MCP Bridge (Windows)

Zero-Tax Hot-Swap: Token Saving & Live Switching Instead of loading 50–150 heavy tool schemas into every prompt, the gateway exposes only 2 lightweight meta-tools (all_tools and call_tool) — cutting the token tax to zero. Enable or disable servers and presets mid-conversation, with no chat-page reload. In standard clients, tool schemas from every connected server remain in context even when idle. MCP Bridge exposes only 2 lightweight meta-tools (all_tools and call_tool) upfront, and whenever you uncheck an unused server in the app window, its schemas are immediately excluded from the gateway catalogue — without restarting the chat or losing conversation history.	One Connection, 1-Click Presets & Smart Import Connect your AI client once, switch ready-made server presets in 1 click, and smart-import clipboard content with automatic recognition of mcpServers JSON, CLI commands, and URLs. Group servers into task-specific Server Presets and switch workflows in 1 click without dropping active sessions. When adding a new server, smart clipboard import automatically parses mcpServers JSON blocks, CLI commands, or URLs.
Local STDIO Servers for Browser AI Bridge combines all your local console servers (npx, uvx, python) into one protected HTTPS link for Browser AI using built-in Supergateway + Tailscale Funnel — no router port forwarding and no changes to system DNS (accept-dns=false). Built-in Supergateway and Tailscale Funnel expose local STDIO servers over Streamable HTTP without router port forwarding and without modifying Windows DNS settings (accept-dns=false). Pre-existing Tailscale installations and preferences are preserved untouched.	Process & RAM Control — No Zombie Processes A lightweight native tray app. When a server is stopped or Bridge exits, the Windows Job Object kills the entire child-process tree — no orphaned node.exe or python.exe left running in memory. Managed child processes are assigned to a Windows Job Object (JOB_OBJECT_LIMIT_KILL_ON_JOB_CLOSE). Additional descendant cleanup (Toolhelp) and startup WMI/TCP checks help terminate Bridge-managed process trees and prevent orphaned node.exe or python.exe processes.
Verification Sandbox, Quarantine & Auto-Wait Local plugins sleep in WAITING until their target app starts (e.g. an IDE, Blender/Unity, or a database); failing servers move to QUARANTINE after a 4-stage verification. New servers pass through a 4-stage verification pipeline (Pre-flight → Transport → Initialize → Tools). Lightweight socket hooks automatically detect whether a STDIO server connects to a local application port (e.g., a 3D editor, IDE, or local DB) or a remote API, keeping the server in WAITING while the target app is closed.	Live Folder Security & Everything Included Control folder access on the fly with checkboxes (roots-filter), automatically redact secrets as [REDACTED], and get Node.js, uv, Filesystem MCP, and Tailscale bundled in the installer. The internal roots-filter strips client-supplied roots capabilities on initialize so remote clients cannot override your local folder allow-list. Remote servers require explicit per-origin HTTPS trust approval, and API keys or Bearer tokens are automatically redacted ([REDACTED]) in logs.

Live Demo: Saving Context Tokens by Disabling Unused MCP Servers on the Fly
When you dynamically disable unused MCP servers in MCP Bridge right during an active chat, their tools immediately stop being sent to the dialogue without reloading the browser page — drastically reducing context token consumption:

Open the Settings tab — here you configure folder access, the public tunnel, and copy the connection URLs for your AI client:

1. Allowed Folders	2. Online access	3. Connection URLs
Directories accessible to the built-in Filesystem MCP. Uncheck any folder to revoke AI access immediately without restarting the gateway.	Enables the public HTTPS tunnel via Tailscale Funnel. Required only for web-based AI apps. Local desktop clients on your PC work without it.	Ready-to-use gateway endpoints. Click Copy URL next to the address you need and paste it into your AI client settings.

