mcpill 1.7.0 → 1.8.0

package/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 1.8.0
+
+- `mcpill run` (stdio) now auto-registers the server in Claude config on start and auto-unregisters on SIGINT, SIGTERM, and process exit — no manual step required
+- `--register` flag and `mcpill unregister` command removed; lifecycle management is now automatic
+
 ## 1.7.0
 
 - `mcpill run` is now side-effect-free by default — stopping the process disconnects the server; no Claude config is written

package/README.md

@@ -20,8 +20,7 @@ Describe your server in plain English, let Claude generate the source files.
 mcpill init                        # scaffolds PILL.md + example source files
 # fill PILL.md                     # describe your server: tools, resources, prompts
 # tell Claude: "Build this PILL.md" # agent generates source files + runs compile
-mcpill run                         # start the server (transient — stops when you do)
-mcpill run --register              # or: register so Claude manages it persistently
+mcpill run                         # start the server — registered while running, removed on exit
 ```
 
 `PILL.md` embeds the agent instructions — Claude knows exactly what to generate and how.
@@ -88,23 +87,11 @@ Validates all pill directories (`.<name>/`) in the project root.
 Starts the MCP server from the pill artifact.
 
 ```bash
-mcpill run                        # stdio (default)
+mcpill run                        # stdio (default) — registered while running, removed on exit
 mcpill run --transport http --port 3333
-mcpill run --register             # also write server entry to Claude config
 ```
 
-`--register` is opt-in. Without it, running the server has no side effects on Claude's configuration — stopping the process fully disconnects it.
-
-### `mcpill unregister`
-
-Removes the server entry from all Claude config files — the inverse of `mcpill run --register`.
-
-```bash
-mcpill unregister
-mcpill unregister --dir <path>
-```
-
-Removes from `.claude/settings.json` (project scope), `~/.claude.json` (user scope), and the Claude Desktop config. Prints what was removed, or reports if the server was not registered.
+For stdio transport, the server entry is automatically written to Claude's config on start and removed on exit (SIGINT, SIGTERM, or normal process exit). HTTP transport is self-hosted — Claude connects to a URL, so no registration occurs.
 
 ### `mcpill pack`
 

package/dist/cli.js

@@ -548,6 +548,7 @@ async function runInit(opts) {
 // src/commands/run.ts
 import path7 from "path";
 import fs6 from "fs";
+import os from "os";
 import { z as z2 } from "mcpill-runtime";
 import { createServer, applySetup } from "mcpster";
 
@@ -1106,6 +1107,32 @@ async function runValidate(baseDir) {
 }
 
 // src/commands/run.ts
+function patchJson(filePath, patcher) {
+  if (!fs6.existsSync(filePath)) return;
+  try {
+    const obj = JSON.parse(fs6.readFileSync(filePath, "utf-8"));
+    patcher(obj);
+    fs6.writeFileSync(filePath, JSON.stringify(obj, null, 2) + "\n", "utf-8");
+  } catch {
+  }
+}
+function desktopConfigPaths() {
+  const home = os.homedir();
+  if (process.platform === "win32") {
+    const appData = process.env.APPDATA ?? path7.join(home, "AppData", "Roaming");
+    return [path7.join(appData, "Claude", "claude_desktop_config.json")];
+  }
+  return [path7.join(home, "Library", "Application Support", "Claude", "claude_desktop_config.json")];
+}
+function unregisterSync(name, baseDir) {
+  const remove = (obj) => {
+    const servers = obj.mcpServers;
+    if (servers) delete servers[name];
+  };
+  patchJson(path7.join(baseDir, ".claude", "settings.json"), remove);
+  patchJson(path7.join(os.homedir(), ".claude.json"), remove);
+  for (const p of desktopConfigPaths()) patchJson(p, remove);
+}
 async function runServer(opts) {
   const baseDir = path7.resolve(opts.dir ?? process.cwd());
   await runValidate(baseDir);
@@ -1157,7 +1184,7 @@ async function runServer(opts) {
       resolver: async () => content
     });
   }
-  if (opts.register) {
+  if (transport === "stdio") {
     applySetup(name, tools.map((t) => t.name), {
       projectPath: baseDir,
       permissions: "restrictive",
@@ -1167,6 +1194,16 @@ async function runServer(opts) {
         args: ["run", "--dir", baseDir]
       }
     });
+    const cleanup = () => unregisterSync(name, baseDir);
+    process.on("exit", cleanup);
+    process.on("SIGINT", () => {
+      cleanup();
+      process.exit(0);
+    });
+    process.on("SIGTERM", () => {
+      cleanup();
+      process.exit(0);
+    });
   }
   try {
     await server.start();
@@ -1561,72 +1598,6 @@ async function runPublish(dir, access) {
   }
 }
 
-// src/commands/unregister.ts
-import path10 from "path";
