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DollhouseMCP

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DollhouseMCP

Platform Support

A comprehensive Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables dynamic AI persona management with an integrated GitHub-powered collection. DollhouseMCP allows Claude and other compatible AI assistants to activate different behavioral personas while supporting community sharing and monetization.

🌐 Repository: https://github.com/DollhouseMCP/mcp-server
🏪 Collection: https://github.com/DollhouseMCP/collection
📦 NPM Package: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@dollhousemcp/mcp-server
🌍 Website: https://dollhousemcp.com (planned)
📦 Version: v1.5.0

⚠️ Breaking Change Notice: Tool names have changed from "marketplace" to "collection" terminology. Old names still work but are deprecated. See Migration Guide for details.

🚀 Quick Start

# Install globally npm install -g @dollhousemcp/mcp-server # ✅ v1.5.0 introduces GitHub OAuth authentication! # New secure authentication without manual token management: # npm install -g @dollhousemcp/mcp-server@latest # Add to Claude Desktop config (see path below for your OS) # macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json # Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json # Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
{ "mcpServers": { "dollhousemcp": { "command": "npx", "args": ["@dollhousemcp/mcp-server"] } } }

Restart Claude Desktop and you're ready to use DollhouseMCP! Try list_personas to get started.

✨ Key Features

FeatureDescription
🎭 49 MCP ToolsComplete portfolio element management through chat interface
🏪 GitHub CollectionBrowse, search, install, and submit personas to community collection
👤 User Identity SystemEnvironment-based attribution for persona creators
🆔 Unique ID SystemAdvanced ID generation: {type}_{name}_{author}_{YYYYMMDD}-{HHMMSS}
💬 Chat-Based ManagementCreate, edit, and validate personas through conversational interface
🔄 Real-time OperationsLive editing with automatic version bumping and validation
🚀 Auto-Update SystemEnterprise-grade auto-update with backup/rollback and dependency validation
📦 NPM InstallationInstall MCP servers from npm with cross-platform support and atomic operations
🛡️ Data ProtectionCopy-on-write for default personas, comprehensive backup system
🏠 Local-First ArchitectureFull functionality without cloud dependency

🎨 Portfolio Customization Elements

DollhouseMCP introduces a comprehensive portfolio system for customizing AI behavior. Your portfolio is your personal collection of AI customization elements that enhance and tailor your AI experience.

Portfolio Element Types

ElementPurposeStatus
🎭 PersonasDefine AI personality, tone, and behavioral characteristics✅ Available
🛠️ SkillsAdd specific capabilities like code review, data analysis, or creative writing✅ Available
📝 TemplatesCreate reusable response formats for emails, reports, documentation✅ Available
🤖 AgentsBuild autonomous assistants that can pursue goals and make decisions✅ Available
🧠 MemoryPersistent context storage with retention policies and search capabilities✅ Available
🎯 EnsembleOrchestrate multiple elements together as one unified entity✅ Available

Managing Your Portfolio

Use these new generic tools to manage any element type in your portfolio:

  • list_elements - Browse your portfolio elements by type
  • activate_element - Activate elements to customize AI behavior
  • get_active_elements - View currently active customizations
  • deactivate_element - Deactivate specific customizations
  • get_element_details - Examine element configuration and metadata
  • reload_elements - Refresh portfolio from filesystem

Specialized Element Tools

Some portfolio elements have specialized operations:

  • render_template - Generate content using template elements with variables
  • execute_agent - Deploy agent elements to accomplish specific goals

Portfolio Examples

# Browse your skill portfolio list_elements type="skills" # Activate a code review skill activate_element name="code-review" type="skills" # Activate a professional email template activate_element name="email-professional" type="templates" # Use a template to generate content render_template name="project-update" variables='{"project": "DollhouseMCP", "status": "Released"}' # Deploy an agent for a specific task execute_agent name="project-manager" goal="Create a sprint plan for next week"

Portfolio Structure

Your portfolio lives in ~/.dollhouse/portfolio/ with elements organized by type:

~/.dollhouse/portfolio/ ├── personas/ # Personality and behavior profiles ├── skills/ # Specialized capabilities ├── templates/ # Reusable content structures └── agents/ # Autonomous assistants

Legacy Persona Tools

For backward compatibility, the original persona-specific tools still work:

  • list_personas → calls list_elements type="personas"
  • activate_persona → calls activate_element type="personas"
  • get_active_persona → calls get_active_elements type="personas"
  • etc.

🔒 Enterprise-Grade Security

DollhouseMCP implements comprehensive security measures to protect your personas and system:

Security Features

  • 🛡️ Content Sanitization: DOMPurify integration prevents XSS attacks in persona content
  • 📝 YAML Injection Prevention: Secure parsing with schema validation and size limits
  • 🔐 Token Security: GitHub OAuth device flow authentication with AES-256-GCM encrypted storage
  • 🐳 Container Hardening: Non-root execution, read-only filesystem, resource limits
  • 🚦 Rate Limiting: Token bucket algorithm prevents API abuse (10 checks/hour default)
  • ✅ Signature Verification: GPG verification ensures release authenticity
  • 🔍 Input Validation: Comprehensive validation for all user inputs
  • 📊 Security Monitoring: Audit logging for security-relevant operations

Security Testing

  • 487 comprehensive tests including security-specific test suites
  • Continuous security scanning with GitHub Advanced Security
  • Vulnerability-free: All security alerts resolved (0 active)

📋 Prerequisites

  • Node.js: v20.0.0 or higher (LTS recommended)
  • npm: v10.0.0 or higher
  • git: For cloning the repository
  • Operating System: Windows, macOS, or Linux

Note: DollhouseMCP is developed on Node.js 24 but supports Node.js 20+ for broad compatibility.

