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Atom of Thoughts

Structured reasoning for LLMs. Decompose, track confidence, visualize, approve.

npm version license node tests TypeScript

Atom of Thoughts: live TUI watching reasoning unfold


Quickstart

1. Add to your MCP config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "atom-of-thoughts": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@dioptx/mcp-atom-of-thoughts"]
    }
  }
}

2. Restart your client.

3. Ask the model to reason something through:

"Use AoT-fast to think through whether we should use JWT or session-based auth for the API."

The model breaks the problem into five kinds of atoms (premise, reasoning, hypothesis, verification, conclusion), each tagged with a confidence score. You get a structured chain you can audit, not a black-box answer.

TIP

Works with Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, or any MCP-aware client.

Related MCP server: verifiable-thinking-mcp

Install

npx (recommended; zero install, always latest)

{ "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@dioptx/mcp-atom-of-thoughts"] }

npm global

npm install -g @dioptx/mcp-atom-of-thoughts
{ "command": "mcp-atom-of-thoughts" }

Smithery

npx -y @smithery/cli install @dioptx/mcp-atom-of-thoughts --client claude

Docker

docker build -t aot .
{ "command": "docker", "args": ["run", "-i", "--rm", "aot"] }

How it works

graph LR
    P["P · Premise"]:::premise --> R["R · Reasoning"]:::reasoning
    R --> H["H · Hypothesis"]:::hypothesis
    H --> V["V · Verification"]:::verification
    V --> C["C · Conclusion"]:::conclusion

    classDef premise fill:#6b7280,stroke:#9ca3af,color:#fff,font-weight:bold
    classDef reasoning fill:#3b82f6,stroke:#60a5fa,color:#fff,font-weight:bold
    classDef hypothesis fill:#eab308,stroke:#facc15,color:#000,font-weight:bold
    classDef verification fill:#06b6d4,stroke:#22d3ee,color:#fff,font-weight:bold
    classDef conclusion fill:#22c55e,stroke:#4ade80,color:#fff,font-weight:bold

Atoms chain through dependencies. Each carries a confidence score from 0 to 1. Reasoning terminates when a high-confidence conclusion lands or max depth is hit. Each problem runs in its own session, so two threads of thought never bleed into each other.

Tools

Three tools cover the full surface:

Tool

When to reach for it

AoT-fast

Default. Tradeoffs, debugging, decisions, option evaluation. Depth 3.

AoT-full

Plans, architecture, decomposition into sub-problems. Depth 5.

atomcommands

Sessions, export, approval polling, decomposition lifecycle.

Quick example

AoT-fast({atomId:"P1", content:"API returns 500 on POST /users",     atomType:"premise"})
AoT-fast({atomId:"R1", content:"Unhandled exception in route handler", atomType:"reasoning", dependencies:["P1"]})
AoT-fast({atomId:"C1", content:"Add try-catch in POST handler",       atomType:"conclusion", dependencies:["R1"], confidence:0.9})

Only atomId, content, and atomType are required. Everything else has sensible defaults.

Visualization

Pass viz: true on any call to open an interactive D3 graph in the browser:

AoT-fast({atomId:"C1", ..., viz: true})

Approve and reject decisions POST back to the server over HTTP. No filesystem polling.

Live TUI

Watch the model reason in a second terminal pane while it works, and feed approve/reject decisions back into the next tool call. The event feed is on by default; nothing extra to configure.

In a second pane next to your LLM client:

npx -y @dioptx/mcp-atom-of-thoughts tui

1. Watch reasoning unfold

Watch atoms streaming in

Atoms appear as the model emits them, walking the chain premise → reasoning → hypothesis → verification → conclusion. Confidence bars fill in real time, dependencies show as inline arrows, and a velocity sparkline tracks event rate. Auto-scroll keeps the newest atom selected.

2. Give granular feedback

Accept, reject with note, submit

j / k move the selection. a accepts an atom; * stars it as critical context; r rejects it and prompts for a one-line reason. s submits the verdict. The submit flash tells you exactly what to do next: ask the model to call atomcommands check_approval. The verdict is written as the same approval JSON the existing file-fallback path already polls for, so feedback flows back through a contract the server already understands. Zero new wire protocol.

