Boardroom

AI Governance-as-a-Service — Model Context Protocol Server

MIT License npm MCP

Give your AI agents a boardroom of advisors. Based on Napoleon Hill's Mastermind Principle — the idea that coordinated minds produce intelligence no single mind can achieve — digitized for AI agents.

Multi-advisor debate, institutional memory, trust scoring, and cognitive governance — all running locally on your machine.

📖 Read the Full Documentation →

Complete guide covering Quick Start → Installation → 5 Tools → Use Cases → Protocol Files → Building Councils → Debate Protocols → Cognitive Drills → Mind Versioning → Architecture → Full System.

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⚡ Quick Start — Pick Your Platform

Prerequisites: Node.js 18+ must be installed. Check with node --version.

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🟣 Claude Desktop

Step 1: Open your config file:

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

Step 2: Paste this (create the file if it doesn't exist):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "boardroom": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "boardroom-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Step 3: Restart Claude Desktop completely (quit and reopen).

Step 4: Test it — type this in the chat:

Use the analyze tool with task: "Test — is the Boardroom working?"

Step 5: See what's available — type this in the chat:

What Boardroom MCP tools do I have access to? List all 5 tools with a one-line description of each.

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🟢 Claude Code (CLI)

Option A — One command (recommended):

claude mcp add boardroom -- npx -y boardroom-mcp

Option B — Config file: Create .mcp.json in your project root:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "boardroom": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "boardroom-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Test it — type this in Claude Code:

Use the analyze tool with task: "Test — is the Boardroom working?"

See what's available:

What Boardroom MCP tools do I have access to? List all 5 tools with a one-line description of each.

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🔵 Cursor

Step 1: Open Settings → MCP (or create .cursor/mcp.json in your project root)

Step 2: Add this server config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "boardroom": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "boardroom-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Step 3: Restart Cursor.

Test it — type in Cursor chat:

Use the analyze tool with task: "Test — is the Boardroom working?"

See what's available:

What Boardroom MCP tools do I have access to? List all 5 tools with a one-line description of each.

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🟡 Windsurf

Step 1: Open Settings → MCP or create .windsurf/mcp.json in your project root.

Step 2: Add this server config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "boardroom": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "boardroom-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Step 3: Restart Windsurf.

Test it — type in Windsurf chat:

Use the analyze tool with task: "Test — is the Boardroom working?"

See what's available:

What Boardroom MCP tools do I have access to? List all 5 tools with a one-line description of each.

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🔷 VS Code (GitHub Copilot)

Requires GitHub Copilot with agent mode enabled.

Step 1: Enable MCP: Settings → Copilot → MCP (toggle on).

Step 2: Create .vscode/mcp.json in your project root:

{
  "servers": {
    "boardroom": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "boardroom-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

⚠️ Note: VS Code uses "servers" — NOT "mcpServers". This is different from all other platforms.

Step 3: Reload VS Code window (Ctrl+Shift+P → "Reload Window").

Test it — type in Copilot Chat (Agent mode):

Use the analyze tool with task: "Test — is the Boardroom working?"

See what's available:

What Boardroom MCP tools do I have access to? List all 5 tools with a one-line description of each.

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⚫ ChatGPT Desktop

Requires ChatGPT Plus or Pro subscription.

Step 1: Open ChatGPT Desktop → Settings → Developer → Connectors.

Step 2: Click "Add Custom MCP Server" and paste:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "boardroom": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "boardroom-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Step 3: Enable the "boardroom" connector in your chat.

Test it — type in the chat:

Use the analyze tool with task: "Test — is the Boardroom working?"

See what's available:

What Boardroom MCP tools do I have access to? List all 5 tools with a one-line description of each.

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🟠 OpenAI Codex CLI

Option A — One command (recommended):

codex mcp add boardroom -- npx -y boardroom-mcp

Option B — Config file: Add to ~/.codex/config.toml:

[mcp_servers.boardroom]
type = "stdio"
command = "npx"
args = ["-y", "boardroom-mcp"]

Test it — type in Codex CLI:

Use the analyze tool with task: "Test — is the Boardroom working?"

See what's available:

What Boardroom MCP tools do I have access to? List all 5 tools with a one-line description of each.

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🔴 Antigravity

Create .mcp.json in your workspace root:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "boardroom": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "boardroom-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Test it — type in the chat:

Use the analyze tool with task: "Test — is the Boardroom working?"

See what's available:

What Boardroom MCP tools do I have access to? List all 5 tools with a one-line description of each.