🚀 Quick Start

Installation

npm install -g @mickdarling/dollhousemcp

After installation, add DollhouseMCP to your Claude Desktop configuration:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{ "mcpServers": { "dollhousemcp": { "command": "npx", "args": ["@dollhousemcp/mcp-server"] } } }

Note: If you have other MCP servers configured, add dollhousemcp to your existing mcpServers object.

Automated Setup (Alternative) - Claude Desktop Only

Warning

Claude Desktop Only: The automated setup script is specifically designed for Claude Desktop integration. If you're using Claude Code, other AI platforms (ChatGPT, BoltAI, Gemini, etc.), or custom MCP implementations, please use the Manual Installation process below.

# Clone the repository git clone https://github.com/DollhouseMCP/mcp-server.git cd mcp-server # Run automated setup script (Claude Desktop only) ./setup.sh

The setup script will:

  • 📦 Install all dependencies
  • 🔨 Build the TypeScript code
  • 📍 Detect your installation path
  • 🔧 Generate the exact Claude Desktop configuration
  • 📋 Provide step-by-step setup instructions
Manual Installation

Note: Manual installation works with all MCP-compatible platforms including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, ChatGPT, BoltAI, Gemini, and custom implementations.

# Clone the repository git clone https://github.com/DollhouseMCP/mcp-server.git cd mcp-server # Install dependencies and build npm install npm run build # Optional: Set user identity for persona attribution export DOLLHOUSE_USER="your-username" export DOLLHOUSE_EMAIL="your-email@example.com"

Claude Desktop Configuration

Add DollhouseMCP to your Claude Desktop configuration:

Location: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS)

For NPM Installation:
{ "mcpServers": { "dollhousemcp": { "command": "npx", "args": ["@dollhousemcp/mcp-server"] } } }
For Source Installation:
{ "mcpServers": { "dollhousemcp": { "command": "node", "args": ["/absolute/path/to/DollhouseMCP/dist/index.js"] } } }

🔄 After configuration:

  1. Save the file
  2. Restart Claude Desktop completely
  3. All 49 DollhouseMCP tools will be available

🛠️ Available Tools (49 Total)

Portfolio Element Management (NEW!)

  • list_elements - List all elements of a specific type
  • activate_element - Activate an element by name and type
  • get_active_elements - Get currently active elements of a type
  • deactivate_element - Deactivate a specific element
  • get_element_details - View detailed information about an element
  • reload_elements - Refresh elements from filesystem

Element-Specific Operations (NEW!)

  • render_template - Render a template element with provided variables
  • execute_agent - Execute an agent element with a specific goal

Core Persona Management (Legacy - Still Supported)

  • list_personas - Display all local personas with enhanced metadata
  • activate_persona - Activate by name, filename, or unique ID
  • get_active_persona - Get current persona information
  • deactivate_persona - Return to default mode
  • get_persona_details - View complete persona details
  • reload_personas - Refresh from filesystem

GitHub Collection Integration

  • browse_collection - Browse content by section and type (flat structure, no categories)
  • search_collection - Search across all collection content
  • get_collection_content - View detailed content info
  • install_element - One-click download and installation of any element type
  • submit_persona - Submit to collection via GitHub issue

User Identity Management

  • set_user_identity - Set username for persona attribution
  • get_user_identity - View current identity status
  • clear_user_identity - Return to anonymous mode

Chat-Based Persona Management

  • create_persona - Guided persona creation through chat
  • edit_persona - Modify existing persona fields
  • validate_persona - Comprehensive quality validation

Auto-Update System

  • check_for_updates - Check GitHub releases for available DollhouseMCP updates
  • update_server - Automated git pull + npm install + build with backup creation
  • rollback_update - Restore previous version from automatic backups
  • get_server_status - Comprehensive server status with version, git info, and system details

Persona Indicators

  • configure_indicator - Configure how persona indicators appear in AI responses
  • get_indicator_config - View current indicator configuration settings

GitHub Authentication (NEW!)

  • setup_github_auth - Start GitHub OAuth device flow authentication
  • check_github_auth - Check current authentication status
  • clear_github_auth - Remove stored authentication credentials

📖 Usage Examples

Collection Operations

browse_collection(section="library", type="personas") # Browse all personas browse_collection(section="library", type="skills") # Browse skills search_collection "writing" # Search for writing personas install_element "library/personas/storyteller.md" # Install from collection

Persona Creation & Management

create_persona "Study Buddy" "A helpful tutor" "educational" "You are a patient tutor..." edit_persona "Study Buddy" "description" "An encouraging academic mentor" validate_persona "Study Buddy" # Check quality and format submit_persona "Study Buddy" # Share with community

User Identity

set_user_identity "your-username" # Set attribution get_user_identity # Check current status clear_user_identity # Return to anonymous

Auto-Update Operations

The auto-update system provides enterprise-grade update management with safety features:

check_for_updates # Check for new DollhouseMCP versions get_server_status # View current version and system info update_server true # Perform automated update with backup rollback_update true # Revert to previous version if needed

How Auto-Update Works:

  1. Version Check: Queries GitHub releases API for latest version
  2. Backup Creation: Automatically backs up current installation (including user personas)
  3. Update Process:
    • Performs git pull to fetch latest code
    • Runs npm install for dependency updates
    • Rebuilds TypeScript with npm run build
  4. Verification: Validates the update succeeded
  5. Rollback Option: Keep last 5 backups for easy recovery

Safety Features:

  • Rate limiting prevents API abuse
  • GPG signature verification (when available)
  • Dependency version validation
  • Automatic backup retention (5 most recent)
  • User personas preserved during updates

Persona Indicators

DollhouseMCP adds visual indicators to AI responses when a persona is active:

[🎭 Creative Writer v2.1 by @mickdarling] Your creative response here...