3. Customize the view

Settings overlay and help overlay

t opens settings: confidence threshold to hide low-confidence atoms, color theme (vibrant, soft, or mono), compact mode, dependency arrows toggle. ? shows the full keymap.

Keys reference

Key

Action

j / k

Move selection

a

Accept the selected atom

r

Reject (prompts for a one-line reason)

u

Clear feedback on the selected atom

*

Star as critical context

s

Submit verdict (writes aot-approval-*.json)

t

Settings (threshold, theme, compact mode, deps)

?

Keys help

space

Pause / resume event stream

q

Quit

TIP

Skip setup and see it in action:npx -y @dioptx/mcp-atom-of-thoughts tui --demo


{
  "args": ["-y", "@dioptx/mcp-atom-of-thoughts", "--mode", "fast", "--viz", "never"]
}

Flag

Default

Effect

--mode full|fast|both

both

Which tools to register

--viz auto|always|never

auto

auto: render on viz:true. always: render every call. never: skip (CI)

--max-depth <n>

5 / 3

Override depth limit

--output-dir <path>

OS temp

Where to write viz HTML

--downloads-dir <path>

~/Downloads

Approval JSON fallback

Each reasoning chain gets its own session. Default ID: "default".

  • atomcommands new_session creates and activates a new one.

  • atomcommands switch_session / list_sessions / reset_session for management.

  • When reasoning terminates, the session auto-archives. The next zero-dependency atom auto-spawns default-2, default-3, and so on.

  • Or pass sessionId on any AoT call to target one explicitly.

Two problems in one MCP process stay isolated without manual session management.

Prefer a browser tab to a terminal pane? Pass viz: true on any AoT call. The server writes a self-contained HTML file (D3 inlined, works offline) and opens it:

  • Force-directed graph colored by atom type with confidence rings

  • Sidebar to approve or reject phases or individual atoms

  • Approve / reject POSTs to a local 127.0.0.1 listener on an ephemeral port; falls back to a ~/Downloads file scan if the listener can't bind

The TUI and the browser viz both feed atomcommands check_approval. Pick whichever fits your workflow.

npx (zero install):

{ "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@dioptx/mcp-atom-of-thoughts"] }

npm global:

npm install -g @dioptx/mcp-atom-of-thoughts

Smithery:

npx -y @smithery/cli install @dioptx/mcp-atom-of-thoughts --client claude

Docker:

docker build -t aot . && docker run -i --rm aot
git clone https://github.com/dioptx/mcp-atom-of-thoughts.git
cd mcp-atom-of-thoughts
npm install
npm test        # 183 tests (unit + e2e)
npm run build

See MIGRATION_v2_to_v3.md for the full lookup table. The short version:

  • AoT-light is now AoT-fast

  • AoT is now AoT-full

  • generate_visualization is now viz: true on any AoT call

  • export_graph and check_approval are now atomcommands subcommands

  • --no-viz and --no-approval are replaced by --viz auto|always|never


MIT. Based on Atom of Thoughts.

Available Tools

3 tools
AoT-fastA

Default structured reasoning. Decomposes problems into atomic thoughts with dependency tracking. Depth 3.

Use for: think-through, analyze, reason about tradeoffs, debug root causes, evaluate alternatives, make decisions. Most reasoning tasks belong here.

Trigger phrases: "think through", "analyze", "reason about", "debug", "evaluate options", "compare approaches".

Atom types: premise (facts) → reasoning (logic) → hypothesis (proposals) → verification (checks) → conclusion (answer).

Minimal 3-call example: Call 1: {atomId:"P1", content:"The API returns 500 on POST /users", atomType:"premise"} Call 2: {atomId:"R1", content:"500 suggests unhandled exception in route handler", atomType:"reasoning", dependencies:["P1"]} Call 3: {atomId:"C1", content:"Add try-catch in POST /users handler", atomType:"conclusion", dependencies:["R1"], confidence:0.9}

Only atomId, content, and atomType are required. dependencies defaults to [], confidence defaults to 0.7.

