sprawl-cli MCP server

Developer AI governance: GitOps rule management and multi-IDE consistency for AI coding agents.

Sprawl CLI

One source of truth for the rules, skills, and boundaries your AI coding agents follow.

Website · Docs · Quickstart

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The Problem

AI coding agents (Cursor, Claude Code, Copilot, RooCode, Antigravity) each read their own configuration files, and teams end up with:

• Fragmented rules: .cursorrules, .windsurfrules, .clinerules, and CLAUDE.md scattered across every repository, each slightly different.
• Configuration drift: a rule updated in one repo never reaches the other forty.
• Wasted context: agents load node_modules, build caches, and irrelevant files into their context window.
• No audit trail: security and platform teams cannot see which rules each team's agents actually run with.

The Solution

Sprawl CLI keeps agent rules in Git and compiles them into every editor's native format, locally, with no cloud service.

Capability	How
GitOps Rule Sync	Rules, skills, and personas live in a Git registry. sprawl ws push updates every tracked repository.
Universal IDE Binding	One manifest compiles to native settings for Cursor, VS Code, IntelliJ, Claude, Gemini, and Copilot.
Drift Detection	sprawl diff shows where a workspace has moved away from the central registry.
Directory-Scoped MCP File Access	The bundled MCP file server only serves the workspace and explicitly mounted directories.
Local-Only	No accounts, no telemetry, no network calls except the git operations you run.

Sprawl is a governance and configuration tool. It is not an operating system sandbox and does not replace OS-level isolation.

Quickstart

Install

Linux & macOS:

# Automated bootstrap with pipx isolation
curl -sL https://sprawl.software/install.sh | bash

# Fallback via GitHub raw:
curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sprawl-software/sprawl-cli/main/install.sh | bash

Windows (PowerShell 5.1+ / 7+):

# Native PowerShell bootstrap with pipx isolation
irm https://sprawl.software/install.ps1 | iex

# Fallback via GitHub raw:
irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sprawl-software/sprawl-cli/main/install.ps1 | iex

Cross-Platform (direct pipx):

pipx install git+https://github.com/sprawl-software/sprawl-cli.git

Initialize & Govern

# Import your team's global DNA registry
sprawl init https://github.com/your-org/your-dna-repo.git

# Graft onto an existing project (harvests legacy editor rules automatically)
cd my-project/
sprawl graft

# Sync DNA, provision venv, compile IDE bindings
sprawl sync

# Connect to your active editors
sprawl bind

Core Commands

Command	Usage
sprawl create	Scaffold a new governance-compliant workspace
sprawl graft	Onboard an existing project without losing custom configs
sprawl sync	Pull DNA updates, provision venv, compile IDE bindings
sprawl bind	Generate native config files for all active editors
sprawl ignore	Compile stack-aware ignore shields ([detect|sync|check] [--all]) across up to 11 IDE targets
sprawl add	Inject rules, skills, or workflows from the registry
sprawl mount	Give agents scoped access to additional directories
sprawl status	Inspect workspace identity and DNA health
sprawl token-size	Statically audit Always-On (Turn 1) vs. Lazy-Loaded (On-Demand) context tokens ([--detailed] [--max-tokens <N>])
sprawl diff	Detect configuration drift against the central registry
sprawl doctor	Run system-wide diagnostics
sprawl ws	Manage all tracked workspaces from a single registry
sprawl demo	Interactive demonstration
sprawl man	Offline terminal documentation
sprawl wipe	Clean uninstall with no configuration left behind

Architecture

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                     DEVELOPER WORKSTATION                       │
│                                                                 │
│   ┌──────────────┐                         ┌─────────────┐      │
│   │  IDE / Agent │───────── HTTPS ────────▶│  Cloud LLM  │      │
│   └──────────────┘                         └─────────────┘      │
│          │                                                      │
│   ┌──────┴───────────────────────────────────────────────────┐  │
│   │                    SPRAWL (LOCAL)                        │  │
│   │                                                          │  │
│   │  ┌───────────────────┐     ┌──────────────────────────┐  │  │
│   │  │  RULE REGISTRY    │     │  SCOPED MCP FILE SERVER  │  │  │
│   │  │  ~/.sprawl/ (Git) │     │  Path traversal guard    │  │  │
│   │  │  Compiled per IDE │     │  Workspace + mounts only │  │  │
│   │  └───────────────────┘     └──────────────────────────┘  │  │
│   │                                                          │  │
│   └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Supported Editors & Agents

• Cursor (.cursorrules)
• VS Code / GitHub Copilot (.github/copilot-instructions.md, .vscode/settings.json)
• Visual Studio
• Claude Code (CLAUDE.md, MCP config)
• Gemini / Google Antigravity (gemini.json, .agent/)
• IntelliJ / JetBrains
• Windsurf (.windsurfrules)
• RooCode / Cline (.clinerules)

Design Principles

• 100% Local: Runs entirely on your machine. No cloud, no accounts, zero telemetry.
• Cross-Platform: Linux, macOS, and Windows 10/11.
• Agnostic Outputs: One manifest compiles to all editors. Switch tools without reconfiguring.
• Minimal Dependencies: Python standard library plus Rich. Sub-100ms boot.
• Auditable: Small, readable codebase.

Development & Testing

1. Setup Local Environment

Clone the repository and install Sprawl in editable mode with development dependencies:

git clone https://github.com/sprawl-software/sprawl-cli.git
cd sprawl-cli
python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: .venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1
pip install -e ".[dev]"

2. Lint & Code Formatting (Ruff)

ruff check src/ tests/
ruff format --check src/ tests/

3. Run Unit & Integration Tests

pytest

4. Run E2E Integration Suite (Smoke Test)

Run the automated 26-scenario end-to-end verification:

python tests/qa_run_verifier.py --ci

Contributing

Sprawl is in active private development. Contribution guidelines will be published at public launch. For early access or partnerships: hello@sprawl.software.

License

Business Source License 1.1. See LICENSE.

• Free for non-production use, and for production use by individuals and organisations with 5 people or fewer (see LICENSE for the exact thresholds).
• Other production use requires a commercial license.
• Agencies and consultants deploying Sprawl for clients require a Partner License.

Contact: hello@sprawl.software

Sprawl Software is a trading name of WebWizArt.be BV, Belgium.