Configure indicators:

get_indicator_config # View current settings configure_indicator enabled:false # Disable indicators configure_indicator style:"minimal" # Use minimal format: 🎭 Creative Writer configure_indicator style:"compact" # Use compact: [Creative Writer v2.1] configure_indicator style:"full" # Full format (default) configure_indicator emoji:"🤖" # Change emoji configure_indicator showAuthor:false # Hide author attribution configure_indicator bracketStyle:"round" # Use (parentheses) instead of [brackets]

Environment variables for persistent configuration:

export DOLLHOUSE_INDICATOR_ENABLED=true export DOLLHOUSE_INDICATOR_STYLE=minimal export DOLLHOUSE_INDICATOR_EMOJI=🎨

GitHub Authentication (NEW! v1.5.0)

DollhouseMCP now supports GitHub OAuth device flow authentication for secure access to GitHub features without exposing tokens:

setup_github_auth # Start OAuth device flow check_github_auth # Check authentication status clear_github_auth # Remove stored credentials

Features:

  • 🔐 Secure Token Storage: Tokens encrypted with AES-256-GCM
  • 📱 Device Flow: No need to manually create or paste tokens
  • 🔄 Automatic Token Management: Secure storage and retrieval
  • 🛡️ Rate Limiting: Built-in protection against API abuse
  • ✅ Unicode Security: Prevents homograph attacks

How It Works:

  1. Run setup_github_auth to start the OAuth flow
  2. Visit the provided URL and enter the user code
  3. Authorize DollhouseMCP in your browser
  4. Authentication completes automatically
  5. Token is securely stored for future use

Example Usage:

# First-time setup setup_github_auth # Copy the user code: XXXX-XXXX # Visit: https://github.com/login/device # Enter the code and authorize # Check status check_github_auth # ✅ Authenticated as: your-username # Later sessions automatically use stored token browse_collection # Works with authenticated access

🖥️ Cross-Platform Installation

🐧 Linux Installation

Prerequisites
  • Node.js: v20.0.0 or higher
  • npm: v10.0.0 or higher
  • git: For version control
# Ubuntu/Debian sudo apt update sudo apt install -y nodejs npm git # Verify Node.js version node --version # Should be v20.0.0 or higher # CentOS/RHEL/Fedora sudo dnf install -y nodejs npm git # Verify Node.js version node --version # Should be v20.0.0 or higher # Arch Linux sudo pacman -S nodejs npm git # Verify Node.js version node --version # Should be v20.0.0 or higher

Note: If your system's Node.js is older than v20, install from NodeSource or use nvm.

Installation Steps
# Clone and build git clone https://github.com/DollhouseMCP/mcp-server.git cd mcp-server npm install npm run build # Optional: Set user identity export DOLLHOUSE_USER="your-username" export DOLLHOUSE_EMAIL="your-email@example.com"
Claude Desktop Configuration (Linux)
# Configuration location ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json # Or use XDG_CONFIG_HOME if set $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Configuration content:

{ "mcpServers": { "dollhousemcp": { "command": "node", "args": ["/absolute/path/to/DollhouseMCP/dist/index.js"] } } }

🪟 Windows Installation

Prerequisites
  • Node.js: v20.0.0 or higher
  • npm: v10.0.0 or higher (included with Node.js)
  • git: For version control
# Install Node.js from https://nodejs.org/ (download LTS version) # Or using Chocolatey choco install nodejs --version=20.18.0 choco install git # Or using winget winget install OpenJS.NodeJS Git.Git # Verify Node.js version node --version # Should be v20.0.0 or higher
Installation Steps (PowerShell)
# Clone and build git clone https://github.com/DollhouseMCP/mcp-server.git cd mcp-server npm install npm run build # Optional: Set user identity $env:DOLLHOUSE_USER = "your-username" $env:DOLLHOUSE_EMAIL = "your-email@example.com"
Claude Desktop Configuration (Windows)
# Configuration location $env:APPDATA\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Configuration content (use forward slashes or double backslashes):

{ "mcpServers": { "dollhousemcp": { "command": "node", "args": ["C:/path/to/DollhouseMCP/dist/index.js"] } } }

🍎 macOS Installation

Prerequisites
  • Node.js: v20.0.0 or higher
  • npm: v10.0.0 or higher (included with Node.js)
  • git: For version control
# Using Homebrew (recommended) brew install node git # Or download from https://nodejs.org/ (LTS version) # Verify Node.js version node --version # Should be v20.0.0 or higher
Installation Steps
# Clone and build git clone https://github.com/DollhouseMCP/mcp-server.git cd mcp-server npm install npm run build # Optional: Set user identity export DOLLHOUSE_USER="your-username" export DOLLHOUSE_EMAIL="your-email@example.com"
Claude Desktop Configuration (macOS)
# Configuration location ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Configuration content:

{ "mcpServers": { "dollhousemcp": { "command": "node", "args": ["/absolute/path/to/DollhouseMCP/dist/index.js"] } } }

🐳 Docker Installation

Quick Start with Docker

# Clone repository git clone https://github.com/DollhouseMCP/mcp-server.git cd mcp-server # Build and run with Docker Compose docker-compose up -d # Or build manually docker build -t dollhousemcp . docker run -d --name dollhousemcp dollhousemcp
Production deployment:
docker-compose up -d
Development with hot reload:
docker-compose --profile dev up dollhousemcp-dev

Custom Personas with Docker

# Mount your custom personas directory docker run -d \ --name dollhousemcp \ -v /path/to/your/personas:/app/personas \ -e DOLLHOUSE_USER="your-username" \ dollhousemcp

Docker Environment Variables

# Set user identity DOLLHOUSE_USER=your-username DOLLHOUSE_EMAIL=your-email@example.com # Custom personas directory (inside container) PERSONAS_DIR=/app/personas # Node.js environment NODE_ENV=production

🧪 Testing

Running Tests

The project includes comprehensive tests for cross-platform compatibility:

# Run all tests npm test # Run tests with coverage npm run test:coverage # Run tests in watch mode (for development) npm run test:watch # Run specific test suites npm run test:auto-update npm run test:personas npm run test:collection

Test Coverage

Current test coverage includes:

  • ✅ 102 comprehensive tests covering all functionality
  • ✅ Auto-update system - GitHub API, backup/rollback, dependency validation
  • ✅ Security testing - Command injection prevention, input validation
  • ✅ Cross-platform compatibility - Windows, macOS, Linux path handling
  • ✅ Version validation - Parsing tests for git/npm output formats
  • ✅ Edge case coverage - Network failures, missing dependencies, malformed input

Manual Verification

Verify your setup works correctly:

# Build the project npm run build # Test the server (should output server info) node dist/index.js --help 2>/dev/null || echo "Server compiled successfully" # Verify personas directory ls -la personas/ # Test auto-update system check_for_updates # Use in Claude Desktop get_server_status # Check current system status

☁️ Cloud Deployment

Container Registries

The project supports deployment to:

  • GitHub Container Registry (ghcr.io)
  • Docker Hub
  • AWS ECR
  • Google Container Registry

Example Cloud Deployments

AWS ECS
{ "family": "dollhousemcp", "containerDefinitions": [{ "name": "dollhousemcp", "image": "ghcr.io/mickdarling/dollhousemcp:latest", "memory": 512, "cpu": 256, "environment": [ {"name": "NODE_ENV", "value": "production"}, {"name": "PERSONAS_DIR", "value": "/app/personas"}, {"name": "DOLLHOUSE_USER", "value": "production"} ] }] }
Google Cloud Run
gcloud run deploy dollhousemcp \ --image ghcr.io/mickdarling/dollhousemcp:latest \ --platform managed \ --region us-central1 \ --set-env-vars NODE_ENV=production,DOLLHOUSE_USER=production
Azure Container Instances
az container create \ --name dollhousemcp \ --resource-group myResourceGroup \ --image ghcr.io/mickdarling/dollhousemcp:latest \ --environment-variables NODE_ENV=production DOLLHOUSE_USER=production

🏗️ Project Structure

DollhouseMCP/ ├── .github/ │ ├── actions/ │ │ └── validate-yaml/ # Reusable YAML validation action │ ├── workflows/ # CI/CD workflows │ └── ISSUE_TEMPLATE/ # Issue templates for bug/feature/task ├── __tests__/ │ ├── unit/ # Unit tests for components │ ├── integration/ # Integration tests │ └── *.test.ts # Test files (600+ tests total) ├── src/ │ ├── index.ts # Main MCP server (DollhouseMCPServer) │ ├── cache/ # API caching layer │ ├── config/ # Configuration management │ ├── marketplace/ # GitHub collection integration │ ├── persona/ # Persona management core │ ├── security/ # Input validation and security │ ├── server/ # MCP server setup and tools │ ├── types/ # TypeScript type definitions │ ├── update/ # Auto-update system components │ └── utils/ # Utility functions ├── dist/ # Compiled JavaScript (auto-generated) ├── personas/ # Default persona collection │ ├── creative-writer.md │ ├── technical-analyst.md │ ├── eli5-explainer.md │ ├── business-consultant.md │ └── debug-detective.md ├── custom-personas/ # User-created personas (git-ignored) ├── docs/ # Documentation │ ├── auto-update/ # Auto-update system docs │ └── development/ # Development notes and guides ├── scripts/ # Management and utility scripts ├── Dockerfile # Multi-stage Docker build ├── docker-compose.yml # Production and development configs ├── package.json # Project config (dollhousemcp v1.4.2) ├── tsconfig.json # TypeScript configuration ├── jest.config.cjs # Jest test configuration ├── setup.sh # Automated installation script ├── LICENSE # AGPL-3.0 with platform stability ├── CHANGELOG.md # Version history ├── claude.md # Project context for Claude └── README.md # This file

📝 Creating Custom Personas

Enhanced Persona Format

Create .md files in the personas/ directory with this structure:

--- name: "Your Persona Name" description: "Brief description of what this persona does" unique_id: "auto-generated-if-missing" author: "your-username" triggers: ["keyword1", "keyword2"] version: "1.0" category: "creative" age_rating: "all" ai_generated: false generation_method: "human" price: "free" license: "CC-BY-SA-4.0" --- # Your Persona Name Your persona instructions go here. This content defines how the AI should behave when this persona is activated. ## Response Style - Communication guidelines - Tone and approach - Specific behaviors ## Key Techniques - Problem-solving methods - Interaction patterns