Use AoT-full instead when you need >5 reasoning steps, multi-angle verification, or decomposition of sub-problems.

viz param: only set viz:true when the user explicitly asks to see the graph or says "visualize". Never set it automatically.

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
atomIdYesUnique identifier for the atom (e.g., 'P1', 'R1', 'H1', 'C1')
contentYesThe thought content of this atom
atomTypeYesType of atom
dependenciesNoIDs of atoms this depends on (default: [])
confidenceNoConfidence 0-1 (default: 0.7)
isVerifiedNoWhether this atom has been verified
depthNoDepth level (auto-calculated if omitted)
vizNoRender and open a D3 visualization of the current graph after this atom (default: false). Set true during planning or when the user is reviewing your reasoning; leave false during execution.
sessionIdNoTarget session for this atom (default: active session). Sessions isolate atom graphs so two reasoning problems in one process don't collide. Use atomcommands new_session/switch_session to manage explicitly. Auto-spawned on next zero-dep atom after a session terminates.

TDQS

A4.6/5.0
Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

No annotations provided, but description covers depth, atom types, required/optional fields, defaults, and viz param usage. Could add read-only hint but not critical.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Well-structured with sections, bullet points, and example, though slightly long. Front-loaded with purpose.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given 9 parameters, no output schema, description covers usage, parameters, and behavior comprehensively. Example helps. Lacks return value info but acceptable.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters5/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, yet description adds significant value: explains defaults, provides example, clarifies viz and sessionId usage, and gives atom type enum semantics.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

Description clearly states it's for structured reasoning, lists specific use cases and trigger phrases, and distinguishes from sibling tool AoT-full.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Explicitly states when to use (think-through, analyze, etc.) and when not (use AoT-full for complex cases), including trigger phrases and alternative tool name.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

AoT-fullA

Deep structured reasoning with decomposition-contraction. Depth 5.

Use for: implementation plans, architecture decisions, multi-step verification, problems that decompose into sub-problems.

Trigger phrases: "plan", "design", "megathink", "full AoT", /aot-plan.

Same atom types and parameters as AoT-fast. Drives decomposition via the atomcommands tool (decompose → sub-atoms → complete_decomposition). Reach for AoT-fast first unless you genuinely need the extra depth or decomposition.

viz param: only set viz:true when the user explicitly asks to see the graph or says "visualize". Never set it automatically.

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
atomIdYesUnique identifier for the atom (e.g., 'P1', 'R1', 'H1', 'C1')
contentYesThe thought content of this atom
atomTypeYesType of atom
dependenciesNoIDs of atoms this depends on (default: [])
confidenceNoConfidence 0-1 (default: 0.7)
isVerifiedNoWhether this atom has been verified
depthNoDepth level (auto-calculated if omitted)
vizNoRender and open a D3 visualization of the current graph after this atom (default: false). Set true during planning or when the user is reviewing your reasoning; leave false during execution.
sessionIdNoTarget session for this atom (default: active session). Sessions isolate atom graphs so two reasoning problems in one process don't collide. Use atomcommands new_session/switch_session to manage explicitly. Auto-spawned on next zero-dep atom after a session terminates.

TDQS

A4.7/5.0
Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

No annotations are provided, so the description carries full burden. It explains the decomposition process via 'atomcommands' and the 'viz' parameter behavior. However, it does not specify what happens at the end of depth 5 (e.g., auto-termination or continuation), which is a minor gap.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is well-structured with clear sections for purpose, usage, inter-tool comparison, and parameter notes. Every sentence adds value, and there is no unnecessary verbiage. It is concise yet informative.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the tool's complexity (9 parameters, no output schema), the description covers all critical aspects: core functionality, usage conditions, important parameter nuances (sessionId, viz), and relationship to sibling tools. It is sufficiently complete for an agent to use correctly.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, providing a baseline of 3. The description adds useful context beyond the schema, particularly for 'sessionId' (explaining isolation and auto-spawning) and 'viz' (when to set it). This extra guidance is valuable.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool is for 'deep structured reasoning with decomposition-contraction' at 'Depth 5', and lists specific use cases and trigger phrases. It effectively distinguishes itself from the sibling 'AoT-fast' by noting it is used when extra depth or decomposition is needed.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description explicitly lists when to use the tool ('implementation plans, architecture decisions, multi-step verification, problems that decompose into sub-problems'), provides trigger phrases, and advises to use 'AoT-fast' first unless genuinely needing extra depth. This clearly guides the agent on selection.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

atomcommandsB

Lifecycle and meta operations for the current AoT session.

