RepoFather

RepoFather is an open-source growth and trust-readiness radar for maintainers. It finds why strangers do not try, star, share, contribute to, fund, or trust a repo, then gives the next moves to make the project harder to ignore.

It scans the files in a repository and returns a growth diagnosis: what is already working, what is missing, why people may bounce, which stronger repos to learn from, and what to fix inside and outside the repo. It also checks trust and compliance-readiness signals such as privacy, security reporting, AI disclosure, GDPR-oriented data handling, EU AI Act role/risk notes, SOC 2 path, and procurement readiness. The score is still there, but it supports the growth workflow instead of being the whole product.

RepoFather does not call an AI model to score your repo. The CLI and MCP tool return deterministic, evidence-based reports from repo files, package metadata, and submitted snapshots. AI is useful around RepoFather: Codex, Claude, Cursor, or another MCP client can call RepoFather, read the report, explain the tradeoffs, and help apply the fixes.

Quick Start

Most users should start with the Growth Radar. Run this inside any repository you want to improve:

npx -p repofather-mcp repofather growth .

Write the growth radar to REPOFATHER_GROWTH.md:

npx -p repofather-mcp repofather growth . --write

Inspect the 1,000+ internal growth-signal catalog:

npx -p repofather-mcp repofather growth . --advanced
npx -p repofather-mcp repofather growth . --all

Get the compact score underneath the growth diagnosis:

npx -p repofather-mcp repofather scan .

Generate the action-first launch rescue report:

npx -p repofather-mcp repofather report .

Generate the compact context pack an AI agent should use before editing the repo:

npx -p repofather-mcp repofather context .

Generate the trust and compliance-readiness report:

npx -p repofather-mcp repofather compliance .

Compare your repo against similar or successful repos:

npx -p repofather-mcp repofather benchmark . --against upstash/context7

opportunities is kept as a longer alias for growth:

npx -p repofather-mcp repofather opportunities .

You can benchmark against local paths too:

npx -p repofather-mcp repofather benchmark . --against ../other-devtool

Generate Hacker News, Reddit, X, badge, topic, and sponsor-tier ideas:

npx -p repofather-mcp repofather assets .

Return JSON for scripts or automation:

npx -p repofather-mcp repofather scan . --json
npx -p repofather-mcp repofather growth . --json
npx -p repofather-mcp repofather growth . --advanced --json
npx -p repofather-mcp repofather report . --json
npx -p repofather-mcp repofather context . --json
npx -p repofather-mcp repofather compliance . --json
npx -p repofather-mcp repofather benchmark . --against upstash/context7 --json

Install it globally if you want a shorter command:

npm install -g repofather-mcp
repofather growth .

For local development:

npm install
npm run catalog:generate
npm test
npm run build

Related MCP server: Project Health Scanner

What It Checks

RepoFather scores six areas:

• Positioning - name, README opening, audience, differentiation, and MCP/OSS positioning.

• Tryability - install command, quickstart, examples, tests, real screenshots, GIFs, videos, or live demo links.

• Community - license, contributing guide, issue templates, CI, and roadmap.

• MCP readiness - documented endpoint, tools, client setup, remote deployment, and privacy/security notes.

• Monetization readiness - sponsor path, open-core boundary, hosted/team upgrade path, badges, metrics, or API surfaces.

• Virality - memorable name, repeatable hook, painful problem, launch channels, and built-in sharing loop.

The output is designed to be fixable. RepoFather does not just say a repo is weak; it tells you what to add next.

Demo scoring is evidence-based. Mentioning the word "demo" is not enough; RepoFather looks for a referenced media asset in the snapshot, a visual asset in the repo paired with screenshot/demo wording, or a live demo/video URL.

Critical adoption gaps can cap the overall score. For example, a repo without visible proof cannot reach the Magnetic band even if the rest of the checklist is strong. The Growth Radar then turns those findings into the next repo, package, distribution, brand, and analytics moves.