Metadata Fields

Required Fields
FieldDescription
nameDisplay name for the persona
descriptionBrief description of purpose and capabilities
Optional Fields
FieldDescription
unique_idAuto-generated in format: what-it-is_YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS_who-made-it
authorCreator username (uses DOLLHOUSE_USER environment variable or generates anonymous ID)
categoryOne of: creative, professional, educational, gaming, personal
triggersArray of keywords that suggest when to use this persona
versionSemantic version number (auto-incremented on edits)
age_ratingContent rating: all, 13+, or 18+
ai_generatedBoolean flag indicating if content was AI-created
priceMonetization field - TODO: Future Release (will support "free" or pricing tiers)

📚 Built-in Personas

PersonaPurposeBest For
Creative WriterImaginative storytelling and creative contentBrainstorming, creative writing, engaging narratives
Technical AnalystDeep technical analysis and systematic problem-solvingArchitecture decisions, debugging, technical docs
ELI5 ExplainerSimplifying complex topics for beginnersTeaching, onboarding, concept explanation
Business ConsultantStrategic business analysis and recommendationsStrategy planning, business decisions, market analysis
Debug DetectiveSystematic debugging and troubleshootingBug hunting, system troubleshooting, root cause analysis

🏪 Collection Integration (Beta)

🧪 Beta Feature: The GitHub-powered collection is currently in beta. Features may change based on community feedback.

DollhouseMCP includes an experimental GitHub-powered collection:

  • Browse by Category: creative, professional, educational, gaming, personal
  • Search Content: Find personas by keywords and descriptions
  • One-Click Install: Download and integrate collection personas
  • Community Submissions: Submit your personas via submit_persona tool
  • Version Control: Full Git history for all collection content

Note: Collection features require internet connection and GitHub API access. Rate limits may apply.

⚠️ Migration Guide - Breaking Changes

Important: Tool names have changed in recent versions:

  • browse_marketplace → browse_collection
  • search_marketplace → search_collection
  • get_marketplace_persona → get_collection_content

If you have scripts or workflows using the old tool names, please update them to use the new names.

Licensing

  • Core Server: AGPL-3.0 (prevents proprietary competing platforms)
  • Persona Content: CC-BY-SA-4.0 for free personas, custom licenses for premium
  • Platform Terms: Creator-friendly 80/20 revenue split (applies only to paid personas when monetization is implemented)

Platform Stability Commitments

  • 90-day advance notice for monetization changes
  • 12-month revenue sharing locks for existing paid personas
  • Transparent governance for platform policy updates
  • Full data portability rights
  • Community advisory input on policy changes

🛠️ Development

Available Scripts

ScriptDescription
npm run buildCompile TypeScript to JavaScript
npm run startRun the compiled server
npm run devRun in development mode with auto-reload
npm run cleanRemove compiled files
npm run rebuildClean and rebuild the project
npm run setupInstall dependencies and build
npm testRun the comprehensive test suite
npm run test:coverageRun tests with coverage reporting

Environment Variables

Customize server behavior with these environment variables:

# User Attribution export DOLLHOUSE_USER="your-username" # User attribution for persona creation export DOLLHOUSE_EMAIL="your-email" # Contact email (optional) # Directory Configuration export PERSONAS_DIR="/custom/path/to/personas" # Custom personas directory # Auto-Update Configuration export GITHUB_TOKEN="your-token" # For private repository access (optional) # Development Configuration export NODE_ENV="development" # Development mode export DEBUG="dollhousemcp:*" # Debug logging (optional)

🔧 Troubleshooting

⚠️ NPM Installation Issues (v1.4.2)

If the MCP server crashes on startup after NPM installation:

  1. Check your version: npm list -g @dollhousemcp/mcp-server
  2. If you have v1.4.2, upgrade immediately: npm install -g @dollhousemcp/mcp-server@latest
  3. Clear your portfolio and let it regenerate: rm -rf ~/.dollhouse/portfolio

Note: v1.4.2 had a critical bug that prevented proper initialization. v1.4.3 attempted to fix this but introduced new crashes. Both issues are fixed in v1.4.4.

Directory Structure (v1.4.3+)

As of v1.4.3, all element directories use plural names:

  • ~/.dollhouse/portfolio/personas/ (was persona/ in v1.4.2)
  • ~/.dollhouse/portfolio/skills/ (was skill/ in v1.4.2)
  • ~/.dollhouse/portfolio/templates/ (was template/ in v1.4.2)
  • ~/.dollhouse/portfolio/agents/ (was agent/ in v1.4.2)
  • ~/.dollhouse/portfolio/memories/ (was memory/ in v1.4.2)
  • ~/.dollhouse/portfolio/ensembles/ (was ensemble/ in v1.4.2)

If you upgraded from v1.4.2, the server will automatically migrate your directories.

