Synaptic MCP server

Q: How do I add Synaptic MCP to Claude Code?

Run `claude mcp add --transport http synaptic https://synapticgraph.com/api/mcp/projects/%7Bproject_id%7D` in your terminal. Add `--scope user` to make it available in every project.

Q: How do I add Synaptic MCP to Cursor?

Open `~/.cursor/mcp.json` and add the server under `mcpServers`, using the Cursor config shown in the install section above.

Q: How do I connect Synaptic to Claude Code or Codex?

Run the install command for your assistant, such as `synaptic install claude` or `synaptic install codex`; use `--global` for the Codex desktop app.

Q: Does Synaptic run an MCP server?

Yes, `synaptic serve` runs the MCP server, and a managed service is also offered via Synaptic Cloud.

Commit Nov 1, 2026

colinvaughn/synaptic · rust · AGPL-3.0

Lets an AI assistant query a repository's code knowledge graph to understand symbols, trace change impact, select tests, and search engineering history.

Also known as ColinVaughn/Synaptic, synaptic

remote Developer Tools Docs & Knowledge Workflow Automation No API key

Install GitHub ↗

Stars: 32
Tools: —
Downloads, 30 days: —
Latest version: 1.2.0
Last commit: Nov 1, 2026
License: AGPL-3.0

What is Synaptic MCP?

Synaptic lets an AI assistant query a repository's code knowledge graph to understand symbols, trace change impact, select tests, and search engineering history.

Summary generated from the project's README

About Synaptic MCP server

Mapping a repository into a persistent knowledge graph allows developers to provide their AI assistants with a structural understanding of a codebase rather than just raw files. Synaptic builds this graph locally using a single Rust binary, requiring no database, accounts, or API keys to function. It works through a CLI or an MCP server that connects to assistants like Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, and Cursor.

By using tools such as synaptic query and synaptic affected, users can trace how changes impact specific symbols or identify which tests need to be run. The system focuses on context efficiency, returning only the relevant subgraph to the assistant to reduce token usage. It also provides access to engineering history through memory searches and can forecast risks using the synaptic predict command. This setup enables deep architectural analysis, including tracking imports, inheritance, and cross-language boundaries, all while staying offline unless network-backed features are enabled.

What you can do with it

1Analyze code impactAsk the assistant to identify which parts of the system might break if a specific symbol is modified.
2Reduce token consumptionProvide the AI with precise structural information instead of uploading entire source files.
3Search engineering historyRetrieve context from past commits, decisions, or reviews to understand why certain code exists.
4Verify architectural changesUse a throwaway worktree to test how a proposed change affects the existing codebase.

Written from the project's README. Every use case is checked against a quote from it.

How to install Synaptic MCP

Formats verified 10 Nov 2026

Claude CodeCursorVS CodeCodexGemini CLI

$ claude mcp add --transport http synaptic https://synapticgraph.com/api/mcp/projects/%7Bproject_id%7D

~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "synaptic": {
      "url": "https://synapticgraph.com/api/mcp/projects/%7Bproject_id%7D"
    }
  }
}

.vscode/mcp.json

{
  "servers": {
    "synaptic": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://synapticgraph.com/api/mcp/projects/%7Bproject_id%7D"
    }
  }
}

~/.codex/config.toml

[mcp_servers.synaptic]
url = "https://synapticgraph.com/api/mcp/projects/%7Bproject_id%7D"

~/.gemini/settings.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "synaptic": {
      "httpUrl": "https://synapticgraph.com/api/mcp/projects/%7Bproject_id%7D"
    }
  }
}

No environment variables or API keys required.Setup guides:Claude Code Cursor VS Code Claude Desktop

Automated checks

Ran Nov 13, 2026Full report →

58/100

Not verified yet. A server needs a score of 80, no serious finding, and enough data for us to check. How checks work

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Source repository linked and reachablecolinvaughn/synaptic is public and reachablegithub.com/colinvaughn/synaptic ↗Pass
Package names this repository as its sourceNot checked
Build provenance (Sigstore attestation)Not checked
Open source license (OSI)AGPL-3.0spdx.org/licenses/AGPL-3.0.html ↗Pass
Commit or release in the last yearLast commit or release 2026-11-01github.com/colinvaughn/synaptic ↗Pass
OpenSSF ScorecardNot checked
Package name not close to a popular packageNot checked
No critical advisory in the package or its dependenciesNot checked
No hidden instructions to the model0 tool descriptions and the README read; no override phrases, credential paths or hidden charactersPass
Destructive tools are labelledNot checked
Remote endpoint answers the MCP handshakeEndpoint did not answer initialize: HTTP 530Finding

README

View on GitHub

Synaptic

Give your coding assistant a map of the codebase, not a pile of files.

Synaptic maps a repository once so you and your coding assistant do not have to rediscover it every session. Ask how a system works, what depends on a symbol, or what a change may break. The answers come from a persistent, source-grounded knowledge graph, available from the CLI or through MCP. Synaptic can also remember past changes and plan small, reviewable API and dependency repairs.

