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MCP Think Tool Server

MCP Think Tool Server

by cgize

MCP Think Tool Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server implementing the "think" tool for improving Claude's complex reasoning capabilities.

Overview

This MCP server implements Anthropic's "think" tool, which provides Claude with a dedicated space for structured thinking during complex problem-solving tasks. As described in Anthropic's blog post, the think tool has been shown to significantly improve performance in complex tasks requiring policy adherence and reasoning in long chains of tool calls.

Related MCP server: Think Tool MCP Server

Custom Instructions

Add these custom instructions to Claude to optimize its use of the think tool:

You have access to a "think" tool that provides a dedicated space for structured reasoning. Using this tool significantly improves your performance on complex tasks. 

## When to use the think tool 
Before taking any action or responding to the user after receiving tool results, use the think tool as a scratchpad to: 
- List the specific rules that apply to the current request 
- Check if all required information is collected 
- Verify that the planned action complies with all policies 
- Iterate over tool results for correctness 
- Analyze complex information from web searches or other tools 
- Plan multi-step approaches before executing them 

## How to use the think tool effectively 
When using the think tool: 
1. Break down complex problems into clearly defined steps 
2. Identify key facts, constraints, and requirements 
3. Check for gaps in information and plan how to fill them 
4. Evaluate multiple approaches before choosing one 
5. Verify your reasoning for logical errors or biases

Key Use Cases

  • Complex Tool Chains: When Claude needs to call complex tools and analyze outputs carefully

  • Policy Adherence: For navigating policy-heavy environments with detailed guidelines

  • Sequential Decision Making: When each step builds on previous ones and mistakes are costly

  • Multi-step Analysis: Breaking down complex problems into manageable steps

Installation

Installing via Smithery

To install Think Tool Server for Claude Desktop automatically via Smithery:

npx -y @smithery/cli install @cgize/claude-mcp-think-tool --client claude

Manual Installation

npm install -g @cgize/mcp-think-tool

Configuration

Add this configuration to your MCP configuration file:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "think-tool": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@cgize/mcp-think-tool"
      ],
      "type": "stdio",
      "pollingInterval": 30000,
      "startupTimeout": 30000,
      "restartOnFailure": true
    }
  }
}

Configuration file location:

  • C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

If installed globally, you can also use:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "think-tool": {
      "command": "claude-mcp-think-tool",
      "args": [],
      "type": "stdio",
      "pollingInterval": 30000,
      "startupTimeout": 30000,
      "restartOnFailure": true
    }
  }
}

Available Tools

  • think: Record structured reasoning during problem-solving

  • get_thoughts: Retrieve all recorded thoughts

  • clear_thoughts: Reset the thinking process

  • get_thought_stats: Analyze thinking patterns

Example Prompt

Using the think tool, solve this multi-step problem:

A train travels at a constant speed of 60 km/h. It departs from station A at 9:00 AM and arrives at station B at 11:30 AM. What is the distance between stations A and B?

License

MIT

Available Tools

4 tools
clear_thoughtsA

Clear all thoughts recorded in the current session. Use this to start fresh if the thinking process needs to be reset.

Inputs: no named parameters.

get_thoughtsB

Retrieve all thoughts recorded in the current session to review your reasoning process.

Inputs: no named parameters.

get_thought_statsB

Get statistics about the thoughts recorded in the current session to analyze your thinking process.

Inputs: no named parameters.

thinkA

Use this tool to think about something. It will not obtain new information or change anything, but just append the thought to the log. Use it when complex reasoning or cache memory is needed, especially during long chains of tool calls, policy adherence scenarios, or sequential decision making.

Inputs: thought (required).

Tool Schema Changelog

Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Loading tool schema changelog…

    TDQS

    A4/5.0

    Scored across 4 tools

    Disambiguation5/5

    Each tool has a clearly distinct purpose: clear_thoughts resets the session, get_thoughts retrieves thoughts, get_thought_stats provides analytics, and think adds new thoughts. There is no overlap in functionality, making tool selection straightforward for an agent.

    Naming Consistency5/5

    All tools follow a consistent verb_noun naming pattern (clear_thoughts, get_thoughts, get_thought_stats, think), with 'think' being a slight exception but still fitting as a verb. The naming is predictable and readable throughout the set.

    Tool Count5/5

    With 4 tools, the server is well-scoped for its purpose of managing a thinking process. Each tool earns its place by covering essential operations: adding, retrieving, analyzing, and clearing thoughts, without being overly sparse or bloated.

    Completeness5/5

    The tool set provides complete lifecycle coverage for the domain of thought management: create (think), read (get_thoughts), analyze (get_thought_stats), and delete (clear_thoughts). There are no obvious gaps, and agents can perform all necessary operations without dead ends.

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