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🦞 OpenClaw

OpenClaw uses its skills system instead of MCP server configs.

Step 1: Clone and build the server:

git clone https://github.com/randysalars/boardroom-mcp.git
cd boardroom-mcp && npm install && npm run build

Step 2: Create the skill directory:

mkdir -p ~/.openclaw/skills/boardroom

Step 3: Create ~/.openclaw/skills/boardroom/SKILL.md:

---
name: boardroom
description: Boardroom Mastermind Council — multi-advisor strategic analysis via MCP server.
metadata: {"clawdbot":{"emoji":"🏛️","always":true,"requires":{"bins":["node"]},"primaryEnv":"BOARDROOM_ROOT"}}
---

# Boardroom MCP 🏛️

Multi-advisor strategic analysis. Run sessions via:

```bash
BOARDROOM_ROOT=~/.ai/boardroom node /path/to/boardroom-mcp/dist/index.js

Usage: "Board: Should I raise prices on my SaaS?"

**Step 4:** Add to `~/.openclaw/.env`:
```bash
BOARDROOM_ROOT=/path/to/your/.ai/boardroom

Step 5: Restart and verify:

systemctl --user restart openclaw-gateway.service
openclaw skills list | grep boardroom
# ✓ ready │ 📦 boardroom

Test it — type in the chat:

Use the analyze tool with task: "Test — is the Boardroom working?"

See what's available:

What Boardroom MCP tools do I have access to? List all 5 tools with a one-line description of each.

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✅ What Success Looks Like

When the test prompt works, you'll see output like:

# Boardroom Analysis

## Advisors Consulted
- **Warren Buffett** (Business Strategy): [their position]
- **Linus Torvalds** (Technology): [their position]
- **Marcus Aurelius** (Values & Ethics): [their position]

## Verdict
[synthesized recommendation]

## Recommended Actions
1. [action item]
2. [action item]

If you see this, it's working. Try a real question next:

Use the analyze tool with task: "Should I raise my SaaS price from $29 to $49?"

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📖 Quick Command Reference

Copy-paste these prompts into your AI chat to use each tool:

What You Want	Prompt to Type
Full analysis	Use the analyze tool with task: "Should I build feature X or Y?"
Risk check	Use the check_governance tool with task: "Deploy to production on Friday"
Search past decisions	Use the query_intelligence tool with query: "pricing strategy"
Trust assessment	Use the trust_lookup tool for entity: "Stripe" with context: "payment processing"
Log an outcome	Use the report_outcome tool with decision: "Raised prices 30%" and outcome: "Revenue up 22%"
List all tools	What Boardroom MCP tools do I have? List all 5 with descriptions.

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📦 Alternative Installation Methods

# Option A: npx (used by MCP configs above — no global install needed)
npx -y boardroom-mcp

# Option B: Global install
npm install -g boardroom-mcp
boardroom-mcp

# Option C: Clone and build (for development/contributing)
git clone https://github.com/randysalars/boardroom-mcp.git
cd boardroom-mcp && npm install && npm run build

Note: If npx fails, use Option C (clone and build), then point your MCP config to the local build:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "boardroom": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/boardroom-mcp/dist/index.js"]
    }
  }
}

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🔧 5 MCP Tools

Tool	Purpose
analyze	Full boardroom consultation with multi-advisor debate
check_governance	Task classification + severity routing
query_intelligence	Search LEDGER decisions + Wisdom Codex
trust_lookup	6-dimension trust vector for any entity
report_outcome	Log outcomes for institutional memory

→ See detailed tool documentation with examples

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🏗️ Architecture

Your AI Client (Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code, ChatGPT, Codex, Antigravity, OpenClaw)
         │ MCP Protocol (STDIO)
         │ Runs 100% on YOUR machine
         ▼
  Boardroom MCP Server
         │
         ├── demo/              ← Demo council (Buffett, Torvalds, Aurelius)
         │
         ▼
  ~/.ai/boardroom/          ← Full protocol files (optional upgrade)
  ├── LEDGER.md              ← Institutional memory
  ├── BOARD_WISDOM.md        ← Distilled principles
  └── mastermind/
      ├── seats/             ← Advisor definitions
      ├── councils/          ← Expert panels
      └── protocols/         ← Debate rules

Zero cost. No API keys. No cloud. No hosting. Your AI client does the LLM processing.

