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Sequential Thinking MCP Server

by cmarin
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JavaScript
Hybrid

Sequential Thinking MCP Server

An MCP server implementation that provides a tool for dynamic and reflective problem-solving through a structured thinking process.

Features

  • Break down complex problems into manageable steps

  • Revise and refine thoughts as understanding deepens

  • Branch into alternative paths of reasoning

  • Adjust the total number of thoughts dynamically

  • Generate and verify solution hypotheses

Related MCP server: CRASH - Cascaded Reasoning with Adaptive Step Handling

Tool

sequential_thinking

Facilitates a detailed, step-by-step thinking process for problem-solving and analysis.

Inputs:

  • thought (string): The current thinking step

  • nextThoughtNeeded (boolean): Whether another thought step is needed

  • thoughtNumber (integer): Current thought number

  • totalThoughts (integer): Estimated total thoughts needed

  • isRevision (boolean, optional): Whether this revises previous thinking

  • revisesThought (integer, optional): Which thought is being reconsidered

  • branchFromThought (integer, optional): Branching point thought number

  • branchId (string, optional): Branch identifier

  • needsMoreThoughts (boolean, optional): If more thoughts are needed

Usage

The Sequential Thinking tool is designed for:

  • Breaking down complex problems into steps

  • Planning and design with room for revision

  • Analysis that might need course correction

  • Problems where the full scope might not be clear initially

  • Tasks that need to maintain context over multiple steps

  • Situations where irrelevant information needs to be filtered out

Configuration

Usage with Claude Desktop

Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json:

npx

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sequential-thinking": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking"
      ]
    }
  }
}

docker

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sequentialthinking": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--rm",
        "-i",
        "mcp/sequentialthinking"
      ]
    }
  }
}

To disable logging of thought information set env var: DISABLE_THOUGHT_LOGGING to true. Comment

Usage with VS Code

For quick installation, click one of the installation buttons below...

Install with NPX in VS Code Install with NPX in VS Code Insiders

Install with Docker in VS Code Install with Docker in VS Code Insiders

For manual installation, you can configure the MCP server using one of these methods:

Method 1: User Configuration (Recommended) Add the configuration to your user-level MCP configuration file. Open the Command Palette (Ctrl + Shift + P) and run MCP: Open User Configuration. This will open your user mcp.json file where you can add the server configuration.

Method 2: Workspace Configuration Alternatively, you can add the configuration to a file called .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace. This will allow you to share the configuration with others.

For more details about MCP configuration in VS Code, see the official VS Code MCP documentation.

For NPX installation:

{
  "servers": {
    "sequential-thinking": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking"
      ]
    }
  }
}

For Docker installation:

{
  "servers": {
    "sequential-thinking": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--rm",
        "-i",
        "mcp/sequentialthinking"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Building

Docker:

docker build -t mcp/sequentialthinking -f src/sequentialthinking/Dockerfile .

License

This MCP server is licensed under the MIT License. This means you are free to use, modify, and distribute the software, subject to the terms and conditions of the MIT License. For more details, please see the LICENSE file in the project repository.

Available Tools

1 tool
sequentialthinkingA

A detailed tool for dynamic and reflective problem-solving through thoughts. This tool helps analyze problems through a flexible thinking process that can adapt and evolve. Each thought can build on, question, or revise previous insights as understanding deepens.

When to use this tool:

  • Breaking down complex problems into steps

  • Planning and design with room for revision

  • Analysis that might need course correction

  • Problems where the full scope might not be clear initially

  • Problems that require a multi-step solution

  • Tasks that need to maintain context over multiple steps

  • Situations where irrelevant information needs to be filtered out

Key features:

  • You can adjust total_thoughts up or down as you progress

  • You can question or revise previous thoughts

  • You can add more thoughts even after reaching what seemed like the end

  • You can express uncertainty and explore alternative approaches

  • Not every thought needs to build linearly - you can branch or backtrack

  • Generates a solution hypothesis

  • Verifies the hypothesis based on the Chain of Thought steps

  • Repeats the process until satisfied

  • Provides a correct answer

Parameters explained:

  • thought: Your current thinking step, which can include:

  • Regular analytical steps

  • Revisions of previous thoughts

  • Questions about previous decisions

  • Realizations about needing more analysis

  • Changes in approach

  • Hypothesis generation

  • Hypothesis verification

  • next_thought_needed: True if you need more thinking, even if at what seemed like the end

  • thought_number: Current number in sequence (can go beyond initial total if needed)

