Stepgate MCP Server

Write an agent's procedure once, as a YAML stepfile, and every step is gated. Read the stepfile format ». It runs locally over stdio via the published package.

People who work with agent guardrails, jsonlogic and openapi and want it reachable from Claude, Cursor, VS Code, or another MCP client. The project is written in TypeScript.

VERIFIED ACTIVE

LAST COMMIT 2026-09-30 · ★ 9 · #219 OF 241 MAINTAINED AUTOMATION · VERIFIED 2026-09-30

Apache-2.0 · TypeScript servers · how we verify → /methodology

01 · Install Stepgate

before you install - you'll need

TAVILY_API_KEY

Environment variables documented in the project's README - it lists which are required and which have defaults.

Claude Code

claude mcp add chaarangan-stepgate -- npx -y stepgate

Claude Desktop / Cursor / VS Code - add to config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "chaarangan-stepgate": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "stepgate"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Same JSON for Cursor. For VS Code, rename the top-level key from `mcpServers` to `servers`.

Using another client? Same JSON, different key

Claude Desktop · mcpServers

Cursor · mcpServers

VS Code · servers

Windsurf · mcpServers

Zed · context_servers

Cline · mcpServers

Roo Code · mcpServers

Continue · mcpServers

LibreChat · mcpServers

Gemini CLI · mcpServers

Codex CLI · mcp_servers

Full setup guides: every client.

02 · Evidence

Security posture

What to check before giving this server access to your agent - from the registry, GitHub, and our own probes. We don't score safety; we show what's verifiable.

runs as local process (stdio) - runs on your machine with your user's permissions

repo age created 2026-09-26 - young repo, little track record yet

license Apache-2.0 - declared in the repository

npm package stepgate - unscoped; check the name against the project README before installing

registry namespace io.github.Chaarangan is GitHub-verified and matches the repo owner

03 · What Stepgate can do

Prose above is summarized from the project's README and registry record - no invented capabilities.

Latest releases

v0.1.4 · 2026-09-28

The README, which is also the npm page, now leads with gated steps and portability, and covers mechanical steps, approvals and the newer CLI options (--watch, --test, --record-cases, --auth, --verify). · CI scans the…

v0.1.3 · 2026-09-28

A declined approval now reads "the approval was declined" instead of claiming a person declined it. Some clients decline every approval without showing the form, and Stepgate cannot tell the difference.…

v0.1.2 · 2026-09-28

The first release from the public repository, so npm adds provenance to this version. · The MCP Registry publish now waits until npm serves the new version. · An npm badge in the README, and release notes in…

04 · Who maintains Stepgate

Stepgate is maintained by chaarangan. It's the only MCP server we track from this author; the repo dates to Sep 2026.

05 · Facts

repository: github.com/chaarangan/stepgate
category: automation - ranked #219 of 241 actively-maintained automation servers as of 2026-09-30.
release cadence: 5 releases in the last 90 days (latest 2026-09-28)
registry: io.github.Chaarangan/stepgate (active, first published 2026-09-28 · 5 versions)
packages: npm:stepgate

06 · Stepgate FAQ

What is Stepgate?

Write an agent's procedure once, as a YAML stepfile, and every step is gated. Read the stepfile format ». It runs locally over stdio via the published package.

Is Stepgate still maintained?

Yes - as of 2026-09-30, its last commit was 2026-09-30 and it shipped 5 releases in the last 90 days. We re-verify nightly.

How do I install Stepgate?

Run `npx -y stepgate`. The README documents one environment variable (TAVILY_API_KEY) to set first. You can also paste the ready-made client config above.

Does Stepgate run locally?

Yes - it's a stdio server: it runs on your machine (via npx) with your user's permissions. Your data stays local unless the server itself calls external APIs.

07 · Alternatives to Stepgate

Alternatives to Stepgate

Maintained automation servers if Stepgate isn't the fit.

More automation MCP servers · Proletariat CLI · Network Sketcher (Local MCP) · Ccu MCP · Debmatic MCP · Rd Station

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