Transport Modes

RepoPrompt's app-backed MCP bridge uses local UNIX sockets between the CLI bridge and the main application, with no MCP TCP listener exposed by this path. This describes the local transport, not every action a tool can perform: configured coding runtimes, Oracle, and Context Builder can contact external AI services.

How It Works

When an external client (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.) connects to RepoPrompt, the CLI bridge establishes a secure local socket connection:

1. External client launches repoprompt-mcp via stdio
2. CLI bridge connects to RepoPrompt through a local UNIX socket
3. Messages are forwarded bidirectionally between the client and RepoPrompt
4. Connection carries tool calls for the session; an interruption can require reconnection and context verification

Security

The bridge uses local filesystem-backed IPC and process admission:

• No network exposure: Connections are local-only with no TCP ports opened
• Per-user isolation: Socket directories are user-specific, preventing cross-user access
• Admission checks: New external client processes can require approval before workspace access.
• Session identity: Connections have runtime identities used for admission, routing, and cleanup; these are not substitutes for tool-specific permissions.

Connection Management

Open Status Dashboard in Settings → MCP Server to inspect connection diagnostics. The current source defines controls to:

• View connected clients and their activity
• Terminate a specific client using its row's Terminate this client (CLI will exit) action
• Inspect connection and listener errors before changing configuration

Automatic Reconnection

If RepoPrompt restarts or becomes temporarily unavailable, the bridge or client may reconnect. Re-check the connection's context binding and tool list after interruption. Reconnection does not guarantee that an interrupted edit or Oracle request can be safely replayed; inspect the result or run state before resubmitting work.

Troubleshooting

• Connection refused: Ensure MCP Server is enabled in Settings and RepoPrompt is running
• Approval not appearing: Check that the client is using a compatible version of the CLI
• Unwanted client connection: Inspect its identity in Status Dashboard, then use the row's terminate action if you intend to make that client's CLI exit

tip

Local bridge: No MCP TCP port is opened by this app-backed path. That does not make model execution offline: configured CLI agents, Context Builder, and Oracle consultations may contact external AI services.

Generated Backend Selection

Use the app-generated command and args: ["--backend", "app"] for the UI-backed integration. A direct-headless backend is a separate execution mode; it is not a transport toggle and does not imply the same window context or UI behavior.

The current server UI does not offer Classic's Filesystem transport fallback or a Multi-Window Mode switch. Older configuration structures can contain legacy transport preferences, but they are not instructions to change firewall, VPN, or local-network permissions for this socket bridge.

Window Access and Shared Listener

The listener is shared, while MCP tool access is controlled per window. Disabling a window's tools is different from stopping the listener. Force Stop Listener in Settings shuts down the listener for every window and client; use the per-window access switch when only that window should stop exposing tools.

See Settings & Presets for the controls and Connection Management for context binding and reconnection checks.