Code extraction is local and deterministic. Synaptic ships as a single Rust binary with no runtime, database, account, or API key required.

Documentation | Quickstart | Benchmarks | Discord

Get started

Install the latest checksummed release:

# macOS / Linux
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -LsSf https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ColinVaughn/Synaptic/main/install.sh | sh

# Windows PowerShell
irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ColinVaughn/Synaptic/main/install.ps1 | iex

Then run Synaptic from a repository:

synaptic extract .                         # build synaptic-out/graph.json
synaptic query "how does authentication work?"
synaptic affected parse_config             # what could this change break?

Extraction honors .gitignore and .synapticignore, skips common secret files, and stays offline unless you explicitly enable a network-backed feature.

Connect your coding assistant

synaptic install claude                    # Claude Code
synaptic install codex                     # Codex CLI
synaptic install codex --global            # Codex desktop app

Claude and Codex load only a small set of tools at startup, then find the rest on demand. This keeps prompts smaller without hiding capabilities. Gemini, Cursor, Copilot, OpenCode, Kilo, and generic AGENTS.md clients are supported too. See Assistant Integration.

What it does

Need	What Synaptic provides
Understand the code	Symbols, calls, imports, inheritance, resources, SQL, and cross-language boundaries in one graph
Find impact	Callers, references, reverse dependencies, dynamic-dispatch hazards, and affected tests
Change code safely	Change forecasts, refactor plans, architecture diffs, and optional verification in an isolated worktree
Remember the past	Source-linked history from commits, decisions, incidents, reviews, CI, and previous attempts
Maintain dependencies	API contract tracking and vulnerability evidence with small, reviewable repair workflows

Synaptic supports dozens of languages, incremental updates, multi-repository federation, structural search, SQL auditing, graph-aware PR review, and exports for GraphML, Cypher, Graphviz, Obsidian, and Markdown. Detailed capabilities live in the documentation, keeping this page focused on getting started.

See the architecture

synaptic chart

This creates a self-contained architecture map from the graph. Open a subsystem, select a symbol, and follow its real incoming and outgoing relationships without a server.

Built to save context

Synaptic returns the relevant slice of a graph instead of loading whole source files into an assistant's context. In the checked-in token benchmark, full graph answers used 27-38x fewer tokens than reading the source files referenced by those answers. That is a context-compression measurement, not a promise about total task cost. The methodology and raw results are in BENCHMARKS.md.

Common commands

Command	Purpose
`synaptic extract .`	Build the graph
`synaptic update` / `synaptic watch`	Keep it current
`synaptic query "..."`	Find the relevant subgraph for a question
`synaptic affected <symbol>`	Trace reverse impact
`synaptic predict <files>`	Forecast risk and select tests
`synaptic speculate <files>`	Verify a change in a throwaway worktree
`synaptic memory search "..."`	Find relevant repository history
`synaptic serve`	Run the MCP server

Run synaptic <command> --help for flags or use the complete command reference.

Pick a workflow

CLI: the fastest path for local extraction, queries, automation, and MCP.
Desktop: run synaptic-ui for visual repository setup, federation, assistant connection, updates, and the complete command catalog.
Hosted: Synaptic Cloud provides a managed MCP service. See the GitHub automation guide for commit-triggered graph sync and verified repair workflows.

Update a release installation with synaptic self-update.

Documentation

Installation and Quickstart
Querying, languages, and output formats
MCP server and assistant integration
Repository memory, API maintenance, and vulnerability management
Workspaces and federation, configuration, and development

Build from source

The repository pins Rust 1.97.1.

cargo install --path bin/synaptic
cargo install --path bin/synaptic-ui       # optional desktop app

For development and architecture notes, see the development guide.

Community and license

Questions, ideas, or something you built? Join the Discord community.

Synaptic is licensed under AGPL-3.0-or-later; see LICENSE and NOTICE. If you modify Synaptic and make it available over a network, you must offer those users the corresponding source. The separately maintained Synaptic Cloud service is proprietary and is not covered by this repository's license.

Read full README

Synaptic MCP questions

How do I add Synaptic MCP to Claude Code?

Run claude mcp add --transport http synaptic https://synapticgraph.com/api/mcp/projects/%7Bproject_id%7D in your terminal. Add --scope user to make it available in every project.

How do I add Synaptic MCP to Cursor?

Open ~/.cursor/mcp.json and add the server under mcpServers, using the Cursor config shown in the install section above.

Does Synaptic MCP require an API key or database?

No. Synaptic ships as a single Rust binary with no runtime, database, account, or API key required, and code extraction runs locally and offline.

How do I connect Synaptic to Claude Code or Codex?

Run the install command for your assistant, such as synaptic install claude or synaptic install codex; use --global for the Codex desktop app.

