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Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:
  1. Node.js 18+ installed (Download Node.js)
  2. ShadowGit desktop app running with at least one tracked repository (Download ShadowGit)
  3. An AI tool like Claude Code or Cursor

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Install the MCP Server

Open your terminal and run: 
npm install -g shadowgit-mcp-server

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Option 2: GitHub

Clone and install from the source: 
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/blade47/shadowgit-mcp.git
cd shadowgit-mcp

# Install dependencies and build
npm install
npm run build

# Install globally
npm install -g .
That’s it. The MCP server is now installed globally on your system.

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Configure your AI tool

Once the MCP server is installed, you need to configure your AI assistant to use it. We have detailed guides for each tool:

Claude Code

One-command setup for Claude Code

Cursor

Complete Cursor configuration guide

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What your AI can now do

Once configured, your AI assistant can: 
// List all your tracked repositories
await shadowgit.list_repos()

// View recent commits in a project
await shadowgit.git({
  repo: "my-project",
  command: "log --oneline -10"
})

// See what changed in the last hour
await shadowgit.git({
  repo: "my-project",
  command: "diff HEAD~5 HEAD --stat"
})

// Find when a bug was introduced
await shadowgit.git({
  repo: "my-project",
  command: "bisect start HEAD HEAD~20"
})

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Troubleshooting

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”No repositories found”

Your ShadowGit app needs to be tracking at least one repository.
  1. Open ShadowGit desktop app
  2. Click the ”+” button to add a repository
  3. Wait for the first snapshot to be created
  4. Try again in your AI tool

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”Command not found: shadowgit-mcp-server”

The npm installation might not be in your PATH. Solution 1: Use the full path 
# Find where npm installed it
npm list -g shadowgit-mcp-server

# Use the full path in your config
"command": "/usr/local/bin/shadowgit-mcp-server"
Solution 2: Reinstall with npx 
npx shadowgit-mcp-server

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”Repository not found”

Make sure you’re using the exact repository name from ShadowGit. 
// First, list all repos to get exact names
const repos = await shadowgit.list_repos()
// Returns: [{ name: "my-project", path: "/Users/you/code/my-project" }]

// Then use the exact name
await shadowgit.git({
  repo: "my-project",  // Must match exactly
  command: "log -1"
})

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Claude/Cursor doesn’t see the MCP server

  1. Make sure you restarted the application after adding the config
  2. Check that Node.js is in your PATH: node --version
  3. Verify the server works manually: shadowgit-mcp-server --version

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Security Notes

  • Read-only access: The MCP server can only read your git history, never modify it
  • Local only: No data is sent to any external servers
  • Safe commands only: Dangerous git commands are blocked (no push, merge, rebase)

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Next Steps

Choose your AI tool to get started:

Claude Code Guide

Detailed setup and usage with Claude Code

Cursor Guide

Complete Cursor configuration and tips