# Kin MCP server

> Query a graph-native code repository of functions, types and their relationships from your AI coding agent.

- Listing: https://mcp.tc/i/kin
- Connect: this is a local (stdio) server; install it on your machine (see Install). The listing link is a page, not an MCP endpoint.
- Type: local (stdio)
- Auth: no API key needed
- Category: [Developer Tools](https://mcp.tc/c/developer-tools)
- Vendor: firelock-ai
- Homepage: <https://kinlab.ai>
- Repository: <https://github.com/firelock-ai/kin>
- Package: npm `@kinlab/kin`

## About

Kin is an open-source code repository that stores source, recorded code relationships and versioned history together as a graph. Its MCP server lets agents such as Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and Gemini query the same graph as the CLI, for example to look up callers of a function or explore related code before changing it.

It runs locally over stdio, started with npx from the @kinlab/kin package. Node.js 20 or newer is required. Kin must first be initialized in a repository with kin init. No API key is listed. Semantic search uses a local model of about 523 MB that is downloaded after confirmation. The project is in public beta.

## What it can do

- Locate entities in a repository by name or semantic search
- Find recorded references and callers of a function or type
- Trace nearby context for a symbol
- Explore the potential impact of a change through the graph
- Run advisory review reports on a commit range
- Work from the same graph as the Kin CLI

## Example prompts

- "Find all recorded callers of parseConfig before I change it"
- "What code is affected if I modify the User type?"
- "Locate the function that handles retry logic in this repo"
- "Review the changes between main and HEAD for impact"

## Install

### Claude Code

1. Run this in a terminal, in your project folder:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport stdio kin -- npx -y @kinlab/kin
```

2. Start Claude Code and type `/mcp`. **kin** should show as connected.

Add `--scope user` to make it available in every project.

### Claude Desktop

1. Open **Settings → Developer → Edit Config**. It opens `claude_desktop_config.json`. Add:

`claude_desktop_config.json`:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kin": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@kinlab/kin"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

2. Save the file and restart Claude Desktop.

Needs Node.js on your computer. The file lives in `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/` on macOS and `%APPDATA%\Claude\` on Windows.

### Cursor

[Add to Cursor](<https://cursor.com/install-mcp?name=kin&config=eyJjb21tYW5kIjoibnB4IiwiYXJncyI6WyIteSIsIkBraW5sYWIva2luIl19>) (opens Cursor)

Or add it by hand to `~/.cursor/mcp.json` (all projects) or `.cursor/mcp.json` (this project):

`mcp.json`:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kin": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@kinlab/kin"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

Needs Node.js on your computer.

### VS Code

[Install in VS Code](<https://vscode.dev/redirect/mcp/install?name=kin&config=%7B%22type%22%3A%22stdio%22%2C%22command%22%3A%22npx%22%2C%22args%22%3A%5B%22-y%22%2C%22%40kinlab%2Fkin%22%5D%7D>) (opens VS Code)

Or from a terminal:

```bash
code --add-mcp '{"name":"kin","type":"stdio","command":"npx","args":["-y","@kinlab/kin"]}'
```

Or commit it to the repo in `.vscode/mcp.json`:

`.vscode/mcp.json`:

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "kin": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@kinlab/kin"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

Needs Node.js on your computer.

### Devin Desktop

1. Add it to `~/.config/devin/mcp_config.json` (macOS and Linux) or `%APPDATA%\devin\mcp_config.json` (Windows):

`mcp_config.json`:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kin": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@kinlab/kin"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

2. Refresh the MCP server list in Cascade.

Devin Desktop is the new name for Windsurf.

### Codex

```bash
codex mcp add kin -- npx -y @kinlab/kin
```

Or edit `~/.codex/config.toml` directly:

`config.toml`:

```toml
[mcp_servers.kin]
command = "npx"
args = ["-y", "@kinlab/kin"]
```

Needs Node.js on your computer.

### Gemini CLI

```bash
gemini mcp add kin npx -- -y @kinlab/kin
```

This adds it to the current project. Add `-s user` to use it everywhere.

### Any client

Most clients that start local servers accept this shape:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kin": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@kinlab/kin"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

Zed puts servers under `context_servers` in its settings, with the same `command`, `args` and `env` fields.

Needs Node.js on your computer.

## Details

- Server version: 0.8.1
- Last checked: 2026-10-04
- Listed: 2026-10-04
- Updated: 2026-10-04

---
Source: https://mcp.tc/i/kin (mcp.tc is an independent directory, not affiliated with this server's publisher). Corrections: https://mcp.tc/report