Wait MCP Server

wait-on is a cross platform command line utility and Node.js API which will wait for files, ports, sockets, and http(s) resources to become available

Local serverstdio

What is the Wait MCP server?

wait-on is a cross platform command line utility and Node.js API which will wait for files, ports, sockets, and http(s) resources to become available. The wait mcp server wraps that behind the Model Context Protocol, so an assistant can use it through 14 defined tools rather than through you.

Its toolset

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

  • opts.resources — array of string resources to wait for. prefix determines the type of resource with the default type of file:
  • opts.delay — optional initial delay in ms, default 0
  • opts.interval — optional poll resource interval in ms, default 250ms
  • opts.log — optional flag which outputs to stdout, remaining resources waited on and when complete or errored
  • opts.reverse — optional flag to reverse operation so checks are for resources being NOT available, default false
  • opts.simultaneous — optional count to limit concurrent connections per resource at a time, setting to 1 waits for previous connection to succeed, fail, or timeout before
  • opts.timeout — optional timeout in ms, default Infinity. Aborts with error
  • opts.tcpTimeout — optional tcp timeout in ms, default 300ms
  • opts.verbose — optional flag which outputs debug output, default false
  • opts.window — optional stabilization time in ms, default 750ms. Waits this amount of time for file sizes to stabilize or other resource availability to remain
  • opts.ca — [ /* strings or binaries */ ],
  • opts.cert — [ /* strings or binaries */ ],

Adding it to your client

Installation goes through your MCP client rather than a global install: point it at wait-on on npm and it is fetched when the client starts. The copy-paste blocks for Claude Desktop, Claude Code and Cursor are further down this page.

Configuration

You will need one environment variable: SOCK_PATH. Keep credentials in your client's env block or a secrets manager rather than in a file you might commit.

When to reach for it

Plenty of developer tooling servers cover similar ground. The differences that matter in practice are scope of access and how much setup stands between you and a working tool call. Wait's toolset — opts.resources, opts.delay, opts.interval and 11 more — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by jeffbski; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

SyncDev reviews every entry in this directory against the project's own documentation before publishing, and revisits them as servers change.

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.
  • With 14 tools registered it takes up a noticeable share of the context window; turn it off in projects that never touch Wait.
  • MCP clients confirm each tool call by default. Leave that on until you have watched what the wait mcp server does with a few real requests.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
opts.resourcesarray of string resources to wait for. prefix determines the type of resource with the default type of file:
opts.delayoptional initial delay in ms, default 0
opts.intervaloptional poll resource interval in ms, default 250ms
opts.logoptional flag which outputs to stdout, remaining resources waited on and when complete or errored
opts.reverseoptional flag to reverse operation so checks are for resources being NOT available, default false
opts.simultaneousoptional count to limit concurrent connections per resource at a time, setting to 1 waits for previous connection to succeed, fail, or timeout before sending another, default infinity
opts.timeoutoptional timeout in ms, default Infinity. Aborts with error.
opts.tcpTimeoutoptional tcp timeout in ms, default 300ms
opts.verboseoptional flag which outputs debug output, default false
opts.windowoptional stabilization time in ms, default 750ms. Waits this amount of time for file sizes to stabilize or other resource availability to remain unchanged.
opts.ca[ /* strings or binaries */ ],
opts.cert[ /* strings or binaries */ ],
opts.key[ /* strings or binaries */ ],
opts.passphrase'yourpassphrase',

How to install the Wait MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "wait-1": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "wait-on"],
      "env": {
        "SOCK_PATH": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Add to claude_desktop_config.json, then restart Claude Desktop.

Configuration

VariableDescriptionRequired
SOCK_PATHFilesystem location the server is allowed to use.Optional

Example prompts to try

  • Use Wait to opts.resources.
  • Use Wait to opts.delay.
  • Use Wait to opts.interval.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Wait to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 14 tools (opts.resources, opts.delay, opts.interval, and more) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Wait directly.