> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.telys.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.telys.ai/cli/mcp.md).

# telys mcp

Run Telys as an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server so an assistant can search and write your on-device memory, and manage its configuration in supported clients. The server speaks JSON-RPC 2.0 over stdio (protocol version `2025-06-18`) and exposes five tools over a single memory store.

## Synopsis

```
telys mcp [--path PATH]                # run the stdio server
telys mcp install   [--name NAME] [--client CLIENT] [--scope SCOPE]
telys mcp uninstall [--name NAME] [--client CLIENT] [--scope SCOPE]
telys mcp status    [--name NAME]
```

## `telys mcp` (run the server)

Bare `telys mcp` runs the server in the foreground over stdio. Clients launch it themselves; you rarely run it by hand except to smoke-test.

| Flag     | Value | Default                                   | Meaning                              |
| -------- | ----- | ----------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------ |
| `--path` | dir   | `$TELYS_MEMORY_PATH` or `~/.telys/memory` | Memory store the server operates on. |

```bash
telys mcp                      # serve the default memory store over stdio
telys mcp --path ./project-memory
```

It exposes exactly five tools — `telys_search`, `telys_add`, `telys_create_collection`, `telys_list_collections`, and `telys_stats` — and uses the on-device multigram lexical embedder by default. There are no update, delete, or tuning tools over MCP, and `where` filters accept a single-key equality object only.

## `telys mcp install`

Write launcher configuration so a client starts `telys mcp` automatically.

| Flag       | Value                                                        | Default | Meaning                                                    |
| ---------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | ------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| `--name`   | string                                                       | `telys` | Server name to register in the client.                     |
| `--client` | `claude` \| `cursor` \| `codex` \| `claude-desktop` \| `all` | `all`   | Which client(s) to configure.                              |
| `--scope`  | `user` \| `project`                                          | `user`  | Configure the current user globally, or just this project. |

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="All clients" icon="plug" %}

```bash
telys mcp install
```

Registers a `telys` server in every supported client found on this machine.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="One client, project scope" icon="folder" %}

```bash
telys mcp install --client cursor --scope project
```

Writes project-scoped config, available only inside the current project.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Custom name" icon="tag" %}

```bash
telys mcp install --name work-memory --client claude-desktop
```

Registers the server under a custom name — useful when you run more than one store.
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

## `telys mcp uninstall`

Remove the configuration written by `install`. Match the same `--name`, `--client`, and `--scope` you installed with.

```bash
telys mcp uninstall --client cursor --scope project
telys mcp uninstall            # remove the default `telys` server everywhere
```

## `telys mcp status`

Report where the server is currently configured.

| Flag     | Value  | Default | Meaning                  |
| -------- | ------ | ------- | ------------------------ |
| `--name` | string | `telys` | Server name to look for. |

```bash
telys mcp status
telys mcp status --name work-memory
```

{% hint style="info" %}
The MCP server reads and writes `$TELYS_MEMORY_PATH` (or `~/.telys/memory`). For an isolated per-client store, install with a distinct `--name` and launch it with `--path`.
{% endhint %}

## Exit codes

| Code | Meaning                                                       |
| ---- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `0`  | Server ran, or the install/uninstall/status action succeeded. |
| `1`  | Runtime not available, or the requested client was not found. |
| `2`  | Usage error (an invalid `--client` or `--scope`).             |

## See also

* [MCP overview](/mcp/overview.md) — what the server does and its five tools.
* [Install the MCP server](/mcp/install-server.md) — the guided walkthrough.
* [Claude Desktop](/mcp/client-claude-desktop.md) and [Cursor & VS Code](/mcp/client-cursor-vscode.md) — per-client setup.
* [MCP configuration & scoping](/mcp/configuration-and-scoping.md) — user vs. project scope in depth.


---

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