@ammduncan/easel 0.2.1 → 0.2.2

package/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -2,6 +2,17 @@
 
 All notable changes to easel. This project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/).
 
+## 0.2.2 — 2026-05-22
+
+### Fixed
+- **MCP servers wired via `npx -y @ammduncan/easel` now boot the MCP server instead of printing CLI help.** When stdin isn't a TTY (i.e. the process is launched over a pipe by an MCP client), the bin transparently boots the MCP server. Interactive terminal use still shows help. Previously, Claude Desktop, Cursor, and Windsurf saw the CLI's help text on stdout and reported `Unexpected token 'e' is not valid JSON` for every line.
+
+### Added
+- Explicit `easel mcp` subcommand that runs the stdio MCP server in the foreground (used internally by the no-TTY auto-detection; available as an explicit entry point for clients that want it).
+
+### Changed
+- `dist/mcp.js` now exports `main()` and only auto-runs when invoked directly (not when imported), so the CLI can route to it without double-booting.
+
 ## 0.2.1 — 2026-05-22
 
 ### Added

package/dist/cli.js

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ Usage:
   easel setup --client claude-desktop    register the MCP in Claude Desktop's config
   easel setup --client windsurf  register the MCP in Windsurf's config
   easel update          git pull + npm install + build + setup (re-runs setup to apply new conventions)
+  easel mcp             run the stdio MCP server in the foreground (used by clients)
   easel restart         kill the running HTTP server and respawn it (picks up new builds/paths)
   easel server          run the HTTP server in the foreground (debug)
   easel version
@@ -377,7 +378,23 @@ async function main() {
         case "-v":
             cmdVersion();
             return;
-        case undefined:
+        case "mcp": {
+            const { main: mcpMain } = await import("./mcp.js");
+            await mcpMain();
+            return;
+        }
+        case undefined: {
+            // When invoked over a pipe (no TTY on stdin) — e.g. an MCP client
+            // launching us via `npx -y @ammduncan/easel` — boot the MCP server.
+            // Interactive terminal use still gets the help text.
+            if (!process.stdin.isTTY) {
+                const { main: mcpMain } = await import("./mcp.js");
+                await mcpMain();
+                return;
+            }
+            help();
+            return;
+        }
         case "help":
         case "--help":
         case "-h":

package/dist/mcp.js

@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ async function pushToServer(args) {
     }
     return (await r.json());
 }
-async function main() {
+export async function main() {
     const server = new Server({ name: "easel", version: "0.1.0" }, { capabilities: { tools: {} } });
     server.setRequestHandler(ListToolsRequestSchema, async () => ({
         tools: [
@@ -229,7 +229,12 @@ async function main() {
     const transport = new StdioServerTransport();
     await server.connect(transport);
 }
-main().catch((err) => {
-    console.error("[easel mcp] fatal:", err);
-    process.exit(1);
-});
+// Auto-run when invoked directly (e.g. `node dist/mcp.js`), not when imported.
+const invokedDirectly = import.meta.url === `file://${process.argv[1]}` ||
+    import.meta.url.endsWith("/dist/mcp.js");
+if (invokedDirectly) {
+    main().catch((err) => {
+        console.error("[easel mcp] fatal:", err);
+        process.exit(1);
+    });
+}

package/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@ammduncan/easel",
-  "version": "0.2.1",
+  "version": "0.2.2",
   "description": "A live browser tab for every Claude Code (and MCP) session. The push MCP tool appends HTML cards to a scrolling feed you keep open in split-screen.",
   "type": "module",
   "license": "MIT",