "pabal-mcp" (no npx needed).

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pabal-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "pabal-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

"mcp": {
  "servers": {
    "pabal-mcp": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "pabal-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pabal-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "pabal-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pabal-mcp": {
      "command": "pabal-mcp"
    }
  }
}

🔧 Configure Credentials

1. Create config directory and set permissions:

mkdir -p ~/.config/pabal-mcp
chmod 700 ~/.config/pabal-mcp
open ~/.config/pabal-mcp

2. Create the config file (pre-filled placeholders):

cat <<'EOF' > ~/.config/pabal-mcp/config.json
{
  "dataDir": "/ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/pabal-web",
  "appStore": {
    "issuerId": "xxxx",
    "keyId": "xxxx",
    "privateKeyPath": "./app-store-key.p8"
  },
  "googlePlay": {
    "serviceAccountKeyPath": "./google-play-service-account.json"
  }
}
EOF

Replace the issuerId and keyId placeholders in the next step after you grab your App Store Connect keys. dataDir is the absolute path where raw data pulled from each store is stored (e.g., /ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/pabal-web).

3. Add your credentials to ~/.config/pabal-mcp/:
   • App Store Connect API key:
     • App Store Connect > Users and Access > Keys → "Generate API Key." Use Admin/App Manager, download the .p8 (only downloadable once), and save it as ~/.config/pabal-mcp/app-store-key.p8.
     • Copy the Issuer ID and Key ID from the key details, then update issuerId and keyId in ~/.config/pabal-mcp/config.json with those values.
   • Google Play service account JSON:
     • Google Cloud Manage service accounts → create a service account (name it pabal for clarity) → Create key → JSON.
     • Save the downloaded JSON as ~/.config/pabal-mcp/google-play-service-account.json.
     • Grant Play Console access to that service account email: go to Users and permissions → Invite new user → enter the service account email → choose the ASO apps → enable:
       • View app information and download bulk reports (read-only).
       • Create, edit, and delete drafts of apps.
       • Release to production.
       • Manage device exclusion lists.
       • Use Play App Signing.
       • Manage store presence.
   • Config file shape (after updating your IDs):

   {
     "dataDir": "/ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/pabal-web",
     "appStore": {
       "issuerId": "<your-issuer-id>",
       "keyId": "<your-key-id>",
       "privateKeyPath": "./app-store-key.p8"
     },
     "googlePlay": {
       "serviceAccountKeyPath": "./google-play-service-account.json"
     }
   }
   

4. Pull store data Use apps-init to fetch and auto-register existing apps from the store APIs. This will populate your ~/.config/pabal-mcp/registered-apps.json with the apps available in your stores.
5. Lock file permissions (all files in the config folder):

chmod 600 ~/.config/pabal-mcp/*

This applies to every file under ~/.config/pabal-mcp/; rerun after adding any new credential file.

💻 MCP Tools

• Authentication:
  • auth-check: Check App Store Connect / Google Play authentication.
• App management:
  • apps-init: Fetch apps from the store API and auto-register them (Google Play needs packageName).
  • apps-add: Register a single app by bundleId/packageName.
  • apps-search: Search registered apps.
• ASO data sync:
  • aso-pull: Fetch ASO data to the .aso/ local cache.
  • aso-push: Push ASO data from .aso/ to the stores.
• Release management:
  • release-check-versions: Show the latest versions per store.
  • release-create: Create a new version.
  • release-pull-notes: Pull release notes to the .aso/ cache.
  • release-update-notes: Update release notes/what's new.

🏗️ Development

From source

git clone https://github.com/quartz-labs-dev/pabal-mcp.git
cd pabal-mcp
yarn install
yarn dev:mcp

Testing

Run all tests: npm test

📄 License

MIT

🌐 Pabal Web

Want to manage ASO and SEO together? Check out Pabal Web.

Pabal Web is a Next.js-based web interface that provides a complete solution for unified management of ASO, SEO, Google Search Console indexing, and more.

👉 Visit Pabal Web