Shift MCP Server

Lightweight coordination layer for multiple AI agents working on the same codebase simultaneously.

Local serverstdio

What is the Shift MCP server?

Connect Shift to Claude, Cursor or any other MCP client and it stops being a tab you switch to. Lightweight coordination layer for multiple AI agents working on the same codebase simultaneously. The shift mcp server is what makes that connection.

What the server does

  • Declarative tool definitions — single file per tool, framework handles registration and validation
  • Unified error handling across all tools
  • Structured logging with request-scoped context
  • Runs locally (stdio/HTTP) from the same codebase
  • In-memory worker session store — no database, no filesystem writes, clears on restart
  • Coordination protocol injected on every check-in so agents know how to behave

Available tools

The toolset is worth reading before you wire it up, because it tells you what the integration is really for:

  • shift_check_in — Register or update a worker session. Returns worker ID, coordination instructions, and active peers
  • shift_check_out — End a working session. Removes from active worker list
  • Prerequisites — The Prerequisites tool exposed by this server
  • Installation — The Installation tool exposed by this server

Credentials and setup notes

Configuration is passed through the environment: MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE, MCP_HTTP_HOST. Treat anything key-shaped as a real credential — scope it to the minimum the server needs, and rotate it if it ever lands in a shared config.

Installation

Setup follows the usual MCP pattern — install or clone the server, register it in your client's configuration file, restart the client. The configuration blocks on this page cover the common clients.

Where it fits

This sits in the database access group, where several servers overlap in what they claim to do but differ sharply once you actually set them up. Shift's toolset — shift_check_in, shift_check_out, Prerequisites and 1 more — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by cyanheads; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

This entry was verified against Shift's own documentation before publication; SyncDev keeps the directory reviewed rather than auto-generated.

Worth knowing first

  • It runs with your machine's permissions. That is convenient and also the reason to think about what you point it at before you approve a tool call.
  • Keep per-call confirmation enabled while you learn its behaviour; it is the cheapest safeguard you have.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
shift_check_inRegister or update a worker session. Returns worker ID, coordination instructions, and active peers.
shift_check_outEnd a working session. Removes from active worker list.
PrerequisitesThe Prerequisites tool exposed by this server.
InstallationThe Installation tool exposed by this server.

How to install the Shift MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "shift": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "bunx",
      "args": ["@cyanheads/shift-mcp-server@latest"],
      "env": {
        "MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE": "stdio"
      }
    }
  }
}

Configuration as documented by the project. Restart the client after saving.

Configuration

VariableDescriptionRequired
MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPEConfiguration value read at startup.Optional
MCP_HTTP_HOSTEndpoint or connection string the server talks to.Optional

Example prompts to try

  • Use Shift to shift check in.
  • Use Shift to shift check out.
  • Use Shift to Prerequisites.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Shift to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 4 tools (shift_check_in, shift_check_out, Prerequisites, and more) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Shift directly.