Switchbot MCP Server

Modern SwitchBot MCP server with stdio and Streamable HTTP transports

Local serverstdio

What is the Switchbot MCP MCP server?

Modern SwitchBot MCP server with stdio and Streamable HTTP transports. The switchbot mcp mcp server wraps that behind the Model Context Protocol, so an assistant can use it through 4 defined tools rather than through you.

What it actually does

The source repository is public, but v3 is not yet published to npm or the official MCP Registry. The npm, npx, and one-click commands in this README become usable only after the first release tracked in Issue #7. Build from source for current evaluation.

  • v3.0.0 on the Node.js 24 LTS platform
  • MCP SDK v2 with explicit MCP 2026-07-28 protocol negotiation coverage
  • Native fetch with strict upstream response validation
  • Layered architecture (SwitchBot client / MCP tools / transports)
  • stdio and Streamable HTTP transports
  • API key required for HTTP transport

Its toolset

Everything the assistant can do here goes through one of these:

  • Read — only checks (list_devices and list_scenes)
  • Required — The Required tool exposed by this server
  • Transport — HTTP requests with an Origin header must use a hostname from the same allowlist as the Host header. Localhost and the configured bind host are
  • Runtime — The Runtime tool exposed by this server

Configuration

You will need 8 environment variables: SWITCHBOT_TOKEN, SWITCHBOT_SECRET, MCP_TRANSPORT, YOUR_SWITCHBOT_TOKEN, YOUR_SWITCHBOT_SECRET, MCP_SERVER_API_KEY, MCP_HTTP_HOST, MCP_HTTP_PATH. The server will not start without them, which is usually why the tools fail to appear on a first run. Keep credentials in your client's env block or a secrets manager rather than in a file you might commit.

  • Node.js 24.15+ - SwitchBot Open API token and secret

Adding it to your client

The server ships on npm as @genm-dev/switchbot-mcp, so your MCP client can launch it on demand — there is no separate build step. Add the server block to your client's configuration, restart it, and the tools register themselves.

When to reach for it

Among the developer tooling options, the useful question is rarely "what can it do" but "what does it cost you to run" — permissions, credentials, and how much of your context its toolset consumes. Switchbot MCP's toolset — Read, Required, Transport and 1 more — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by genm; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

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

Caveats

  • 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.
  • Missing credentials fail quietly in some clients — if no tools show up, check the environment block first.
  • MCP clients confirm each tool call by default. Leave that on until you have watched what the switchbot mcp mcp server does with a few real requests.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
Readonly checks (list_devices and list_scenes)
RequiredThe Required tool exposed by this server.
TransportHTTP requests with an Origin header must use a hostname from the same allowlist as the Host header. Localhost and the configured bind host are included automatically. Add reverse-proxy hostnames explicitly; malformed or
RuntimeThe Runtime tool exposed by this server.

How to install the Switchbot MCP MCP server

### Claude Desktop

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "switchbot": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@genm-dev/switchbot-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "SWITCHBOT_TOKEN": "YOUR_SWITCHBOT_TOKEN",
        "SWITCHBOT_SECRET": "YOUR_SWITCHBOT_SECRET",
        "MCP_TRANSPORT": "stdio"
      }
    }
  }
}

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

Configuration

  • Node.js 24.15+ - SwitchBot Open API token and secret
VariableDescriptionRequired
SWITCHBOT_TOKENCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
SWITCHBOT_SECRETCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
MCP_TRANSPORTConfiguration value read at startup.Optional
YOUR_SWITCHBOT_TOKENCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
YOUR_SWITCHBOT_SECRETCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
MCP_SERVER_API_KEYCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
MCP_HTTP_HOSTEndpoint or connection string the server talks to.Optional
MCP_HTTP_PATHFilesystem location the server is allowed to use.Optional

Example prompts to try

  • Use Switchbot MCP to Read.
  • Use Switchbot MCP to Required.
  • Use Switchbot MCP to Transport.

Frequently asked questions

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