# Kitty MCP Server

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  <br>
  <strong>A production-grade MCP server for controlling kitty terminal instances</strong>
</p>

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A production-grade [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/) server for controlling [kitty](https://sw.kovidgoyal.net/kitty/) terminal instances.

## Overview

- Create, manage, and control kitty terminal instances programmatically
- Send text and key combinations to kitty windows
- Capture scrollback buffer content for command output analysis
- Useful for long running processes, analyzing logs, and automation workflows
- All instances launched with `--app-id` for window identification

## Features

- **Launch** kitty instances with unique Unix sockets and app-id
- **Send text** and **key combinations** to windows
- **Launch windows** within existing instances
- **Capture scrollback** buffer content
- **Manage app-ids** for window identification
- **List** and **close** instances
- JSON structured logging
- Async/await throughout
- Comprehensive error handling

## Installation

### Prerequisites

- Python 3.11+
- kitty terminal installed and in PATH
- [uv](https://github.com/astral-sh/uv) (recommended) or pip

### Install from PyPI

```bash
# Install from PyPI
pip install kitty-mcp

# Install with uv (recommended)
uv add kitty-mcp
```

### Install from Source

```bash
# Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/your-username/kitty-mcp.git
cd kitty-mcp

# Install with uv
uv pip install -e ".[dev]"

# Or with pip
pip install -e ".[dev]"
```

## Usage

### Running the Server

```bash
# Run directly
python -m kitty_mcp

# Or using the installed script
kitty-mcp
```

The server communicates via stdio (standard input/output) for MCP compatibility.

### Configuration

Create a configuration file at `~/.config/kitty-mcp/config.json`:

```json
{
  "socket_dir": "/tmp/kitty-mcp",
  "max_instances": 10,
  "socket_permissions": "0600",
  "logging": {
    "level": "INFO"
  },
  "kitty": {
    "launch_timeout": 30,
    "command_timeout": 30
  }
}
```

Configuration options:

- `socket_dir`: Directory for Unix sockets (default: `/tmp/kitty-mcp-<uid>`)
- `max_instances`: Maximum concurrent instances (default: 10, max: 100)
- `socket_permissions`: Socket file permissions (default: "0600")
- `logging.level`: Log level (DEBUG, INFO, WARNING, ERROR)
- `kitty.launch_timeout`: Timeout for launching kitty (seconds)
- `kitty.command_timeout`: Timeout for RC commands (seconds)

## Available Tools

### launch
Launch a new kitty instance with remote control enabled.

**Parameters:**
- `app_id` (string, required): Unique identifier for the instance
- `working_directory` (string, optional): Working directory
- `window_class` (string, optional): Window class (defaults to app_id)

**Returns:** `{"success": true, "app_id": "...", "socket_path": "...", "pid": 1234}`

### send_text
Send text to a kitty window.

**Parameters:**
- `app_id` (string, required): Instance identifier
- `text` (string, required): Text to send
- `match` (string, optional): Window matching criteria

### send_key
Send key combination to a kitty window.

**Parameters:**
- `app_id` (string, required): Instance identifier
- `key` (string, required): Key combination (e.g., "ctrl+c", "enter")
- `match` (string, optional): Window matching criteria

### launch_window
Launch a new window in an existing kitty instance.

**Parameters:**
- `app_id` (string, required): Instance identifier
- `command` (array, required): Command to run
- `cwd` (string, optional): Working directory

### get_scrollback
Capture scrollback buffer content.

**Parameters:**
- `app_id` (string, required): Instance identifier
- `lines` (integer, optional): Number of lines (default: all)
- `match` (string, optional): Window matching criteria

**Returns:** `{"success": true, "content": "..."}`

### close
Close a kitty instance.

**Parameters:**
- `app_id` (string, required): Instance identifier
- `force` (boolean, optional): Force close

### get_app_id
Get the app-id of a running kitty instance.

**Parameters:**
- `app_id` (string, required): Instance identifier

**Returns:** `{"success": true, "app_id": "...", "configured_app_id": "..."}`

### set_app_id
Update the app-id tracking for an instance.

**Parameters:**
- `app_id` (string, required): Current instance identifier
- `new_app_id` (string, required): New identifier