-import fs8 from "fs";
-import os from "os";
-function patchJson(filePath, patcher) {
-  if (!fs8.existsSync(filePath)) return false;
-  try {
-    const obj = JSON.parse(fs8.readFileSync(filePath, "utf-8"));
-    patcher(obj);
-    fs8.writeFileSync(filePath, JSON.stringify(obj, null, 2) + "\n", "utf-8");
-    return true;
-  } catch {
-    return false;
-  }
-}
-function desktopConfigPaths() {
-  const home = os.homedir();
-  if (process.platform === "win32") {
-    const appData = process.env.APPDATA ?? path10.join(home, "AppData", "Roaming");
-    return [path10.join(appData, "Claude", "claude_desktop_config.json")];
-  }
-  return [path10.join(home, "Library", "Application Support", "Claude", "claude_desktop_config.json")];
-}
-async function runUnregister(opts) {
-  const baseDir = path10.resolve(opts.dir ?? process.cwd());
-  const mcpillDir = path10.join(baseDir, ".mcpill", "server");
-  const config = await loadConfig(mcpillDir);
-  const { name } = config;
-  let removed = 0;
-  const settingsPath = path10.join(baseDir, ".claude", "settings.json");
-  const removedProject = patchJson(settingsPath, (obj) => {
-    const servers = obj.mcpServers;
-    if (servers && name in servers) {
-      delete servers[name];
-      removed++;
-    }
-  });
-  if (removedProject) process.stderr.write(`removed "${name}" from .claude/settings.json
-`);
-  const claudeJsonPath = path10.join(os.homedir(), ".claude.json");
-  const removedUser = patchJson(claudeJsonPath, (obj) => {
-    const servers = obj.mcpServers;
-    if (servers && name in servers) {
-      delete servers[name];
-      removed++;
-    }
-  });
-  if (removedUser) process.stderr.write(`removed "${name}" from ~/.claude.json
-`);
-  for (const configPath of desktopConfigPaths()) {
-    const removedDesktop = patchJson(configPath, (obj) => {
-      const servers = obj.mcpServers;
-      if (servers && name in servers) {
-        delete servers[name];
-        removed++;
-      }
-    });
-    if (removedDesktop) process.stderr.write(`removed "${name}" from Claude Desktop config
-`);
-  }
-  if (removed === 0) {
-    process.stderr.write(`"${name}" was not registered \u2014 nothing to remove
-`);
-  }
-}
-
 // src/cli.ts
 var pkgDir = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
 var pkg = JSON.parse(
@@ -1637,7 +1608,7 @@ program.name("mcpill").version(pkg.version);
 program.command("init").description("Scaffold a new .mcpill/ directory").option("--dir <path>", "Target directory").action(async (opts) => {
   await runInit(opts);
 });
-program.command("run").description("Start the MCP server").option("--transport <type>", "Transport: stdio (default) or http").option("--port <n>", "Port number (HTTP only)", parseInt).option("--dir <path>", "Project root containing .mcpill/").option("--register", "Write server entry to Claude config so Claude manages the process").action(
+program.command("run").description("Start the MCP server").option("--transport <type>", "Transport: stdio (default) or http").option("--port <n>", "Port number (HTTP only)", parseInt).option("--dir <path>", "Project root containing .mcpill/").action(
   async (opts) => {
     await runServer(opts);
   }
@@ -1649,9 +1620,6 @@ program.command("validate").description("Validate .mcpill/ configuration").optio
 program.command("compile").description("Compile server.md \u2194 .mcpill/ files").option("--dir <path>", "Directory containing server.md and .mcpill/").option("--to-md", "Reverse: generate server.md from .mcpill/ files").option("--strict", "Error on missing tool handlers instead of generating stubs").option("--no-hooks", "Skip writing the PreToolUse hook to .claude/settings.json").action(async (opts) => {
   await runCompile({ ...opts, noHooks: opts.hooks === false });
 });
-program.command("unregister").description("Remove server entry from Claude config (undo mcpill run --register)").option("--dir <path>", "Project root containing .mcpill/").action(async (opts) => {
-  await runUnregister(opts);
-});
 program.command("pack").description("Prepare pill for npm distribution").option("--dir <path>", "pill project root", ".").action(({ dir }) => runPack(dir));
 program.command("publish").description("Pack and publish pill to npm").option("--dir <path>", "pill project root", ".").option("--access <level>", "npm access level", "public").action(({ dir, access }) => runPublish(dir, access));
 program.parseAsync(process.argv).catch((err) => {

package/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "mcpill",
-  "version": "1.7.0",
+  "version": "1.8.0",
   "type": "module",
   "description": "CLI for building, validating, and publishing MCP servers using the pill format.",
   "homepage": "https://mcpill.ruco.dev",