Turbo C MCP Server

💾 What is this?

Turbo C MCP Server hands your AI assistant a genuine Borland Turbo C 3.0 toolchain over the Model Context Protocol. Your LLM doesn't simulate C anymore — it compiles and runs the real thing on the same 16-bit compiler a generation of programmers grew up on, and gets back true output, real Borland diagnostics, and cycle-accurate timing.

Ask Claude to "write a prime sieve in C and run it" — and it actually does, on TCC.EXE. Errors are real. exit 0 is earned.

flowchart LR
    A["🧠 LLM / Claude"] -- MCP stdio --> B["⚙️ turboc-mcp-server"]
    B -- TCC.EXE --> C["📀 Borland Turbo C 3.0"]
    C -- .EXE --> D["🖥️ DOS runtime / DOSBox"]
    D -- stdout · exit code · timing --> B
    B -- structured result --> A
    style A fill:#00c853,stroke:#eafff3,color:#04150d
    style B fill:#0b3d2e,stroke:#00e5ff,color:#eafff3
    style C fill:#ffb300,stroke:#0b0f14,color:#0b0f14
    style D fill:#37474f,stroke:#00e5ff,color:#eafff3

Related MCP server: dosbox-mcp

✨ Why it goes further than "run my C"

🛠 It's a studio, not a button

Twelve composable tools: compile-only checks, a static analyzer that runs without a compiler, an error explainer, an assembly disassembler, a benchmark harness, and a self-healing doctor.

🧠 Structured, model-friendly output

Every compile is parsed into error/warning objects with file + line, so your LLM can fix code surgically instead of squinting at raw logs.

🎮 Batteries + nostalgia included

A built-in library of 12 classic programs — Fibonacci, prime sieve, Towers of Hanoi, BGI graphics, conio colors — exposed as MCP resources.

📦 Runs on modern Windows

16-bit TCC.EXE can't run on 64-bit Windows? The included DOSBox bridge wrappers make compile and run work anywhere. One env var each.

🚀 Quick Start

1 · Prerequisites

• Node.js ≥ 18

• Borland Turbo C 3.0 at C:\TURBOC3 (or set TURBOC_ROOT)

• 64-bit Windows? Also grab DOSBox → see DOSBox setup

2 · Install & build

git clone https://github.com/BBSRguy/turboc-mcp-server.git
cd turboc-mcp-server
npm install
npm run build

3 · Wire it into your MCP client

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "turboc": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["C:/path/to/turboc-mcp-server/build/server.js"],
      "env": {
        "TURBOC_ROOT": "C:\\TURBOC3"
        // On 64-bit Windows, add the DOSBox bridge (see docs/DOSBOX.md):
        // "TCC_COMMAND": "C:\\TURBOC3\\wrappers\\dosbox-tcc.bat",
        // "MCP_C_RUN_COMMAND": "C:\\TURBOC3\\wrappers\\dosbox-run.bat"
      }
    }
  }
}

claude mcp add turboc -- node C:/path/to/turboc-mcp-server/build/server.js

4 · Say hello

You: "Use turboc to run the hello example." AI: calls run_example → Hello, Turbo C! Compiled on real DOS iron. ✔ exit 0

Not sure it's wired up? Ask it to run environment_doctor — it verifies your whole toolchain and tells you exactly what's missing.

🧰 The toolbox (12 tools)

Plus MCP resources (turboc://environment, turboc://examples/*) and prompts (debug-c-error, optimize-c, explain-program).

🎮 Examples

The bundled library (list_examples) covers every corner of the DOS C world:

▶  run_example { "id": "prime-sieve" }

Compile: ✓ success  (312 ms, exit 0)
=== Run phase ===
Result: ✓ exit 0  (44 ms)
--- program stdout ---
Primes up to 100:
2 3 5 7 11 13 17 19 23 29 31 37 41 43 47 53 59 61 67 71 73 79 83 89 97

⚙️ Configuration

Everything is environment-driven, so one build works on every setup.

🏗 Architecture

graph TD
    S[server.ts<br/>tools · resources · prompts] --> T[turboc.ts<br/>compile · run · asm · doctor]
    S --> A[analyze.ts<br/>heuristic linter]
    S --> E[errors-db.ts<br/>error knowledge base]
    S --> X[examples.ts<br/>classic programs]
    S --> F[format.ts<br/>C reformatter]
    T --> D[diagnostics.ts<br/>parse TCC output]
    T --> U[util.ts<br/>spawn · timeout · shell bridge]
    T --> C[config.ts<br/>env-driven paths]
    style S fill:#00c853,stroke:#04150d,color:#04150d
    style T fill:#0b3d2e,stroke:#00e5ff,color:#eafff3

Clean, single-responsibility modules — easy to read, easy to extend.

🗺 Roadmap

• Multi-file / project compilation

• BGI graphics → PNG capture via DOSBox screenshots

• Turbo Assembler (TASM) round-trip

• Memory-model presets (tiny/small/large) as first-class options

• npm one-line install (npx turboc-mcp-server)

• Watch mode + hot examples gallery on the website

Ideas welcome — open an issue or PR.

🤝 Contributing

PRs are warmly welcome. Fork → branch → npm run build → PR. New examples and error-DB entries are especially appreciated; see CONTRIBUTING.md.

⭐ Star history

If this brought a little 1992 magic to your AI, drop a ⭐ — it genuinely helps.

👤 Author

BBSRguy · @BBSRguy · rasran90@yahoo.com

Built for everyone who still hears the clrscr() flicker in their dreams. 🕹️