Signalk MCP Server

MCP server for SignalK marine data integration

Local serverstdioTypeScript

What is the Signalk MCP server?

Signalk mcp server lets Claude, Cursor and other MCP clients work with Signalk directly. MCP server for SignalK marine data integration.

What Signalk does

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides AI agents with efficient access to SignalK marine data using code execution in V8 isolates. This approach reduces token usage by 90-96% compared to traditional MCP tools.

Key capabilities

  • Vessel state queries: 94% reduction (2,000 → 120 tokens)
  • AIS target filtering: 95% reduction (10,000 → 500 tokens)
  • Multi-call workflows: 97% reduction (13,000 → 300 tokens)

Tools it exposes

Once connected, the assistant can call these 5 tools directly:

  • Installation — The Installation tool exposed by this server
  • Prerequisites — The Prerequisites tool exposed by this server
  • Setup — The Setup tool exposed by this server
  • Testing — The Testing tool exposed by this server
  • Security — The Security tool exposed by this server

Installing the signalk mcp server

The server is distributed via npm as signalk-mcp-server, so most clients can run it without a manual build step. Add it to your MCP client's configuration and restart the client to pick it up — the copy-paste configs for Claude Desktop, Claude Code and Cursor are on this page.

Configuration

The server reads 4 environment variables: SIGNALK_HOST, SIGNALK_PORT, SIGNALK_TLS, EXECUTION_MODE. Keep credentials in your client's env block or a secrets manager rather than committing them.

Requirements

  • Node.js 18.0.0 or higher - Access to a SignalK server

Where it fits

Developer-tool servers are usually the first ones people connect, because they turn "help me with this code" into an assistant that can actually read the repo and act on it. Signalk sits in that group, and the shape of its toolset — Installation, Prerequisites, Setup among others — tells you what it is really for. Worth comparing against the other developer tools servers in this directory before you commit to one, since several overlap in scope but differ sharply in setup cost and permissions.

Practical notes

  • This server runs locally, so it operates with whatever access your machine and its credentials already have. Scope that deliberately rather than by default.
  • Maintained by tonybentley, written in TypeScript.
  • MCP clients ask for confirmation before each tool call by default. Keep that on while you learn what the signalk mcp server actually does with your data.
  • Every entry in this directory is reviewed by hand before it goes live, and details are checked against the project's own documentation.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
InstallationThe Installation tool exposed by this server.
PrerequisitesThe Prerequisites tool exposed by this server.
SetupThe Setup tool exposed by this server.
TestingThe Testing tool exposed by this server.
SecurityThe Security tool exposed by this server.

How to install the Signalk MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "signalk": {
      "env": {
        "EXECUTION_MODE": "tools"
      }
    }
  }
}

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

Configuration

  • Node.js 18.0.0 or higher - Access to a SignalK server
VariableDescriptionRequired
SIGNALK_HOSTEndpoint or connection string the server talks to.Optional
SIGNALK_PORTConfiguration value read at startup.Optional
SIGNALK_TLSConfiguration value read at startup.Optional
EXECUTION_MODEConfiguration value read at startup.Optional

Example prompts to try

  • Use Signalk to Installation.
  • Use Signalk to Prerequisites.
  • Use Signalk to Setup.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Signalk to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 5 tools (Installation, Prerequisites, Setup, and more) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Signalk directly.