Connect Bob

Bob is a deterministic repository factory and lifecycle reconciler. Its MCP server gives agents bounded views of repository state, plans, manifest validity, the embedded recipe, and local usage. Bob's MCP tools do not apply repository changes.

Register the server

Make sure the Bob binary is on PATH, then register it once in MCPHub:

mcphub add bob \
  --description "Deterministic repository factory and lifecycle reconciler" \
  --tag builder \
  --tag code \
  -- bob mcp serve --allow-any-workspace

The -- ends MCPHub's flags. Everything after it becomes Bob's command and arguments. The resulting server entry is:

servers:
  bob:
    command: bob
    args: [mcp, serve, --allow-any-workspace]
    enabled: true
    description: Deterministic repository factory and lifecycle reconciler
    tags: [builder, code]
    use_when:
      - inspect or plan a repository feature before implementation
      - validate repository state against a Bob manifest

Workspace authority

--allow-any-workspace lets every agent connected to this gateway ask Bob to read any existing workspace that the Bob process can read. Use it only for a trusted, local, single-user gateway.

For least privilege, omit --allow-any-workspace and add one repeatable --allow-workspace /absolute/path argument for each repository the gateway may inspect. Bob also accepts its startup workspace.

Choose which tools stay visible

Bob exposes nine read-only tools. MCPHub prefixes each one with bob__:

MCPHub tool	Purpose
bob__context	Read Bob's compact repository context and manifest summary (call this first).
bob__inspect	Inspect Bob-managed state and offline specialist availability.
bob__plan	Return a bounded repository plan and deterministic digest.
bob__check	Check convergence, conflicts, and lock drift.
bob__validate_manifest	Strictly validate a workspace manifest or bounded inline YAML.
bob__recipe_describe	Describe the embedded recipe contract.
bob__stats	Summarize Bob's opt-in, local-only usage aggregates.
bob__version	Report Bob's version and build metadata.
bob__capabilities	List enabled Bob capabilities and integration status.

With expose: all, MCPHub advertises all nine automatically. With expose: lazy, Bob remains discoverable through contextual resolution; pin the tools you want advertised directly without a catalog lookup. bob_context is typically the first tool to call for repository orientation:

mcphub pin bob__context  # minimal: context-read only
# Or pin additional tools:
mcphub pin bob__context bob__inspect bob__plan bob__check \
  bob__validate_manifest bob__recipe_describe bob__stats

Legacy tool names

Bob's tools self-prefix with bob_. The gateway strips that redundant prefix, so bob_context advertises as bob__context. The legacy stutter form bob__bob_context remains accepted as an alias for one release to ease migration of existing pins.

MCPHub changes only the protocol name and prefixes the description when it mounts a tool. Bob's title, input and output schemas, annotations, icons, and _meta remain available to the agent.

Verify the connection

Probe only Bob, then inspect the registration summary:

mcphub doctor --server bob --probe
mcphub list

In gateway mode, restart the agent after changing the registration or pins. You do not need to sync again for a server-only change because the agent still launches the same mcphub mcp serve gateway. In direct mode, preview and apply the updated server definition:

mcphub sync
mcphub sync --write

Usage data

MCPHub records aggregate gateway call intelligence in its local SQLite store. Bob can separately record opt-in local usage under its XDG state directory and expose only aggregates through bob__stats. Neither feature sends usage data over the network.

See also

• Configuration — server and routing fields.
• Concepts — namespacing, lazy exposure, and pins.
• Sync to your agents — gateway and direct mode behavior.