diataxis-mcp-server

MVP TypeScript MCP server that helps coding and documentation agents apply the Diataxis framework to documentation work.

The server is deterministic. It uses small heuristics and Zod schemas; it does not call external LLM APIs.

Status

This project is experimental MVP software. The tools are intended to help agents classify, audit, and plan documentation, but the heuristics are conservative and should be reviewed by a human maintainer before large documentation refactors.

Refactor recommendations are advisory. The server suggests extraction targets, navigation groups, and possible file paths, but it does not write, move, rename, crawl, or persist files.

Related MCP server: AI Development Guidelines MCP Server

What it provides

Tools:

• classify_doc_request: classify a documentation request or draft into tutorial, how-to, reference, or explanation.

• audit_doc_page: audit one Markdown page for mode fit, mixed-mode signals, extraction targets, and next actions.

• audit_doc_tree: audit multiple pages and summarize the documentation architecture, missing modes, dominant modes, and suggested navigation.

• suggest_doc_refactor: turn page audits into an advisory, path-aware refactoring sequence.

• plan_doc_set: propose an initial Diataxis-aligned documentation set from a project summary.

Resources:

• diataxis://checklists/tutorial

• diataxis://checklists/how-to

• diataxis://checklists/reference

• diataxis://checklists/explanation

• diataxis://rubrics/classification

• diataxis://workflow/audit-existing-docs

• diataxis://workflow/create-docs-from-scratch

Development

npm install
npm test
npm run build

Run the MCP server over stdio:

npm run build
node dist/index.js

Example MCP client command configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "diataxis": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["<absolute-path-to-checkout>/dist/index.js"]
    }
  }
}

IDE configuration examples are included in examples/ and in the npm package for client setup. Run npm run build before using the local dist/index.js configuration.

After this package is published to npm, clients that support npx can use:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "diataxis": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["diataxis-mcp-server"]
    }
  }
}

Example tool call

Payload for classify_doc_request:

{
  "request": "Write a guide that shows how to configure SSO for production.",
  "title": "Configure SSO",
  "audience": "Operators who already know the product"
}

Shortened example output:

{
  "mode": "how-to",
  "confidence": 0.58,
  "warnings": [],
  "rationale": "Detected how-to because the strongest signals match accomplishing a practical task.",
  "suggestedStructure": [
    "Task goal",
    "Prerequisites",
    "Procedure",
    "Verification",
    "Related reference"
  ]
}

Project layout

• src/core: deterministic Diataxis classification, audit, refactor, and planning logic.

• src/mcp: MCP server, tools, resources, and prompts.

• src/content: short operational checklists and workflow text.

• test: focused unit tests and Markdown fixtures.

• references/diataxis: local source-of-truth notes for Diataxis-derived behavior.

Licensing

This repository uses a split license model.

• Code, build configuration, package metadata, and tests are licensed under Apache-2.0. See LICENSE-CODE.md.

• Documentation, examples, prompts, checklists, rubrics, workflow text, and Diataxis-derived operational guidance are licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0. See LICENSE-CONTENT.md.

• Diataxis attribution is recorded in NOTICE.md.