### list_instances
List all active managed kitty instances.

**Returns:** `{"success": true, "instances": [...]}`

## Development

### Running Tests

```bash
# Run all tests
uv run pytest

# Run with coverage
uv run pytest --cov=kitty_mcp --cov-report=term-missing

# Run only unit tests
uv run pytest tests/unit/

# Run only integration tests (requires kitty)
uv run pytest tests/integration/
```

## Quick Start

1. **Install** kitty-mcp and configure with your MCP client (e.g., OpenCode, Claude Desktop)
2. **Launch** a kitty instance:
   ```python
   result = kitty_launch(app_id="my-terminal", working_directory="/home/user")
   ```
3. **Send commands**:
   ```python
   kitty_send_text(app_id="my-terminal", text="echo 'Hello World!'")
   kitty_send_key(app_id="my-terminal", key="enter")
   ```
4. **Get output**:
   ```python
   output = kitty_get_scrollback(app_id="my-terminal", lines=5)
   print(output["content"])  # Hello World!
   ```
5. **Clean up**:
   ```python
   kitty_close(app_id="my-terminal")
   ```

## MCP Client Configuration

### OpenCode

Add to `.opencode/opencode.jsonc`:
```json
{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "mcp": {
    "kitty": {
      "type": "local",
      "command": ["kitty-mcp"],
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}
```

### Claude Desktop

Add to `claude_desktop_config.json`:
```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kitty": {
      "command": "kitty-mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### Code Quality

```bash
# Type checking
mypy src/

# Linting
ruff check src/

# Format code
ruff format src/
```

## Architecture

```
┌─────────────────┐
│   MCP Client    │ (opencode/Claude Desktop)
│   (stdio IPC)   │
└────────┬────────┘
         │
         ▼
┌──────────────────────┐
│  KittyMCP Server     │ FastMCP framework
│  ├─ Tool handlers    │
│  ├─ State management │
│  ├─ Configuration    │
│  └─ Logging          │
└────────┬─────────────┘
         │ asyncio subprocess
         ▼
┌──────────────────────┐
│  Kitty RC Commands   │ kitten @ --to unix:/socket
└────────┬─────────────┘
         │ Unix socket
         ▼
┌──────────────────────┐
│  Kitty Instance      │ allow_remote_control=yes
│  └─ --app-id set     │
└──────────────────────┘
```

## Examples

### Terminal Automation

```python
# Launch and run commands
kitty_launch(app_id="automation", working_directory="/tmp")
kitty_send_text(app_id="automation", text="ls -la")
kitty_send_key(app_id="automation", key="enter")
output = kitty_get_scrollback(app_id="automation")
print(output["content"])
```

### TUI Application Control

```python
# Control nvim with complex workflows
kitty_launch(app_id="editor", working_directory="/project")
kitty_send_text(app_id="editor", text="nvim")
kitty_send_key(app_id="editor", key="enter")

# Navigate nvim interfaces
kitty_send_key(app_id="editor", key="space")
kitty_send_key(app_id="editor", key="p")  # Open projects
kitty_send_key(app_id="editor", key="enter")
```

### Multiple Instance Management

```python
# Launch multiple terminals
for i in range(3):
    kitty_launch(app_id=f"terminal-{i}", working_directory=f"/tmp/term-{i}")

# List all instances
instances = kitty_list_instances()
print(f"Active instances: {len(instances['instances'])}")

# Close all
for instance in instances["instances"]:
    kitty_close(app_id=instance["app_id"])
```

## Performance

- **Command latency**: <100ms for RC operations
- **Startup time**: ~0.5s for MCP server initialization
- **Memory usage**: <50MB for 10 active instances
- **Concurrent support**: Up to 100 instances (configurable)

## Security

- **Socket permissions**: User-only (0600) by default
- **Command validation**: Input sanitization and validation
- **Error handling**: No sensitive data in logs
- **Atomic operations**: Safe state persistence

## Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please see [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for guidelines.

## License

MIT License - see [LICENSE](LICENSE) for details.

## Changelog

See [CHANGELOG.md](CHANGELOG.md) for version history and release notes.