Common Issues

IssueSolution
v1.4.2 or v1.4.3 installation brokenUpgrade to v1.4.4+ immediately
Personas not loadingCheck ~/.dollhouse/portfolio/personas/ directory exists
Server won't startRun npm run rebuild to clean and rebuild
Collection not workingCheck internet connection and GitHub API access
User identity not savingSet DOLLHOUSE_USER environment variable before starting Claude
"Cannot find module" errorsEnsure npm install completed successfully
TypeScript compilation errorsVerify Node.js version is 20+ with node --version
Tools not appearing in ClaudeRestart Claude Desktop completely after config changes
Default personas modifiedv1.2.1+ uses copy-on-write; git restore if needed
Update/rollback issuesCheck write permissions; disable with DOLLHOUSE_DISABLE_UPDATES=true
Rate limit errorsWait 60 seconds; GitHub API has hourly limits

Debug Steps

  1. Check build status:
    npm run build
  2. Verify persona files:
    ls -la personas/*.md
  3. Test server startup:
    node dist/index.js
  4. Validate configuration:
    # Check Claude Desktop config cat ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json # Verify Node.js version (requires 20+) node --version # Check npm version npm --version
  5. Test auto-update system:
    # Use within Claude Desktop check_for_updates # Check for available updates get_server_status # View system information
  6. Validate personas: Use the reload_personas tool to check for loading errors

📚 Documentation

Element System Documentation

Additional Resources

🤝 Contributing

We welcome contributions! DollhouseMCP includes integrated tools for submitting personas directly from Claude.

  1. Create or modify a persona using the chat-based tools:
    create_persona "My Awesome Persona" "A helpful assistant for..." "professional"
  2. Validate your persona to ensure quality:
    validate_persona "My Awesome Persona"
  3. Submit to the collection directly from Claude:
    submit_persona "My Awesome Persona"
    This automatically creates a GitHub issue for community review.

Manual Contribution Process

  1. Fork the repository
  2. Create persona files in personas/ or custom-personas/
  3. Follow the metadata format and naming conventions
  4. Test thoroughly with validate_persona tool
  5. Submit a pull request with clear description

Reporting Issues

Please include:

  • Node.js version (node --version)
  • Operating system and version
  • Complete error messages
  • Steps to reproduce the issue
  • Relevant persona files (if applicable)
  • Claude Desktop configuration (without sensitive paths)

Development Guidelines

  1. Follow TypeScript best practices
  2. Maintain existing code style and patterns
  3. Add comprehensive error handling
  4. Update documentation for new features
  5. Test thoroughly across platforms before submitting PRs
  6. Include tests for new functionality
  7. Follow semantic versioning for releases

Development Workflow

# Fork and clone git clone https://github.com/your-username/DollhouseMCP.git cd mcp-server # Install dependencies npm install # Create feature branch git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name # Make changes and test npm run build npm test # Commit and push git commit -m "feat: your feature description" git push origin feature/your-feature-name # Submit pull request

📄 API Reference

MCP Tool Specifications

Each tool follows the MCP specification:

interface DollhouseTool { name: string; description: string; inputSchema: { type: "object"; properties: Record<string, any>; required?: string[]; }; }

Tool Categories

Core Persona Management
// list_personas - No parameters // activate_persona - { persona: string } // get_active_persona - No parameters // deactivate_persona - No parameters // get_persona_details - { persona: string } // reload_personas - No parameters
Collection Integration
// browse_collection - { section?: string, type?: string } // search_collection - { query: string } // get_collection_content - { path: string } // install_element - { path: string, type?: string } // submit_persona - { persona: string }
User Identity Management
// set_user_identity - { username: string } // get_user_identity - No parameters // clear_user_identity - No parameters
Chat-Based Management
// create_persona - { name: string, description: string, category?: string, instructions: string } // edit_persona - { persona: string, field: string, value: string } // validate_persona - { persona: string }
Auto-Update System
// check_for_updates - No parameters // update_server - { confirm: boolean } // rollback_update - { confirm: boolean } // get_server_status - No parameters

Error Handling

The server provides detailed error messages for:

  • Invalid persona identifiers - Clear suggestions for valid names
  • File system issues - Permission and path resolution errors
  • Malformed persona files - YAML parsing and validation errors
  • Network errors - GitHub API and collection connectivity issues
  • Runtime errors - Server startup and operation failures

Response Formats

All responses follow consistent patterns:

  • Success responses: Include requested data and operation status
  • Error responses: Include error type, message, and suggested resolution
  • Progress indicators: Step-by-step feedback for long operations
  • Validation results: Detailed reports with recommendations

📄 License

This project is licensed under the AGPL-3.0 License with Platform Stability Commitments - see the LICENSE file for details.

Platform Stability Guarantees:

  • 90-day advance notice for policy changes
  • 12-month revenue sharing locks
  • Full data portability rights
  • Community advisory input

🏷️ Version History

v1.5.0 - August 5, 2025 (Current)

GitHub OAuth Authentication:

  • 🔐 OAuth Device Flow - Secure authentication without manual token management
  • 🔒 AES-256-GCM Encryption - Tokens encrypted at rest with machine-specific keys
  • 🛡️ Rate Limiting - Built-in protection against brute force attacks
  • ✅ Natural Language Flow - User-friendly authentication instructions
  • 🧪 Comprehensive Tests - 420+ lines of OAuth implementation tests

v1.4.5 - August 5, 2025

Claude Desktop Integration Fix:

  • ✅ Fixed "Server disconnected" errors when using npx or dollhousemcp CLI
  • 🔄 Progressive retry mechanism for better compatibility across different machine speeds
  • 🔒 Security improvements - removed detailed error logging to prevent information disclosure
  • 🧪 Added comprehensive tests for execution detection logic

v1.4.4 - August 4, 2025

Emergency Hotfix:

  • 🚨 Fixed v1.4.3 total failure - initialization crashes fixed
  • 🔧 Fixed jsdom crash - heavy dependencies now load lazily
  • 🐳 Fixed Docker compatibility - handles read-only environments

v1.4.3 - August 4, 2025

Directory Structure Fix:

  • 🚨 Fixed NPM installation failure but introduced new crashes

v1.4.2 - August 4, 2025

Critical NPM Installation Fix:

  • 🚨 Fixed NPM installation failure where empty portfolios caused server crashes
  • 📦 DefaultElementProvider automatically populates default content on first run
  • 🔍 Smart path detection searches multiple NPM/Git installation locations
  • 💬 Helpful error messages guide new users when portfolios are empty
  • 🔒 Security hardened with audit logging and file integrity verification

v1.4.1 - August 2, 2025

NPM Installation Support:

  • 📦 Install MCP servers from npm packages with full cross-platform support
  • 🔄 Atomic operations with transaction-based rollback on failure
  • 📊 Progress indicators for better user experience during long operations
  • 🏗️ Centralized configuration respecting platform conventions (XDG on Linux)
  • 🛠️ FileOperations utility for consistent cross-platform behavior

v1.4.0 - August 2, 2025

Complete Element System:

  • 🎭 Ensemble elements for orchestrating multiple elements together
  • 🧠 Memory elements with retention policies and search capabilities
  • 🤖 Agent elements with goal-oriented decision making
  • 📝 Template elements with secure variable substitution
  • 🛠️ Skill elements with parameter system and proficiency tracking
  • 🔒 Comprehensive security throughout all element types

v1.3.3 - August 2, 2025

Portfolio System & Element Types:

  • 🎨 Portfolio-based architecture for managing all AI customization elements
  • 🛠️ Generic element tools that work with any element type
  • 📁 Structured directory layout under ~/.dollhouse/portfolio/
  • 🔄 Backward compatibility maintained for existing personas

v1.3.2 - August 1, 2025

GitFlow Implementation:

  • 🔀 GitFlow branching model for better release management
  • 🏷️ Automated version tagging on releases
  • 📦 NPM release automation (pending token configuration)

v1.3.1 - July 31, 2025

Collection System Updates:

  • 🏪 Improved collection browsing with better error handling
  • 🔍 Enhanced search functionality for finding content
  • 📥 Better installation process with validation

v1.3.0 - July 30, 2025

Major Architecture Refactor:

  • 🏗️ Element interface system providing foundation for all element types
  • 🔐 Security-first implementation with comprehensive protections
  • 📊 Improved test coverage reaching 96%+

v1.2.5 - July 2025

Collection Rename & Breaking Changes:

  • 🔄 Renamed all "marketplace" tools to "collection":
    • browse_marketplace → browse_collection
    • search_marketplace → search_collection
    • get_marketplace_persona → get_collection_content
    • install_persona → install_persona (unchanged)
    • submit_persona → submit_persona (unchanged)
  • ✅ Added backward compatibility aliases (deprecated, will be removed in v2.0.0)
  • ✅ Updated repository from /personas to /collection
  • ✅ Created migration guide for users to update their scripts
  • ✅ Fixed all date references from January to July 2025

v1.2.4 - July 10, 2025

Critical Fix:

  • ✅ Fixed MCP protocol compatibility - console output no longer breaks JSON-RPC communication
  • ✅ Added MCP-safe logger utility for proper logging during protocol sessions
  • ✅ Resolves connection failures in Claude Desktop
  • ✅ Updated Docker tests to work with new logging approach
  • ✅ Added comprehensive logger unit tests

v1.2.3 - July 10, 2025

Bug Fix:

  • ✅ Fixed personas directory path resolution for production environments
  • ✅ Changed from process.cwd() to __dirname-based paths
  • ✅ Fixed setup script with correct tool count and repository URLs

v1.2.2 - July 10, 2025

  • ✅ Comprehensive security enhancements:
    • Content sanitization with DOMPurify (SEC-001)
    • YAML injection prevention (SEC-003)
    • GitHub token security (SEC-004)
    • Docker container hardening (SEC-005)
  • ✅ 487 comprehensive tests including extensive security coverage
  • ✅ CI timing test fixes for reliable cross-platform testing
  • ✅ TypeScript compilation fixes for all test files
  • ✅ All security vulnerabilities resolved (0 active alerts)

v1.2.1 - July 8, 2025

  • ✅ Critical bug fixes for data protection:
    • Copy-on-write for default personas (Issue #145)
    • User personas included in backups (Issue #144)
  • ✅ Node.js 20+ requirement for npm publishing compatibility
  • ✅ 372 comprehensive tests covering all functionality
  • ✅ Enhanced security with all vulnerabilities resolved
  • ✅ Improved documentation with clear prerequisites

v1.2.0 - July 7, 2025

  • ✅ Rate limiting implementation to prevent API abuse
  • ✅ GPG signature verification for release authenticity
  • ✅ GitHub Advanced Security integration
  • ✅ 309 tests with improved CI environment coverage
  • ✅ Package optimization at 279.3 kB

v1.1.0 - July 4, 2025

  • ✅ Platform-specific badges for Windows, macOS, Linux visibility
  • ✅ GitHub Project management with issue templates and milestones
  • ✅ ARM64 Docker fix switching from Alpine to Debian base images
  • ✅ 100% workflow reliability (except Docker ARM64)
  • ✅ First GitHub release with CHANGELOG.md
  • ✅ 21 total MCP tools at time of release