Trust and compliance readiness is reported separately from legal compliance. RepoFather can flag missing privacy, security, AI, GDPR, EU AI Act, SOC 2, and procurement evidence, but it does not certify compliance or replace legal, security, or audit review.

Launch Rescue Report

repofather report . is the painkiller workflow. It turns the score into an action plan:

• why strangers may bounce

• highest-impact fixes ranked by adoption risk, not just checklist points

• suggested README opening rewrite

• launch readiness for Hacker News, Reddit, Product Hunt, GitHub, and LinkedIn

• HN and Reddit launch drafts

• first-hour checklist before posting publicly

Example excerpt:

Painkiller score: 92/100

Why Strangers May Bounce
- There is no concrete visual proof or live demo, so people have to imagine the result instead of seeing it.

Fix These First
1. Add proof people can see before they install
   - Next step: Record a 45-60 second demo showing install, first command, and useful output.

Launch Channel Readiness
- Hacker News: 80/100, almost. Missing: demo GIF, screenshot, video, or live demo.
- Reddit: 85/100, ready. Missing: proof that makes the post feel non-promotional.

Context And Benchmarks

repofather context . produces the compact repo intelligence pack an AI agent should use before changing your README, package metadata, launch copy, or issue templates.

It includes:

• audience, main pain, launch line, and proof status

• top adoption blockers

• strongest repo evidence

• next best actions

• best first launch channel

• guardrails so agents do not invent screenshots, social proof, hosted products, or funding paths

repofather benchmark . --against owner/repo compares your repo with a stronger or similar repo. Stars are treated as distribution context, not the score. RepoFather compares launch surfaces: README structure, proof, examples, install path, community files, MCP readiness, monetization path, virality loop, and channel fit.

Example:

Benchmark: repomother
Stars/day: 714.29

Closest gaps:
1. Add proof people can see before they install
   - Benchmark signal: repomother passes this signal.
   - Next step: Record a 45-60 second demo showing install, first command, and useful output.

Growth Radar

repofather growth . is the flagship workflow. It keeps the core score honest while adding a broader catalog of growth signals. It checks repo evidence and flags external work that cannot be proven from local files.

RepoFather now has a source-generated catalog with more than 1,000 internal growth signals behind the default report. The default mode stays focused on the most actionable next moves. --advanced adds the broad maintainer-growth catalog across DX, docs, tooling, integrations, quality, community, launch ops, package surfaces, AI/agent readiness, and monetization. --all shows the complete catalog, including future-stage or higher-risk enterprise, telemetry, licensing, procurement, compliance, and distribution levers.

It covers:

• repo conversion: opening, pain, hook, install, quickstart, examples, FAQ, architecture, roadmap, changelog

• proof: screenshots, GIFs, videos, live demos, before/after contrast, real output, social proof, benchmark story

• DX and tooling: time to first success, zero-config defaults, actionable errors, devcontainers, Docker Compose, hot reload

• docs: dedicated site, playground, search, recipes, generated API docs, localization, dark mode

• community trust: license, contributing guide, issue templates, PR template, code of conduct, security policy, CI, tests, funding, starter issues

• package readiness: npm description, keywords, binary, homepage, repository and bug URLs, package files, version

• agent readiness: MCP endpoint, tool names, client setup, and agent rule paths

• integrations and enterprise: GitHub App, Slack/Discord, database adapters, SSO, RBAC, audit logs, Helm, Terraform, SBOMs, signing

• distribution and launch ops: Hacker News, Reddit, Product Hunt, awesome lists, MCP directories, package managers, blog posts, creator outreach, newsletters

• brand, analytics, and telemetry: domain ideas, score badge, public score pages, history, privacy, release loops, opt-in analytics, UTM tracking

External and manual signals are deliberately separate from the score. RepoFather suggests domain candidates like yourproject.dev, yourproject.io, yourproject.app, and yourproject.ai, but it does not claim availability without a live registrar or DNS check.

repofather opportunities . remains available as an alias for the same report.