Commands:

  • decompose: Break an atom into sub-atoms (requires atomId)

  • complete_decomposition: Finish a decomposition (requires decompositionId)

  • termination_status: Check if reasoning should stop

  • best_conclusion: Get the highest-confidence verified conclusion

  • set_max_depth: Change max depth limit (requires maxDepth)

  • export: Export the current atom graph as JSON for analysis or visualization (optional title)

  • check_approval: Poll for browser-based approval decisions (optional downloadsDir, sessionStartTime)

  • new_session: Create and switch to a new session (optional sessionId; auto-generated if omitted)

  • switch_session: Activate an existing session (requires sessionId)

  • list_sessions: List all sessions with status and atom counts

  • reset_session: Wipe atoms in a session (defaults to active)

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
commandYesCommand to execute
atomIdNoAtom ID (for decompose)
decompositionIdNoDecomposition ID (for complete_decomposition)
maxDepthNoMaximum depth (for set_max_depth)
titleNoOptional title (for export)
downloadsDirNoOverride downloads directory (for check_approval)
sessionStartTimeNoUnix timestamp to ignore older approval files (for check_approval)
sessionIdNoSession ID (for new_session/switch_session/reset_session, optional for new_session/reset_session)

TDQS

B3.1/5.0
Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Since annotations are absent, the description carries full burden. It discloses some behavioral traits (e.g., 'Wipe atoms' for reset_session, 'requires atomId' for decompose), but lacks details on error conditions, ordering constraints, or state changes. No contradictions with annotations.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is well-structured with a list of commands and their details. It is fairly concise given the number of subcommands, though some verbosity could be trimmed (e.g., repeating 'requires' in each item).

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness2/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

No output schema exists, yet the description fails to explain what each command returns (e.g., does export return JSON? does list_sessions return a list?). It also omits prerequisites like needing an active session. These gaps hinder an AI agent from fully understanding the tool's behavior.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The input schema already provides descriptions for all parameters (schema_coverage=100%). The description adds minimal value beyond repeating which command uses which parameter, so it does not significantly enhance meaning.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states that the tool handles 'lifecycle and meta operations for the current AoT session' and enumerates multiple subcommands with brief explanations. However, it does not differentiate from sibling tools (AoT-fast, AoT-full) which likely have overlapping functionality.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

No guidance is provided on when to use this tool versus its siblings (AoT-fast, AoT-full). The description only lists available commands without context on selecting this tool over others.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Tool Schema Changelog

Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections. Dates show when Glama detected each change.

  1. 3 tool updatesv3.0.0
    • First observedAoT-fast
    • First observedAoT-full
    • First observedatomcommands

TDQS

A3.7/5.0
Disambiguation5/5

Each tool has a clearly distinct purpose: AoT-fast handles simple structured reasoning, AoT-full handles deep reasoning with decomposition, and atomcommands manages lifecycle operations. There is no ambiguity about which tool to use for a given task.

Naming Consistency3/5

Naming is somewhat inconsistent: two tools use the prefix 'AoT-' (AoT-fast, AoT-full) while the third uses a different style (atomcommands). This mixed convention makes the set less predictable but still readable.

Tool Count3/5

Three tools is on the low side for a reasoning server that offers multiple capabilities (simple reasoning, deep reasoning, lifecycle operations). The boundary between AoT-fast and AoT-full could be merged into one tool with a depth parameter, and atomcommands bundles many features into one tool.

Completeness4/5

The tool set covers the core reasoning workflow (simple and deep) and all necessary life-cycle operations (sessions, decomposition, export). Minor gaps exist, such as a dedicated tool to list atoms in a session, but these can be addressed via existing commands like export.

Maintenance

ActivityInactive
ResponsivenessUnresponsive

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