Phase 2B+ - July 3, 2025

  • ✅ Enterprise-grade auto-update system with 4 new MCP tools
  • ✅ 50 comprehensive tests covering all functionality
  • ✅ Security hardening - eliminated all command injection vulnerabilities
  • ✅ Cross-platform support - Windows, macOS, Linux with CI/CD testing
  • ✅ Docker containerization with production and development configurations
  • ✅ 21 total MCP tools with backup/rollback and dependency validation

Phase 2B - July 1-2, 2025

  • ✅ Complete chat-based persona management
  • ✅ GitHub marketplace integration
  • ✅ User identity and attribution system
  • ✅ Real-time validation and editing
  • ✅ Enterprise-grade GitHub Actions security

Phase 1 - July 1, 2025

  • ✅ Fresh AGPL-3.0 licensed repository
  • ✅ Enhanced unique ID system
  • ✅ Anonymous user support
  • ✅ Marketplace-ready metadata schema

🎭 Transform your AI interactions with the power of personas

For support, please open an issue or visit our collection.

Install Server
A
security – no known vulnerabilities
F
license - not found
A
quality - confirmed to work

How are these scores calculated?

hybrid server

The server is able to function both locally and remotely, depending on the configuration or use case.

Tools

View all tools

A comprehensive Model Context Protocol server that enables dynamic AI persona management with GitHub-powered marketplace integration, allowing Claude and other compatible AI assistants to activate different behavioral personas with community sharing capabilities.

  1. Platform Support
    1. 🚀 Quick Start
      1. ✨ Key Features
        1. 🎨 Portfolio Customization Elements
          1. Portfolio Element Types
          2. Managing Your Portfolio
          3. Specialized Element Tools
          4. Portfolio Examples
          5. Portfolio Structure
          6. Legacy Persona Tools
        2. 🔒 Enterprise-Grade Security
          1. Security Features
          2. Security Testing
        3. 📋 Prerequisites
          1. 🚀 Quick Start
            1. Installation
            2. Claude Desktop Configuration
          2. 🛠️ Available Tools (49 Total)
            1. Portfolio Element Management (NEW!)
            2. Element-Specific Operations (NEW!)
            3. Core Persona Management (Legacy - Still Supported)
            4. GitHub Collection Integration
            5. User Identity Management
            6. Chat-Based Persona Management
            7. Auto-Update System
            8. Persona Indicators
            9. GitHub Authentication (NEW!)
          3. 📖 Usage Examples
            1. Collection Operations
            2. Persona Creation & Management
            3. User Identity
            4. Auto-Update Operations
            5. Persona Indicators
            6. GitHub Authentication (NEW! v1.5.0)
          4. 🖥️ Cross-Platform Installation
            1. 🐧 Linux Installation
            2. 🪟 Windows Installation
            3. 🍎 macOS Installation
          5. 🐳 Docker Installation
            1. Quick Start with Docker
            2. Docker Compose (Recommended)
            3. Custom Personas with Docker
            4. Docker Environment Variables
          6. 🧪 Testing
            1. Running Tests
            2. Test Coverage
            3. Manual Verification
          7. ☁️ Cloud Deployment
            1. Container Registries
            2. Example Cloud Deployments
          8. 🏗️ Project Structure
            1. 📝 Creating Custom Personas
              1. Enhanced Persona Format
              2. Metadata Fields
            2. 📚 Built-in Personas
              1. 🏪 Collection Integration (Beta)
                1. ⚠️ Migration Guide - Breaking Changes
              2. 💼 Business Model & Legal
                1. Licensing
                2. Platform Stability Commitments
              3. 🛠️ Development
                1. Available Scripts
                2. Environment Variables
              4. 🔧 Troubleshooting
                1. ⚠️ NPM Installation Issues (v1.4.2)
                2. Directory Structure (v1.4.3+)
                3. Common Issues
                4. Debug Steps
              5. 📚 Documentation
                1. Element System Documentation
                2. Additional Resources
              6. 🤝 Contributing
                1. Integrated Contribution Process (Recommended)
                2. Manual Contribution Process
                3. Reporting Issues
                4. Development Guidelines
                5. Development Workflow
              7. 📄 API Reference
                1. MCP Tool Specifications
                2. Tool Categories
                3. Error Handling
                4. Response Formats
              8. 📄 License
                1. 🏷️ Version History
                  1. v1.5.0 - August 5, 2025 (Current)
                  2. v1.4.5 - August 5, 2025
                  3. v1.4.4 - August 4, 2025
                  4. v1.4.3 - August 4, 2025
                  5. v1.4.2 - August 4, 2025
                  6. v1.4.1 - August 2, 2025
                  7. v1.4.0 - August 2, 2025
                  8. v1.3.3 - August 2, 2025
                  9. v1.3.2 - August 1, 2025
                  10. v1.3.1 - July 31, 2025
                  11. v1.3.0 - July 30, 2025
                  12. v1.2.5 - July 2025
                  13. v1.2.4 - July 10, 2025
                  14. v1.2.3 - July 10, 2025
                  15. v1.2.2 - July 10, 2025
                  16. v1.2.1 - July 8, 2025
                  17. v1.2.0 - July 7, 2025
                  18. v1.1.0 - July 4, 2025
                  19. Phase 2B+ - July 3, 2025
                  20. Phase 2B - July 1-2, 2025
                  21. Phase 1 - July 1, 2025

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