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googlecolab

colab-mcp

Official
by googlecolab
OverviewSchemaSourceRelated ServersDiscussionsAdmin
Python
Remote

Colab-mcp

An MCP server for bridging your local agent to a Colab session in the browser.

Supported Clients

This MCP server requires client support for notifications/tools/list_changed and for the client to be running locally on your device.

Popular clients that fit these criteria include:

  • Gemini CLI

  • Claude Code

  • Windsurf

Setup

  • Install uv (pip install uv)

  • Configure for usage (eg for mcp.json style services):

...
  "mcpServers": {
    "colab-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["git+https://github.com/googlecolab/colab-mcp"],
      "timeout": 30000
    }
  }
...

(If you have a non-standard default package index (Googlers), you may also need to add --index https://pypi.org/simple)

Issues & Discussions

We are using GitHub discussions as the place for issue discussion and feature requests. As discussions mature into action items, we will add those items as issues. This helps us ensure that issues in the issue tracker are well-understood, deduplicated, and actionable. For these reasons, please do NOT open issues directly.

Contributing

We unfortunately don't have the bandwidth to support review of external contributions, and we don't want user PRs to languish, so we aren't accepting any external contributions right now.

If you have a great idea or pain point, we would love to hear about it on our discussions page - the preferred place for issue discussion and feature requests.

Internal - For Colab Developers

Prerequisites

  • uv is required (pip install uv)

  • Configure git hooks to run repo presubmits

git config core.hooksPath .githooks

Gemini CLI setup

...
  "mcpServers": {
    "colab-mcp": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": ["run", "colab-mcp"],
      "cwd": "/path/to/github/colab-mcp",
      "timeout": 30000
    }
  }
...

Available Tools

1 tool
open_colab_browser_connectionA

Opens a connection to a Google Colab browser session and unlocks notebook editing tools. Returns a boolean representing whether the connection attempt succeeded

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault

No parameters

Output Schema

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescription
resultYes

TDQS

A4/5.0
Behavior3/5

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

No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. It mentions the side effect of unlocking editing tools and the boolean return value, but it does not clarify whether the connection is persistent, whether it requires an existing browser session, or whether any side effects beyond unlocking occur.

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 a single, front-loaded sentence that conveys the action, the target resource, the functional outcome, and the return type. There is no redundant or filler content.

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?

For a zero-parameter tool with an output schema, the description is nearly complete: it names the action and return value. The main gap is the lack of any prerequisite or failure-context information, such as requiring an active Colab browser session or what happens if the connection attempt fails.

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?

The tool has zero parameters, so the schema provides no parameter semantics to clarify. The description does not need to add parameter meaning, and it appropriately focuses on the operation and return value.

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 uses a specific verb ('Opens') and names a clear resource ('a Google Colab browser session'), and also states the expected outcome ('unlocks notebook editing tools'). With no sibling tools to differentiate, this fully communicates what the tool does.

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

Usage Guidelines3/5

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

The description implies the tool is used when a Colab browser connection is needed, but it does not state explicit when-to-use guidance, prerequisites, or alternatives. Since there are no sibling tools, the lack of exclusions is acceptable, but contextual guidance is minimal.

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.

  1. 1 tool updatev1.0.1
    • First observedopen_colab_browser_connection
Deploy Server
One endpoint for every MCP toolRayrun runs every MCP server behind one URL and holds the credentials. Each call is decided per client, tool, and argument, then recorded.ray.runAd

TDQS

A3.5/5.0

Scored across 1 tool

Disambiguation5/5

Only one tool exists, so there is no risk of confusion or overlap with other tools.

Naming Consistency5/5

The single tool name follows a clear verb_noun pattern ('open_colab_browser_connection'), so consistency is not an issue.

Tool Count2/5

A single tool is too few for a server intended to enable Colab notebook editing; the tool merely opens a connection, suggesting many necessary actions are missing.

Completeness1/5

The tool set is severely incomplete: it only provides a connection opener and lacks any tools for actual notebook editing, despite claiming to unlock such tools.

Maintenance

ActivityInactive
ResponsivenessWithin a week

Resources

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