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MCP Server Integration

Use 22 DevTools utilities directly in Claude Desktop, VS Code, and other AI assistants via the Model Context Protocol

What is MCP?

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard developed by Anthropic that enables AI assistants like Claude to securely connect with external tools and data sources. Think of it as a universal adapter that lets AI assistants use specialized developer tools for tasks requiring precision.

LLMs are prone to hallucinations and can struggle with tasks requiring exact formatting or deterministic outputs. By integrating with our MCP server, AI assistants can offload these tasks to specialized tools, improving accuracy and reliability. The MCP server uses the same battle-tested code as our DevTools web app, ensuring consistency across platforms.

Why Use MCP for Developer Tools?

Eliminate AI Hallucinations

LLMs can make errors with precise formatting. MCP tools provide deterministic, accurate results for tasks like JSON formatting or UUID generation.

💰

Save Tokens & Costs

TOON conversion reduces token usage by 30-50%, lowering API costs and fitting more data in context windows.

🔒

Zero Data Storage

All operations are stateless. Your JSON, passwords, tokens, and sensitive data are never logged or persisted.

🛠️

22 Tools, One Integration

Access JSON, UUID, Base64, JWT, color tools, and more through a single MCP server configuration.

Available Tools (22)

2
JSON
2
TOON
3
Generators
2
Encoders
5
Time
3
Security
5
Color

For detailed tool schemas, use MCP Inspector with URL: https://devtools-mcp.devinryanriota.com/mcp

{ }

prettify_json

JSON

Format JSON with proper indentation and optional key sorting

{ }

minify_json

JSON

Compress JSON to single line (reduces token usage)

🎯

convert_json_to_toon

TOON

Convert JSON to TOON format (30-50% token savings)

🎯

convert_toon_to_json

TOON

Convert TOON format back to standard JSON

🆔

generate_uuid

Generators

Generate UUIDs (v1, v4, v7)

abc

encode_base64

Encoders

Encode text to Base64

abc

decode_base64

Encoders

Decode Base64 to text

🔒

generate_password

Generators

Generate secure passwords with customizable options

📄

generate_lorem

Generators

Generate Lorem Ipsum placeholder text

timestamp_to_date

Time

Convert Unix timestamp to human-readable date

date_to_timestamp

Time

Convert date to Unix timestamp

get_current_timestamp

Time

Get current Unix timestamp

⏱️

parse_cron

Time

Parse and validate CRON expressions

⏱️

generate_cron

Time

Generate CRON expressions from description

🔑

decode_jwt

Security

Decode JWT tokens to inspect header, payload, and claims

🔑

verify_jwt

Security

Verify JWT signatures using HMAC algorithms

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sign_jwt

Security

Create and sign new JWT tokens

🎨

convert_color

Color

Convert colors between HEX, RGB, HSL, HSV, CMYK, and OKLCH formats

🎨

generate_random_color

Color

Generate random colors with all 6 format representations

🎨

get_color_palette

Color

Generate color palettes with complementary, analogous, and triadic colors

🎨

check_color_contrast

Color

Check WCAG contrast ratios for accessibility compliance

🎨

simulate_color_blindness

Color

Simulate how colors appear with different types of color blindness

Installation & Setup

Quick Setup (2 minutes)

1

Add the MCP server to your configuration

For Claude Desktop, edit your config file:

  • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
  • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "devtools": {
      "url": "https://devtools-mcp.devinryanriota.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}
2

Restart your application

Completely quit and reopen Claude Desktop or VS Code to load the new MCP server.

3

Start using the tools

"Format this JSON for me: {name:test,value:123}"

→ Your AI assistant will automatically use the prettify_json tool

Use Cases

API Development

Format API responses, generate test UUIDs, encode authentication tokens, and validate JWT payloads directly in your AI-assisted workflow.

prettify_jsongenerate_uuidencode_base64decode_jwt

Frontend Development

Convert colors between formats, check accessibility contrast ratios, generate placeholder text, and create secure passwords for test accounts.

convert_colorcheck_color_contrastgenerate_loremgenerate_password

DevOps & Automation

Parse and generate CRON expressions, convert timestamps across timezones, and work with time-based scheduling.

parse_crongenerate_crontimestamp_to_datedate_to_timestamp

LLM Cost Optimization

Convert large JSON payloads to TOON format before sending to LLMs, reducing token usage by 30-50% and lowering API costs.

convert_json_to_toonconvert_toon_to_jsonminify_json

Example Prompts

Once configured, simply ask your AI assistant naturally. Here are some examples:

JSON Formatting

"Format this JSON: {name:test,age:25,city:NYC}"

TOON Conversion

"Convert this JSON to TOON format to save tokens"

UUID Generation

"Generate 5 v7 UUIDs for database IDs"

Base64 Encoding

"Encode 'Hello World' to Base64"

Password Generation

"Generate a secure 20-character password"

Timestamp Conversion

"Convert timestamp 1697904000 to a date"

CRON Parsing

"Explain what '0 9 * * 1-5' means"

JWT Decoding

"Decode this JWT and check if it's expired"

Color Conversion

"Convert #3498DB to RGB, HSL, HSV, CMYK, and OKLCH"

Contrast Check

"Check if white text on #3498DB passes WCAG AA"

Frequently Asked Questions

What is MCP (Model Context Protocol)?

