Tree of Thoughts MCP Server
Click on "Install Server".
Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state.
In the chat, type
@followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@Tree of Thoughts MCP Serverinvestigate the impact of AI on climate change"
That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed.
Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.
Tree of Thoughts MCP Server
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables structured multi-path investigations using a Tree of Thoughts approach. Designed for AI agents to explore complex problems systematically with parallel research paths.
Features
Single Root Paradigm - Start with one root, branch wide at R2
5-State System - EXPLORE, FOUND, VERIFY, EXHAUST, DEAD states enforce thorough investigation
Anti-Gaming Measures - Timing checks and agentId tracking prevent shortcut-taking
Reference Extraction - Automatically collects URLs and file paths from findings
DOT Graph Output - Visualize investigation tree structure
Related MCP server: LLM Responses MCP Server
Installation
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/NikkeTryHard/tree-of-thoughts-mcp.git
cd tree-of-thoughts-mcp
# Install dependencies
bun install
# Build
bun run buildConfiguration
Add to your Claude Code MCP settings (~/.claude/settings.json):
{
"mcpServers": {
"tree-of-thoughts": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/path/to/tree-of-thoughts-mcp/dist/index.js"]
}
}
}State Machine
State | Meaning | Children Required | Terminal | Min Round | Valid Child States |
EXPLORE | Dig deeper | 2+ (R1-R2), 1+ (R3+) | No | R1 | Any |
FOUND | Provisional solution | 1+ any | No | R4 | EXPLORE, FOUND, VERIFY |
VERIFY | Confirms FOUND | 0 | Yes | R4 | - |
EXHAUST | Exhausted path | 1+ any | No | R4 | EXPLORE, EXHAUST, DEAD |
DEAD | Confirmed dead end | 0 | Yes | R4 | - |
Key insight: FOUND is NOT terminal. Every promising finding must be verified by at least one child before the investigation can end.
Key insight: EXHAUST is NOT terminal. Every exhausted path must be confirmed by at least one child.
Invalid Transitions (Semantic Conflicts):
From | Cannot Go To | Why |
FOUND | EXHAUST, DEAD | Found something - can't be exhausted/dead |
EXHAUST | FOUND, VERIFY | Exhausted path - can't suddenly find/verify |
Workflow (Single Root Paradigm)
1. tot_start → Get sessionId, begin investigation
2. tot_propose → Declare single root R1.A
3. Spawn agent → Execute research for R1.A
4. tot_commit → Submit as EXPLORE
5. tot_propose → Branch into 3-5 children at R2
6. Repeat → Continue until R4+ for FOUND, R5+ to end
7. tot_end → Finalize and get results with referencesNode ID Format
Round 1: R1.A (single root, parent: null)
Round 2: R2.A1, R2.A2, R2.A3 (branch wide from R1.A)
Round 3: R3.A1a (parent: R2.A1)
Round 4: R4.A1a1 (parent: R3.A1a) - can use FOUND here
Round 5: R5.A1a1a (parent: R4.A1a1) - VERIFY nodeRules
Single root R1.A - Then branch wide at R2 (5+ nodes recommended)
Minimum 5 rounds - Cannot end before Round 5
EXPLORE needs 2+ children at R1-R2, 1+ at R3+ - Relaxed requirements later
R3 must be EXPLORE only - Forces deeper investigation before conclusions
FOUND only at R4+ - Earlier rounds auto-convert to EXPLORE
FOUND needs 1+ child (EXPLORE, FOUND, or VERIFY) - Cannot end until verified
EXHAUST only at R4+ - Earlier rounds auto-convert to EXPLORE
EXHAUST needs 1+ child (EXPLORE, EXHAUST, or DEAD) - Cannot end unconfirmed
DEAD only at R4+ - R1-R3 converts to EXPLORE
Example
// Start investigation
tot_start({ query: "How to optimize database queries?" })
// Round 1: Single root
tot_propose({ sessionId, nodes: [
{ id: "R1.A", parent: null, title: "Query Optimization", plannedAction: "Analyze problem" }
]})
tot_commit({ sessionId, results: [
{ nodeId: "R1.A", state: "EXPLORE", findings: "Found multiple paths...", agentId: "abc-123" }
]})
// Round 2: Branch wide
tot_propose({ sessionId, nodes: [
{ id: "R2.A1", parent: "R1.A", title: "Index Analysis", plannedAction: "Analyze indexes" },
{ id: "R2.A2", parent: "R1.A", title: "Query Patterns", plannedAction: "Review patterns" },
{ id: "R2.A3", parent: "R1.A", title: "Schema Design", plannedAction: "Evaluate schema" }
]})
// Continue through R3, R4...
// Round 4+: Use FOUND
tot_commit({ sessionId, results: [
{ nodeId: "R4.A1a1", state: "FOUND", findings: "Solution: Add composite index...", agentId: "..." }
]})
// Round 5: Verify the finding
tot_propose({ sessionId, nodes: [
{ id: "R5.A1a1a", parent: "R4.A1a1", title: "Verify Index", plannedAction: "Test performance" }
]})
tot_commit({ sessionId, results: [
{ nodeId: "R5.A1a1a", state: "VERIFY", findings: "Confirmed: 10x improvement", agentId: "..." }
]})
// End when canEnd=true
tot_end({ sessionId })Anti-Gaming Measures
The server includes protections against agents taking shortcuts:
Warning | Trigger |
SUSPICIOUS | Commit within 10s of propose |
MISSING_AGENT | No agentId provided |
DEPTH_ENFORCED | FOUND before R4 (auto-converts) |
Claude Code Skill
Skills are located in the tree-of-thoughts/ folder. Copy tree-of-thoughts/SKILL.md to ~/.claude/skills/tree-of-thoughts/SKILL.md to enable the /tree-of-thoughts command in Claude Code.
Development
# Run tests
bun test
# Build
bun run buildSee CLAUDE.md for development guidelines.
License
MIT
This server cannot be installed
Maintenance
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