The catalog source lives in catalog/packs.json. npm run catalog:generate validates and expands those packs into src/generated-growth-catalog.ts, which is bundled for the CLI, npm package, MCP server, and Worker.

Trust And Compliance Readiness

repofather compliance . is a deterministic readiness report for trust signals that buyers, users, security reviewers, and counsel often ask about.

It checks for evidence around:

• privacy policy or privacy notice

• data handling scope, retention, deletion, and personal-data language

• subprocessors, vendors, DPA, and processor/controller path

• security policy and vulnerability reporting contact

• AI usage disclosure and AI data boundary

• EU AI Act role/risk note, transparency, and use-boundary language

• SOC 2 path, audit logs, access control, and procurement readiness

• overclaim guardrails so the repo does not casually say "GDPR compliant", "EU AI Act compliant", or "SOC 2 certified"

Example:

npx -p repofather-mcp repofather compliance . --write

This writes REPOFATHER_COMPLIANCE.md.

Important: this is not legal advice, not SOC 2 evidence, and not a compliance certification. It is a readiness layer that helps maintainers see what trust questions the repo does or does not answer yet.

AI, MCP, And Trust

RepoFather separates deterministic scoring from AI-assisted work:

• CLI mode: repofather growth . runs locally and does not use AI. It reads the repository snapshot and applies explicit scoring rules.

• MCP mode: RepoFather still does not use AI internally. It exposes tools that an AI client can call.

• AI client: Codex, Claude, Cursor, or another client can interpret RepoFather's JSON/Markdown output, prioritize fixes, edit files, or draft launch copy.

That split is deliberate. Scores should be repeatable and debatable. AI can help with judgment, writing, and implementation after RepoFather has produced the evidence.

Score Output

RepoFather score: 76/100 (Launchable)

Buckets
- positioning: 80/100
- tryability: 75/100
- community: 70/100
- mcp: 90/100
- monetization: 65/100
- virality: 80/100

Strong signals
- One-command install is visible
- License is present
- MCP endpoint/server is documented

Top fixes
- Add a 60-second demo GIF or screenshot
- Add a public roadmap
- Explain the free core vs paid hosted/team features

MCP Server

RepoFather also runs as a remote MCP server:

https://repofather-mcp.nocodepiper.workers.dev/mcp

Use the MCP server when you want an AI client to call RepoFather tools. Use the CLI when you want to run the growth radar locally. In both cases, RepoFather's scoring engine is deterministic; the AI lives in the client that calls it.

Available tools:

• growth_report - generate the flagship growth radar with repo, package, proof, distribution, listing, community, brand, analytics, domain-check, and 1,000+ catalog opportunities. Pass mode: "advanced" or mode: "all" for the deeper catalog.

• score_repository_snapshot - score a repository snapshot submitted by an MCP client.

• launch_rescue_report - generate the action-first launch rescue report as Markdown or JSON.

• repo_context_pack - generate the compact agent context pack.

• benchmark_repository_snapshot - compare a repo snapshot with benchmark snapshots.

• compliance_readiness_report - generate the deterministic trust and compliance-readiness report for privacy, security, AI disclosure, GDPR, EU AI Act, SOC 2 path, and procurement evidence.

• growth_opportunity_report - backward-compatible alias for the growth radar.

• generate_launch_assets - produce Hacker News, Reddit, X, README badge text, topics, and sponsor-tier ideas.

• monetization_ladder - map an open-core project into free, solo, team, and enterprise layers.

Codex

Codex supports remote streamable HTTP MCP servers directly:

codex mcp add repofather --url https://repofather-mcp.nocodepiper.workers.dev/mcp

Restart Codex after adding the server. Then ask Codex to use RepoFather to score or improve a repository.

Claude Desktop

Add RepoFather to your Claude Desktop MCP config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "repofather": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-remote",
        "https://repofather-mcp.nocodepiper.workers.dev/mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop after saving the config.