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard developed by Anthropic that enables AI assistants like Claude to securely connect with external tools and data sources. It acts as a universal adapter, allowing AI models to use specialized developer tools for tasks requiring precision, such as JSON formatting, UUID generation, or timestamp conversion.

How do I install the DevTools MCP server?

Installation is simple: add our MCP server URL to your Claude Desktop or VS Code configuration file. Just add {"mcpServers": {"devtools": {"url": "https://devtools-mcp.devinryanriota.com/mcp"}}} to your config, restart the application, and you're ready to use all 22 developer tools directly in your AI workflows.

Which AI assistants support MCP?

MCP is currently supported by Claude Desktop, VS Code with GitHub Copilot, and other AI assistants that implement the Model Context Protocol. The protocol is open-source, so more AI tools are adding support over time.

Is the DevTools MCP server free to use?

Yes, our MCP server is completely free to use with no rate limits or usage restrictions. All tools are available at no cost, making it perfect for individual developers and teams alike.

Is my data safe when using the MCP server?

Yes, your data is safe. Our MCP server processes requests in real-time without storing any user data. All operations are stateless, meaning your JSON, passwords, tokens, and other sensitive information are never logged or persisted.

What tools are available through MCP?

Our MCP server provides 22 developer tools including: JSON formatting and minification, TOON conversion for token savings, UUID generation (v1, v4, v7), Base64 encoding/decoding, secure password generation, Lorem Ipsum generation, timestamp conversion, CRON expression parsing, JWT decoding/signing/verification, and comprehensive color tools for conversion, palettes, contrast checking, and color blindness simulation.

How does MCP improve AI accuracy?

LLMs can hallucinate or make errors with precise formatting tasks. By offloading operations like JSON formatting, UUID generation, or timestamp conversion to specialized tools via MCP, AI assistants get deterministic, accurate results every time. This is especially important for tasks requiring exact syntax or cryptographic operations.

What is TOON and why should I use it with LLMs?

TOON (Token-Oriented Object Notation) is a compact data format that reduces token usage by 30-50% compared to JSON. When working with LLMs, fewer tokens means lower API costs and more room in the context window. Our MCP server can convert between JSON and TOON automatically.

How do I use the MCP tools in my prompts?

Once configured, simply ask your AI assistant naturally. For example: "Format this JSON for me", "Generate 5 UUIDs", "Decode this JWT token", or "Check if these colors have enough contrast". The AI will automatically use the appropriate MCP tool and return accurate results.

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Privacy & Security

Our MCP server is designed with privacy in mind. All operations are stateless - we don't store, log, or persist any data you send through the tools. Your JSON, passwords, JWT tokens, and other sensitive information are processed in real-time and immediately discarded.

Explore Other Free Developer Tools

Discover more utilities to streamline your workflow

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JSON Formatter

Format, validate, and prettify JSON data with syntax highlighting and error detection.

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JSON to TOON Converter

Convert JSON to TOON (Token-Oriented Object Notation) and back. Optimize tokens for Large Language Model prompts.

🔐

Password Generator

Generate secure passwords with custom settings.

🔢

UUID Generator

Generate Version 1, 4, and 7 UUIDs for applications and databases.

⏲️

CRON Expression Generator

Build and validate CRON expressions with human-readable descriptions and examples.

Timestamp Converter

Convert Unix timestamps to human-readable dates with timezone support and batch processing.

📄

Lorem Ipsum Generator

Generate placeholder text for layouts and designs with custom length options.

🎨

Color Converter

Convert colors between HEX, RGB, HSL, HSV, CMYK, and OKLCH formats with decimal precision and live preview.

abc

Base64 Encoder/Decoder

Encode and decode Base64 strings quickly and easily with real-time conversion.

🔗

URL Encoder/Decoder

Encode and decode URLs for safe transmission with multiple encoding modes and batch processing.

📝

Text Diff / Comparison Tool

Compare text files side-by-side with highlighted differences and merge capabilities.

🔑

JWT Debugger

Decode, verify, and encode JWT tokens with support for all major signing algorithms.

#

Hash Generator

Beta

Generate secure hash values using multiple algorithms including SHA-256, MD5, bcrypt, and more with performance monitoring.

📱

QR Code Generator

Soon

Generate QR codes from text, URLs, and data with customizable size and format.

🎭

Color Palette Generator

Soon

Generate beautiful color palettes with hex, and RGB values.

🔍

RegEx Tester

Soon

Test and debug regular expressions with live matching.