ask-mcp
This server does not currently have a deployable release on Glama. Follow the repository's setup instructions to install and configure it for your MCP client, including any required credentials and local dependencies.
ask-mcp
An MCP tool that asks you questions — as real HTML forms in the browser. The agent calls ask, a form opens, and the call blocks until you answer. Approvals, choices, tables, markdown, short forms in; structured, validated answers out.
How it works
The agent calls
askwith a title, context blocks, and an input.A form opens in your browser. The tool call waits — minutes, not seconds.
You answer, cancel, or it times out. The agent gets validated structured data.
Built-in question tools (opencode's question, Claude Code's AskUserQuestion) render as inline chat chips: no room for context, loose free-text answers, nothing saved afterwards. ask-mcp gives every question a proper surface instead — with a live queue you can cancel from an admin panel, a history of every spec and response, and archived renders of exactly what you saw.
Related MCP server: Homespun
Screenshots
Choice cards — multi-select grid over the starfield background.

Free-text escape hatch — the Other option over the dot-grid background.

Plan approval — long-form context with the sticky action bar over contour lines.

Info blocks — headings, tables, callouts, and diffs on minimal.

Install
Recommended — the client spawns the server over stdio (no port to manage; form pages still open over loopback HTTP):
bunx @pylotlight/ask-mcp --stdio # Bun
npx -y @pylotlight/ask-mcp --stdio # npm / NodeOr install globally and run the same flag:
npm i -g @pylotlight/ask-mcp # → `ask-mcp --stdio`Requires Node ≥ 22 or Bun ≥ 1.2.
Connect your client
One command — detects opencode, Claude Code, and Claude Desktop, adds the ask server to each, and installs /ask-admin:
npx -y @pylotlight/ask-mcp installExisting entries are left alone unless --force; every touched file is backed up to .bak first.
--client opencode|claude-code|claude-desktop— target one client (default: all detected)--bun— launch viabunx --bun(Bun runtime; plainbunxuses the Node shebang)--force— overwrite an existingaskentry
The installer also sets opencode's experimental.mcp_timeout: blocking asks need a long tool timeout (client defaults ~30 s kill them — ten minutes is a good start; match it with --timeout-ms).
Other MCP clients: launch the package over stdio — command bunx, args ["@pylotlight/ask-mcp", "--stdio"] (or command npx, args ["-y", "@pylotlight/ask-mcp", "--stdio"]; bunx --bun … for the Bun runtime). A small loopback HTTP server serves the form pages (falls back to a free port if 8787 is busy).
Running the agent on a NAS / container / remote pod? Same binary, hosted flags: --host 0.0.0.0 --port <n> --base-url https://<public-origin> plus tokens — see docs/hosting.md.
Slash command (opencode / openchamber)
npx -y @pylotlight/ask-mcp install-commands # installs /ask-admin/ask-admin opens the admin panel in the browser. All ask flows stay agent-driven via the MCP tools. See docs/commands.md.
Admin panel
/admin just opens on the default localhost bind — no setup. Live asks with one-click cancel, the artifact history trail, a config editor (safe fields apply live), and template CRUD. A token (--admin-token, falling back to --auth-token) adds a sign-in gate for shared machines and network binds. See docs/admin.md.
Features
Five input kinds —
approve,single_choice,multi_choice,text,form, with type inference and server-side validation.Other escape hatch — choice prompts accept
other: { placeholder }: typing auto-selects it, empty blocks submit, the answer arrives asotherText.Info blocks — headings, paragraphs, markdown (safe subset), callouts, steps, option cards, tables, diffs, dividers.
Dry run —
dryRun: truevalidates, renders, and archives without blocking, opening, or prompting. Self-check a form before the real call.Artifacts — every ask persisted (
spec.json,response.json,render.html) under~/.config/ask-mcp/YYYY-MM-DD/<token>/, with retention pruning.Live pages — status tracked over SSE; after answering, a settle view shows what was recorded plus a permalink, with auto-close countdown + Close now / Stay open / Copy link (
--settle-view-ms, default 3 s;0stays open).Keyboard-first —
1–9to pick,Enterto confirm,⌘/Ctrl+Enterfrom text areas.Themes — four monochrome form backgrounds (
minimal,starfield,dots,contour) with tunable density and motion, per-install or live from the admin Config tab.HTTP twin —
POST /api/ask+GET /api/templatesgive scripts and CI the same pipeline as the MCP tool.Safe by construction — escaped rendering, strict schemas, per-ask 128-bit capability tokens, strict CSP, loopback-by-default binding.
Docs
docs/ask-tool.md — input kinds, inference rules, result shapes, templates
docs/admin.md — the admin panel
docs/commands.md — templates, HTTP API, slash command
docs/hosting.md — hosted / reverse-proxy mode (NAS, containers, OpenChamber)
docs/reference.md — CLI flags, security model, development, roadmap
This server cannot be deployed
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