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wjlim
by wjlim

nf-core MCP Server

An MCP server for managing and navigating nf-core pipeline repositories.

Features

  • List local nf-core repositories (rnaseq, sarek, modules, tools)

  • Access pipeline configurations and workflows

  • Search through pipeline files

  • Explore pipeline modules

Related MCP server: pipen-mcp

Installation

NPM Version


cd nf-core_mcp
npm install

# Build TypeScript
npm run build

# Start the server
npm start

Docker Version

# Build the Docker image
cd nf-core_mcp
docker build -t nf-core-mcp .
# Run the container
docker run -i --rm \
  -v "/path/to/your/workspace:/app/workspace" \
  nf-core-mcp

Adding nf-core Repositories

To add new nf-core pipeline repositories to the workspace:

  1. Clone the repositories:

    # Navigate to your workspace directory (example for Windows)
    cd /path/to/your/workspace
    
    # Clone desired nf-core repositories
    git clone https://github.com/nf-core/rnaseq.git
    git clone https://github.com/nf-core/sarek.git
    git clone https://github.com/nf-core/modules.git
    # Add any other nf-core pipeline you want to manage
  2. Directory Structure: Your workspace should look like this:

    workspace/
    ├── rnaseq/
    ├── sarek/
    ├── modules/
    └── your-new-pipeline/
  3. Verify Installation: After starting the MCP server, use the list-pipelines command to verify that your new pipelines are detected:

    list-pipelines

Note: The MCP server will automatically detect and manage any nf-core pipeline repositories in your workspace directory.

Available Tools

  1. list-pipelines

    • Lists all nf-core pipelines in the workspace

    • Shows configuration file status

    • No parameters required

  2. get-pipeline-modules

    • Gets module information from a pipeline

    • Parameters:

      • pipeline: Pipeline name (rnaseq, sarek, or modules)

  3. search-pipelines

    • Searches through pipeline files

    • Parameters:

      • query: Search query

      • pipeline (optional): Specific pipeline to search

Available Resources

  1. pipeline-config

    • Gets pipeline configuration

    • URI format: pipeline://{name}/config

    • Parameters:

      • name: Pipeline name (rnaseq, sarek, or modules)

  2. pipeline-workflow

    • Gets pipeline workflow

    • URI format: pipeline://{name}/workflow

    • Parameters:

      • name: Pipeline name (rnaseq, sarek, or modules)

Usage with Cursor IDE

Add the following to your mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nf-core": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "nf-core-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Using Docker

Add the following to your mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nf-core": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "-i",
        "--rm",
        "-v",
        "/path/to/your/workspace:/app/workspace",
        "nf-core-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Example Usage

Using the MCP server in Cursor:

# List available pipelines
list-pipelines

# Get modules from rnaseq pipeline
get-pipeline-modules pipeline=rnaseq

# Search in all pipelines
search-pipelines query="fastqc"

# Search in specific pipeline
search-pipelines query="fastqc" pipeline=rnaseq

# Access pipeline configuration
pipeline://rnaseq/config

# Access workflow
pipeline://rnaseq/workflow

Running the Server

Using NPM

# If installed globally
nf-core-mcp

# If installed locally
npx nf-core-mcp

# Using npx without installation
npx -y nf-core-mcp

Using Docker

docker run -it --rm \
  -v /path/to/your/workspace:/app/workspace \
  nf-core-mcp

Development

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Build TypeScript
npm run build

# Run in development mode
npm run dev

# Run tests
npm test

# Run linter
npm run lint

License

MIT

Available Tools

3 tools
get-pipeline-modulesD
ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
pipelineYes

TDQS

D1/5.0
Behavior1/5

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

Tool has no description.

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

Conciseness1/5

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

Tool has no description.

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

Completeness1/5

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

Tool has no description.

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

Parameters1/5

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

Tool has no description.

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

Purpose1/5

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

Tool has no description.

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

Usage Guidelines1/5

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

Tool has no description.

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

list-pipelinesD
ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault

No parameters

TDQS

D1/5.0
Behavior1/5

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

Tool has no description.

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

Conciseness1/5

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

Tool has no description.

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

Completeness1/5

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

Tool has no description.

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

Parameters1/5

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

Tool has no description.

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

Purpose1/5

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

Tool has no description.

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

Usage Guidelines1/5

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

Tool has no description.

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

search-pipelinesD
ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
pipelineNo
queryYes

TDQS

D1/5.0
Behavior1/5

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

Tool has no description.

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

Conciseness1/5

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

Tool has no description.

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

Completeness1/5

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

Tool has no description.

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

Parameters1/5

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

Tool has no description.

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

Purpose1/5

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

Tool has no description.

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

Usage Guidelines1/5

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

Tool has no description.

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. 3 tool updatesv1.0.0
    • First observedget-pipeline-modules
    • First observedlist-pipelines
    • First observedsearch-pipelines

TDQS

D1.8/5.0
Disambiguation5/5

The three tools have clearly distinct purposes: get-pipeline-modules retrieves modules for a specific pipeline, list-pipelines enumerates available pipelines, and search-pipelines finds pipelines based on criteria. There is no overlap in functionality, making tool selection straightforward for an agent.

Naming Consistency5/5

All tool names follow a consistent verb-noun pattern with hyphens (e.g., get-pipeline-modules, list-pipelines, search-pipelines). The naming is uniform and predictable, using clear action verbs paired with relevant nouns.

Tool Count3/5

With only three tools, the server feels thin for a pipeline management domain, potentially lacking operations like create, update, or delete pipelines. However, the tools cover basic discovery and inspection, which might be sufficient for a limited scope.

Completeness2/5

The toolset is severely incomplete for pipeline management, missing essential CRUD operations such as creating, updating, or deleting pipelines. It only supports discovery and inspection, leaving significant gaps that could hinder agent workflows.

Maintenance

ActivityInactive
ResponsivenessNo issues

Resources

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