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🎯 What You Get

Free (This Repo)

• ✅ MCP server with 5 tools
• ✅ Demo council (3 named advisors: Warren Buffett, Linus Torvalds, Marcus Aurelius)
• ✅ MIT license

Full System (salars.net/boardroom)

• 🏛️ 450+ named advisors with calibrated seat cards (Buffett, Torvalds, Aurelius...)
• 🏛️ 38 expert councils (Tech, Business, Survival, Legal, Creative...)
• ⚔️ 5 debate resolution types
• 🧠 10 cognitive drills
• ⏳ Mind Versioning (Young Jobs vs Late Jobs)
• 🔥 Prometheus Protocol (forge new domains on the fly)
• 👁️ Meta-Observer (real-time bias detection)
• 📚 69+ LEDGER decisions as precedent library
• 📖 113+ Wisdom Codex entries
• 🎯 Smart Router (auto-detects council + severity)

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⚙️ Environment Variables

Variable	Default	Description
BOARDROOM_ROOT	~/.ai/boardroom	Path to your full protocol files directory
BOARDROOM_TRUST_PATH	~/.boardroom/trust-oracle.json	Path to trust oracle data file

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🔍 Troubleshooting

The AI ignores my prompt and doesn't use the tool

This is the #1 issue. It means the MCP server isn't loaded. Fix it:

1. Did you restart? Every platform requires a restart after editing the config. Quit completely and reopen.
2. Is the config in the right file? Double-check the file path for your platform (see Quick Start above).
3. Is the JSON valid? No trailing commas, no comments. Use jsonlint.com to validate.
4. Is Node.js 18+ installed? Run node --version in your terminal. Must be 18.0.0 or higher.
5. VS Code users: You need "servers" not "mcpServers" — VS Code uses a different format.

The AI says "boardroom-mcp not found" or npx fails

# Verify the package exists
npm view boardroom-mcp version

# If that works but npx doesn't, clear cache:
npx clear-npx-cache
npx -y boardroom-mcp

# Nuclear option — install globally:
npm install -g boardroom-mcp

Then update your config to use the global install:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "boardroom": {
      "command": "boardroom-mcp"
    }
  }
}

"No advisors found" in the output

The demo council file isn't being found. This means the package installed but can't find demo/seats.md.

# Check if the demo file exists in the package
npx -y boardroom-mcp --help 2>/dev/null
ls $(npm root -g)/boardroom-mcp/demo/

If the demo directory is missing, reinstall: npm install -g boardroom-mcp

ENOENT errors

You're pointing at a BOARDROOM_ROOT directory that doesn't exist:

# Check what path it's looking for
echo $BOARDROOM_ROOT

# Create it or unset the variable:
unset BOARDROOM_ROOT  # falls back to demo council

Tools appear but return errors

# Test the server directly in your terminal:
npx -y boardroom-mcp

# If it starts without errors, the MCP server works.
# The issue is in your AI client's connection to it.
# Try removing and re-adding the MCP config.

Claude Code specific: "MCP server failed to start"

# Remove and re-add:
claude mcp remove boardroom
claude mcp add boardroom -- npx -y boardroom-mcp

# Verify it's registered:
claude mcp list

Permission errors on macOS

# If npx can't write to the cache:
sudo chown -R $(whoami) ~/.npm
npm cache clean --force

Platform-specific config cheat sheet

Platform	Config File	Key Name	Restart Method
Claude Desktop	claude_desktop_config.json	mcpServers	Quit + reopen app
Claude Code	.mcp.json or claude mcp add	mcpServers	Auto-reloads
Cursor	.cursor/mcp.json or Settings → MCP	mcpServers	Restart Cursor
Windsurf	.windsurf/mcp.json or Settings → MCP	mcpServers	Restart Windsurf
VS Code	.vscode/mcp.json	⚠️ servers	Reload Window
ChatGPT Desktop	Settings → Developer → Connectors	mcpServers	Toggle connector
Codex CLI	~/.codex/config.toml or codex mcp add	mcp_servers (TOML)	Auto-reloads
Antigravity	.mcp.json	mcpServers	Auto-reloads
OpenClaw	~/.openclaw/skills/boardroom/SKILL.md	Skills system	Restart gateway

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📬 Stay in the Loop

• 🌐 Landing Page — Feature overview + pricing
• 📖 Documentation — Complete free → advanced guide
• 📧 Get Full Access — $29 — 450+ advisors, 38 councils, lifetime access
• 🐦 @SalarsNet — Tips, demos, and announcements

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🤝 Contributing

PRs welcome! Areas we'd love help with:

• Additional demo advisors
• New cognitive drill templates
• Documentation improvements
• Bug fixes

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📄 License

MIT — Built by SalarsNet