---
since: 1.1.3
---

# gitaiflow MCP — MCP Inspector Verification

MCP Inspector is the protocol-level verification layer.

It should be used **after** the native or Docker server has already passed its runtime checks.

---

## 1. What Inspector proves

```mermaid
flowchart LR
    Inspector["MCP Inspector"]
    Init["initialize"]
    Session["MCP session"]
    Tools["tools/list"]
    Schema["tool schemas"]
    Call["tools/call"]
    Result["MCP result"]

    Inspector --> Init --> Session --> Tools --> Schema --> Call --> Result
```

Inspector verifies the MCP contract.

It does not replace direct gitaiflow testing.

---

## 2. Choose the server

### Native

Start:

```bash
python -m mcp_server.server
```

Connect:

```text
http://localhost:8080/mcp
```

### Docker

Start the Docker server using:

```text
MCP-DOCKER-VERIFICATION.md
```

Connect:

```text
http://localhost:8080/mcp
```

The endpoint is the same; the runtime boundary is different.

---

## 3. Start Inspector

```bash
npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/inspector@latest
```

Connect to:

```text
http://localhost:8080/mcp
```

Provide:

```text
Authorization: Bearer <MCP_API_TOKEN>
```

---

## 4. Connection verification

Verify:

```text
server name:     gitaiflow
server version:  1.1.3
transport:       STREAMABLE-HTTP
session:         established
protocol:        negotiated
```

---

## 5. Tool discovery

Run `tools/list`.

All six tools must be present:

```text
gitaiflow_change_summary
gitaiflow_last_summary
gitaiflow_changelog
gitaiflow_release_notes
gitaiflow_usage
gitaiflow_list_models
```

---

## 6. Schema verification

Verify required arguments:

```text
gitaiflow_change_summary.remote
gitaiflow_changelog.remote
```

Verify optional arguments:

```text
gitaiflow_change_summary.base_branch
gitaiflow_change_summary.path

gitaiflow_changelog.since
gitaiflow_changelog.until

gitaiflow_usage.scope
gitaiflow_usage.since
gitaiflow_usage.until

gitaiflow_list_models.free_only
gitaiflow_list_models.as_json
```

---

## 7. Tool-call order

A useful first sequence is:

```text
gitaiflow_list_models
        ↓
gitaiflow_usage
        ↓
gitaiflow_last_summary
```

Then test the tools requiring repository context:

```text
gitaiflow_change_summary
gitaiflow_changelog
gitaiflow_release_notes
```

Use the actual repository remote. Do not assume `origin`, `gitlab`, or another remote name.

---

## 8. Workspace rule for Docker

For the recommended multi-repository Docker layout, `/workspace` is the allowed **parent workspace**, not necessarily a Git repository itself.

For example:

```text
/workspace/
├── gitaiflow/.git
├── djangoplay-cli/.git
└── issuetracker/.git
```

If the tool accepts a repository path, select the repository by name:

```text
path="gitaiflow"
```

which resolves to:

```text
/workspace/gitaiflow
```

Git must report that directory as its repository root. You can verify it with:

```bash
docker exec gitaiflow-mcp sh -c \
  'git -C /workspace/gitaiflow rev-parse --show-toplevel'
```

Expected:

```text
/workspace/gitaiflow
```

Do not change the Docker mount to an individual repository merely to make this call work. The parent workspace is what allows Inspector and Claude to select sibling repositories as well.

---

## 9. Rate limiting

The application default is:

```text
MCP_RATE_LIMIT=5
MCP_RATE_WINDOW_SECONDS=60
```

Repeated manual Inspector requests can consume this window quickly.

For local development use:

```text
MCP_RATE_LIMIT=100
MCP_RATE_WINDOW_SECONDS=60
```

After changing `.mcp.env`, restart the MCP server/container.

A restart invalidates old MCP sessions, so reconnect Inspector.

---

## 10. Successful Inspector gate

Inspector is complete when:

```text
[ ] connection established
[ ] authentication accepted
[ ] initialize succeeds
[ ] session established
[ ] tools/list succeeds
[ ] all six tools visible
[ ] schemas are correct
[ ] required arguments are enforced
[ ] optional arguments are available
[ ] valid tool calls succeed
[ ] MCP results are returned
```

At this point the MCP protocol boundary is proven.

Next:

```text
MCP-CLAUDE-DESKTOP.md
```