What can Synaptic tell me about the impact of a code change?

It traces reverse impact for a symbol, forecasts risk, and selects affected tests, with optional verification in an isolated worktree.

Can Synaptic search past repository history and decisions?

Yes, it builds source-linked history from commits, decisions, incidents, reviews, CI, and previous attempts, searchable with synaptic memory search.

Does Synaptic run an MCP server?

Yes, synaptic serve runs the MCP server, and a managed service is also offered via Synaptic Cloud.

Facts

Nov 13, 2026

Stars: 32
Downloads, 30 days: —
Latest version: 1.2.0
Last commit: Nov 1, 2026
License: AGPL-3.0
Transport: remote
Package: —

ColinVaughn ↗

Community publisher

Published by an independent maintainer.

Alternatives

Works with

Claude Code Cursor VS Code Claude Desktop Codex Gemini CLI Windsurf Devin

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Before you install

Servers run with the permissions you give them. Use the narrowest token or database role that does the job.

About Synaptic MCP server

What you can do with it

1Analyze code impactAsk the assistant to identify which parts of the system might break if a specific symbol is modified.
2Reduce token consumptionProvide the AI with precise structural information instead of uploading entire source files.
3Search engineering historyRetrieve context from past commits, decisions, or reviews to understand why certain code exists.
4Verify architectural changesUse a throwaway worktree to test how a proposed change affects the existing codebase.

Written from the project's README. Every use case is checked against a quote from it.

# macOS / Linux curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -LsSf https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ColinVaughn/Synaptic/main/install.sh | sh # Windows PowerShell irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ColinVaughn/Synaptic/main/install.ps1 | iex

Need

What Synaptic provides

Understand the code

Symbols, calls, imports, inheritance, resources, SQL, and cross-language boundaries in one graph

Find impact

Callers, references, reverse dependencies, dynamic-dispatch hazards, and affected tests

Change code safely

Change forecasts, refactor plans, architecture diffs, and optional verification in an isolated worktree

Remember the past

Source-linked history from commits, decisions, incidents, reviews, CI, and previous attempts

Maintain dependencies

API contract tracking and vulnerability evidence with small, reviewable repair workflows

Command

Purpose

synaptic extract .

Build the graph

synaptic update / synaptic watch

Keep it current

synaptic query "..."

Find the relevant subgraph for a question

synaptic affected <symbol>

Trace reverse impact

synaptic predict <files>

Forecast risk and select tests

synaptic speculate <files>

Verify a change in a throwaway worktree

synaptic memory search "..."

Find relevant repository history

synaptic serve

Run the MCP server

Synaptic MCP questions

How do I add Synaptic MCP to Claude Code?

Run claude mcp add --transport http synaptic https://synapticgraph.com/api/mcp/projects/%7Bproject_id%7D in your terminal. Add --scope user to make it available in every project.

How do I add Synaptic MCP to Cursor?

Open ~/.cursor/mcp.json and add the server under mcpServers, using the Cursor config shown in the install section above.

Does Synaptic MCP require an API key or database?

No. Synaptic ships as a single Rust binary with no runtime, database, account, or API key required, and code extraction runs locally and offline.

How do I connect Synaptic to Claude Code or Codex?

Run the install command for your assistant, such as synaptic install claude or synaptic install codex; use --global for the Codex desktop app.

What can Synaptic tell me about the impact of a code change?

It traces reverse impact for a symbol, forecasts risk, and selects affected tests, with optional verification in an isolated worktree.

Can Synaptic search past repository history and decisions?

Yes, it builds source-linked history from commits, decisions, incidents, reviews, CI, and previous attempts, searchable with synaptic memory search.

Does Synaptic run an MCP server?

Yes, synaptic serve runs the MCP server, and a managed service is also offered via Synaptic Cloud.

Synaptic MCP server

What is Synaptic MCP?

About Synaptic MCP server

What you can do with it

How to install Synaptic MCP

Install Synaptic MCP in Claude Code

Install Synaptic MCP in Cursor

Install Synaptic MCP in VS Code

Install Synaptic MCP in Codex

Install Synaptic MCP in Gemini CLI

Automated checks

README

Synaptic

Get started

Connect your coding assistant

What it does

See the architecture

Built to save context

Common commands

Pick a workflow

Documentation

Build from source

Community and license

Synaptic MCP questions

Synaptic MCP server

What is Synaptic MCP?

About Synaptic MCP server

What you can do with it

How to install Synaptic MCP

Install Synaptic MCP in Claude Code

Install Synaptic MCP in Cursor

Install Synaptic MCP in VS Code

Install Synaptic MCP in Codex

Install Synaptic MCP in Gemini CLI

Automated checks

README

Synaptic

Get started

Connect your coding assistant

What it does

See the architecture

Built to save context

Common commands

Pick a workflow

Documentation

Build from source

Community and license

Synaptic MCP questions