LOCAL URL — http://127.0.0.1:8004/mcp	PUBLIC URL — https://<device>.<tailnet>.ts.net/mcp
For applications installed on your PC (IDEs, desktop AI clients, local agents). Add a Streamable HTTP connection in your app's MCP settings and paste this URL.	For web AI applications that support MCP. Depending on the service, this section may be called connectors, plugins, integrations, or connected via third-party extensions — simply paste the copied URL there.

When clicking Connect under Online access for the first time, complete these three screens in order:

STEP 1 · Welcome to Tailscale	STEP 2 · Sign In & Connect	STEP 3 · Start using Funnel
The Tailscale application window will open. Click Get Started.	A login page will open in your browser — sign in to your account, then click Connect on the Connect device screen.	The Start using Funnel page will open automatically. Scroll down, click Enable Funnel, and wait for the connection to finish.

The Dashboard tab shows the gateway overview and currently enabled servers. Disabled servers (DISABLED) are hidden from the MCP Services Status table to keep it clean — they are visible in the MCP Services tab.

The server is connected, verified, and exposing its tools to the chat.	Waiting for a local application or endpoint to become available (e.g., an IDE, 3D editor, or local service).	Startup or MCP protocol error. The server is isolated so other services keep working.	Manually disabled by the user (shown only in the MCP Services tab).

How Real-Time Server Switching Works
You can enable or disable any servers right during an active conversation with the AI. At any given moment, only the tools belonging to currently enabled servers are available in the dialogue. You do not need to reload the browser page, restart your local client, or manually refresh the tool list in your AI settings — the gateway updates the available tools automatically.

Server Presets	Enable (ON) & Tools	Edit & Remove
Click Save Preset to save the currently enabled combination of servers. Switch between saved profiles in 1 click without interrupting your session.	The ON checkbox makes a server available to the chat. When disabled, Bridge stops its managed process tree through Windows Job Objects, releasing the memory used by those processes. Tools: N shows the number of available tools.	The ✎ button opens the JSON configuration editor for the selected server, and ✕ removes the server from the list.

Under the Hood: 2-Meta-Tool Architecture (all_tools & call_tool)

MCP Bridge uses Model-Directed Tool Discovery (MTD): a model-directed way to discover and invoke tools. The external gateway at :8004/mcp exposes only 2 meta-tools: all_tools and call_tool. Unlike semantic Smart Routing — where an external mechanism guesses relevant tools by keyword similarity — with MTD the model requests the live catalogue snapshot through all_tools (served from the internal Poll Manager cache with catalog_revision tracking), selects the exact tool it needs, and invokes it via call_tool with JSON Schema validation. This also eliminates reliance on how individual AI clients handle notifications/tools/list_changed or cache tools/list.

Click + Add Server in the MCP Services tab to add a new local or remote server:

1. Paste JSON	2. Verify & Add	3. Save Without Check
Copy a standard mcpServers block from the server's documentation and click Paste from Clipboard (or edit the JSON manually).	Click Verify & Add — Bridge will test the startup, discover its tools, and immediately attach the server to the gateway.	If the server depends on an external app that is currently closed, click Save Without Check — it will be added in WAITING mode.

1. Full Access to Allowed Folders	2. Running Third-Party STDIO Processes
The built-in Filesystem MCP grants the AI permission to read, modify, and delete files inside checked directories in Allowed Folders. Never expose entire system drives (C:\) or folders containing passwords, wallets, or SSH keys.	Any CLI server you add (npx, uvx, python, node, .exe) runs on your PC under your Windows user account. Only add servers and packages from sources you completely trust.
3. Public Tailscale Funnel URL	4. Local Storage of Keys & Tokens
When the tunnel is enabled, your PUBLIC URL is reachable from the internet by anyone who knows the address. Never share this URL publicly or expose it in screenshots, and click Disconnect when you no longer need remote access.	Configured environment variables (env) and HTTP authorization headers (Authorization / API keys) are stored locally in plain text inside Config/settings.json. Do not share this file with others.