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

This local installation uses the Bob binary at /Users/abdulachik/go/bin/bob. Register it once in MCPHub:

mcphub add bob \
  --description "Deterministic repository factory and lifecycle reconciler" \
  --tag builder \
  --tag code \
  -- /Users/abdulachik/go/bin/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: /Users/abdulachik/go/bin/bob
    args: [mcp, serve, --allow-any-workspace]
    enabled: true
    description: Deterministic repository factory and lifecycle reconciler
    tags: [builder, code]

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 six tools. MCPHub prefixes each one with bob__:

MCPHub tool	Purpose
bob__bob_inspect	Inspect Bob-managed state and offline specialist availability.
bob__bob_plan	Return a bounded repository plan and deterministic digest.
bob__bob_check	Check convergence, conflicts, and lock drift.
bob__bob_validate_manifest	Strictly validate a workspace manifest or bounded inline YAML.
bob__bob_recipe_describe	Describe the embedded recipe contract.
bob__bob_stats	Summarize Bob's opt-in, local-only usage aggregates.

With expose: all, MCPHub advertises all six automatically. With expose: lazy, pin the tools you want agents to discover without a catalog search:

mcphub pin bob__bob_inspect bob__bob_plan bob__bob_check \
  bob__bob_validate_manifest bob__bob_recipe_describe bob__bob_stats

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__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.