Rancher
FreeNot checkedA standalone MCP server that exposes Rancher-side tools, forwards Authorization headers or uses configured credentials, and supports HTTP and stdio transports.
About
A standalone MCP server that exposes Rancher-side tools, forwards Authorization headers or uses configured credentials, and supports HTTP and stdio transports.
README
A polished TypeScript MCP server for Rancher workflows.
It exposes the Rancher tool surface as a standalone MCP service, forwards caller identity when available, and falls back to configured Rancher credentials when needed. The repo includes tests, a documentation site, and GitHub Pages publishing.
Live docs
- GitHub Pages site:
https://jasonrve.github.io/rancher-mcp/ - Docs source: docs/
- Brand assets: docs/public/
Why this exists
Rancher users often need the tool surface without the surrounding operator/runtime package. rancher-mcp keeps the useful Rancher and Fleet actions, but packages them as a focused MCP server that is easier to run locally, automate, and connect to agent clients.
What it does
- exposes Rancher cluster, project, namespace, access-control, and Fleet tools
- supports HTTP and stdio transports
- forwards the incoming
Authorizationheader to Rancher - falls back to configured Rancher credentials when no header is present
- includes Vitest coverage for the tool catalog, auth, executor, and health route
- ships a documentation site with client setup examples
Tool groups
| Group | Examples | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Rancher core | cluster_list, project_create, namespace_create |
Everyday cluster, project, and namespace workflows |
| Access control | project_member_create, principal_get_by_name |
Finding principals and binding them to projects |
| Fleet | create_fleet_gitrepo, update_fleet_gitrepo, force_fleet_sync |
GitOps repo and sync management |
Quick start
npm install
npm test
npm run build
npm run dev
Beta publishing and install
This repository is set up for a beta release channel on npm.
- publish workflow:
.github/workflows/publish-beta.yml - npm dist-tag:
beta - local run via npx after publishing:
npx -y rancher-mcp@beta
Configuration
| Variable | Purpose |
|---|---|
RANCHER_URL |
Base Rancher URL |
RANCHER_TOKEN |
Fallback bearer token |
RANCHER_USERNAME |
Fallback basic-auth username |
RANCHER_PASSWORD |
Fallback basic-auth password |
RANCHER_MCP_TRANSPORT |
http or stdio |
RANCHER_MCP_PATH |
HTTP route for MCP traffic |
PORT |
HTTP listen port |
Client examples and docs
Development commands
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
npm run dev |
Start the server |
npm run test |
Run Vitest |
npm run build |
Compile TypeScript |
npm run docs:dev |
Start the docs site |
npm run docs:build |
Build the docs site |
npm run docs:preview |
Preview the docs site |
Project layout
.
├── src/
├── tests/
├── docs/
├── dist/
├── package.json
└── README.md
Source project
This repository mirrors the Rancher-side MCP surface from the original C# implementation.
Installing Rancher
This server has no published package — it is built from source. Open the repository and follow its README.
▸ github.com/Jasonrve/rancher-mcpFAQ
Is Rancher MCP free?
Yes, Rancher MCP is free — one-click install via Unyly at no cost.
Does Rancher need an API key?
No, Rancher runs without API keys or environment variables.
Is Rancher hosted or self-hosted?
A hosted option is available: Unyly runs the server in the cloud, no local setup required.
How do I install Rancher in Claude Desktop, Claude Code or Cursor?
Open Rancher on unyly.org, pick your client tab (Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor) and press Install — the config is generated automatically, no JSON editing.
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