  • total_thoughts: Current estimate of thoughts needed (can be adjusted up/down)

  • is_revision: A boolean indicating if this thought revises previous thinking

  • revises_thought: If is_revision is true, which thought number is being reconsidered

  • branch_from_thought: If branching, which thought number is the branching point

  • branch_id: Identifier for the current branch (if any)

  • needs_more_thoughts: If reaching end but realizing more thoughts needed

You should:

  1. Start with an initial estimate of needed thoughts, but be ready to adjust

  2. Feel free to question or revise previous thoughts

  3. Don't hesitate to add more thoughts if needed, even at the "end"

  4. Express uncertainty when present

  5. Mark thoughts that revise previous thinking or branch into new paths

  6. Ignore information that is irrelevant to the current step

  7. Generate a solution hypothesis when appropriate

  8. Verify the hypothesis based on the Chain of Thought steps

  9. Repeat the process until satisfied with the solution

  10. Provide a single, ideally correct answer as the final output

  11. Only set next_thought_needed to false when truly done and a satisfactory answer is reached

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
thoughtYesYour current thinking step
nextThoughtNeededYesWhether another thought step is needed
thoughtNumberYesCurrent thought number
totalThoughtsYesEstimated total thoughts needed
isRevisionNoWhether this revises previous thinking
revisesThoughtNoWhich thought is being reconsidered
branchFromThoughtNoBranching point thought number
branchIdNoBranch identifier
needsMoreThoughtsNoIf more thoughts are needed

TDQS

A4.4/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations provided, the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. It thoroughly explains key features (e.g., 'You can adjust total_thoughts up or down as you progress', 'You can question or revise previous thoughts') and provides 11 detailed behavioral instructions (e.g., 'Start with an initial estimate...', 'Feel free to question or revise...'), covering how the tool adapts, handles revisions, branching, and final output generation. This goes well beyond basic functionality.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness3/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is well-structured with clear sections (purpose, when to use, key features, parameters explained, instructions), but it is overly verbose with repetitive points (e.g., multiple mentions of revising thoughts or adding more thoughts). Some sentences could be condensed without losing clarity, as not every sentence earns its place efficiently.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the complexity of a 9-parameter tool with no annotations and no output schema, the description is highly complete. It covers purpose, usage guidelines, behavioral traits, parameter semantics, and step-by-step instructions, providing all necessary context for an agent to understand and use the tool effectively without relying on structured fields.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3. The description adds significant value with a 'Parameters explained' section that elaborates on each parameter's purpose and usage context (e.g., for 'thought', it lists examples like 'Regular analytical steps', 'Revisions of previous thoughts'; for 'is_revision', it clarifies the relationship with 'revises_thought'). This provides deeper semantic meaning beyond the schema's basic descriptions.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool's purpose as 'dynamic and reflective problem-solving through thoughts' and 'analyze problems through a flexible thinking process', which is specific about the verb (problem-solving/analysis) and resource (thoughts/thinking process). However, since there are no sibling tools mentioned, it cannot differentiate from alternatives, preventing a perfect score.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description explicitly provides a 'When to use this tool' section with 7 specific scenarios (e.g., 'Breaking down complex problems into steps', 'Planning and design with room for revision'), giving clear guidance on appropriate contexts without any misleading information. This is comprehensive and directly addresses when to use the tool.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Tool Schema Changelog

Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections. Dates show when Glama detected each change.

  1. 1 tool update
    • First observedsequentialthinking
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TDQS

A4.1/5.0
Disambiguation5/5

With only one tool, there is no possibility of ambiguity or overlap between tools. The tool 'sequentialthinking' has a clearly distinct purpose focused on dynamic problem-solving through iterative thought processes.

Naming Consistency5/5

Since there is only one tool, naming consistency is inherently perfect. The tool name 'sequentialthinking' follows a clear, descriptive pattern that accurately reflects its function without any conflicting naming conventions.

Tool Count2/5

A single tool is too few for a server named 'Sequential Thinking MCP Server', which implies a broader scope for problem-solving assistance. While the tool is detailed, the server feels thin and limited, lacking complementary tools for different aspects of thinking or analysis.

Completeness2/5

The tool surface is severely incomplete for the implied domain of sequential thinking. There are obvious gaps, such as no tools for summarizing thoughts, managing thought branches, exporting results, or integrating with other problem-solving methods, leaving agents with a single, monolithic tool that may not cover all needed operations.

Maintenance

ActivityInactive
ResponsivenessSyncing

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