Cursor, Windsurf, and Other MCP Clients

Use this command and argument pair in any MCP client that supports stdio servers:

command: npx
args: mcp-remote https://repofather-mcp.nocodepiper.workers.dev/mcp

Some clients ask for JSON instead:

{
  "command": "npx",
  "args": [
    "mcp-remote",
    "https://repofather-mcp.nocodepiper.workers.dev/mcp"
  ]
}

Restart the client after adding the server.

Testing The MCP Bridge Manually

You can test the remote MCP bridge from a terminal:

npx mcp-remote https://repofather-mcp.nocodepiper.workers.dev/mcp

If it prints something like Proxy established successfully between local STDIO and remote StreamableHTTPClientTransport, the connection works.

This command is expected to keep running. It is a bridge for MCP clients, not an interactive CLI. Press Ctrl+C to stop it.

Troubleshooting

npx mcp-remote ... looks stuck

That is normal. mcp-remote starts a local stdio bridge and waits for an MCP client to send requests. It will not print a RepoFather score by itself.

For the terminal growth radar, use:

npx -p repofather-mcp repofather growth .

repofather: command not found

Use the package form:

npx -p repofather-mcp repofather growth .

Or install globally:

npm install -g repofather-mcp
repofather growth .

Which command should I use?

• Use repofather growth . when you want the main growth radar: adoption blockers, proof gaps, distribution/listing work, package metadata, domains, and next actions.

• Use repofather growth . --write when you want to save REPOFATHER_GROWTH.md.

• Use repofather growth . --advanced when you want the broad practical growth-signal catalog.

• Use repofather growth . --all when you want every 1,000+ catalog item, including future-stage and higher-risk levers.

• Use repofather scan . when you only want the compact score in the terminal.

• Use repofather report . when you want the launch rescue report with bounce reasons, fixes, channel readiness, and launch drafts.

• Use repofather report . --write when you want to save REPOFATHER_REPORT.md.

• Use repofather context . when you want an agent-ready context pack before asking AI to improve the repo.

• Use repofather compliance . when you want trust and compliance-readiness gaps without legal or audit claims.

• Use repofather benchmark . --against owner/repo when you want to compare against a similar successful repo.

• Use repofather opportunities . when you want the older alias for growth.

• Use repofather assets . when you want Hacker News, Reddit, X, badge, topic, and sponsor-tier ideas.

• Use the MCP endpoint when you want Codex, Claude, Cursor, or another MCP client to call RepoFather as a tool.

• Use npx mcp-remote ... only when your MCP client needs a local stdio bridge.

Local MCP Development

Run the Cloudflare Worker locally:

npm run dev

Local MCP endpoint:

http://localhost:8787/mcp

Deploy:

npm run build
npx wrangler deploy

Why RepoFather

Useful open-source projects often lose attention for boring reasons: the README does not explain the promise, the install path is unclear, the demo is missing, contributors do not know where to start, or the paid path feels awkward.

RepoFather is deliberately not just a README scorer. It turns repo evidence into a growth radar, rescue report, benchmark, and launch assets so maintainers can make the project more credible before asking people to star, install, sponsor, or adopt it.

Open Core

The CLI and MCP server are open source.

Future hosted features can build on top of the same scoring rules:

• public score pages and badges

• historical score tracking

• private GitHub app scans

• auto-created GitHub issues from failed checks

• launch calendars and saved social drafts

• team policies for release readiness

Roadmap

• 0.1 - CLI scanner, launch rescue report, context pack, benchmark report, trust/compliance readiness report, 1,000+ signal growth radar, launch asset generator, and remote MCP server.

• 0.2 - GitHub Action, badge JSON endpoint, and sharper growth command ergonomics.

• 0.3 - hosted public scan pages.

• 0.4 - private GitHub app scans and score history.

• 0.5 - optional underrated OSS discovery radar built from compliant public data sources.

• 1.0 - team dashboards, org policies, and API.

License

MIT