Raven MCP Server - install, status & alternatives [2026]

01 · Install Raven

before you install - you'll need

The README does not document required environment variables for a basic install.

Claude Code

claude mcp add rhinocap-raven-mcp --transport http https://mcp.ravenmcp.ai/api/mcp

Claude Desktop / Cursor / VS Code - add to config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "rhinocap-raven-mcp": {
      "url": "https://mcp.ravenmcp.ai/api/mcp"
    }
  }
}

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

https://mcp.ravenmcp.ai/api/mcp

transport: streamable-http

endpoint alive - responded to MCP initialize · probed 2026-08-25

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 · remote - your agent's requests go to mcp.ravenmcp.ai

endpoint auth accepted our unauthenticated MCP initialize - no credentials needed to connect

license Apache-2.0 - declared in the repository

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

registry vendor namespace ai.ravenmcp - domain-verified with the official MCP registry

03 · What Raven can do

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

What you can build

With this server connected, an agent can get design principles relevant to a UI context, get proven patterns for a specific UI type, get business/monetization strategies, and search across all principles, patterns, and strategies.

Capability map

Tools grouped from the project's README - what Raven lets an agent do.

Audit

15 tools - e.g. Audit HTML/CSS against Raven's quality standards - pass html for static audit, or url to render headless with optional scroll_settle (step through reveal gates,; Evaluate visual rhythm, alignment, and…

audit_page · audit_layout · audit_responsive_visibility · audit_contrast · audit_url · audit_content…

read & search

8 tools - e.g. Get design principles relevant to a UI context; Get proven patterns for a specific UI type; Get business/monetization strategies

get_principles · get_pattern · get_business_strategy · search_knowledge · get_checklist · get_d4d_framework…

Design

4 tools - e.g. Evaluate a design description against principles. Pass base64 PNG screenshots (before_screenshot/after_screenshot) for a structured before/after pixel diff with; Browse available design systems; Get…

evaluate_design · list_design_systems · get_design_system · generate_design_system

Content

4 tools - e.g. Browse brand voice & tone systems (Conversational Product Voice, GOV.UK, Shopify Polaris, Atlassian); Get a brand's voice attributes, tone shifts, vocabulary, grammar, and content patterns; Get UX-writing…

list_content_systems · get_content_system · get_content_principles · get_content_pattern

Brand

3 tools - e.g. Get a full system styled like a well-known brand; Get brand/visual principles - logo, gradient, imagery, hierarchy, brand-as-system; Get current (2026) brand and visual-design trends with usage guidance

get_brand_system · get_brand_principles · get_brand_trends

Service

2 tools - e.g. Get a service design pattern - blueprinting, human handoff, signup-as-service, omnichannel, moments of truth; Get the GOV.UK Service Standard - 14 points for evaluating service quality

get_service_pattern · get_service_standard

Compose

1 tool - e.g. Mix tokens from different systems

compose_system

Score

1 tool - e.g. Return a per-category (0–10) design score for a page - typography, accessibility, spacing, color, responsive layout, design tokens, structure - derived from the

score_page

Latest releases

v2.5.1 · 2026-08-22

Raven v2.5.1 - patch release · Changes · Make the private-path gate's self-exclusion machine-independent · Prove the round-8 release fixes with three mutation matrices · Fix the six round-7 findings in the…

v1.17.1 · 2026-07-17

Raven v1.17.1 - patch release · Changes · Grab overlay Features 2+3: Template tab + Layers tab with clone-measured wireframe preview (#20) · Install: · Claude Desktop: download raven.mcpb

v1.17.0 · 2026-07-10

Raven v1.17.0 - minor release · Changes · Merge branch 'explore/tools-redesign' · session log: destination onboarding ship · Merge branch 'feat/grab-destination-adapter' into explore/tools-redesign · Add destination…

04 · Who maintains Raven

Raven is maintained by rhinocap. It's the only MCP server we track from this author; the repo dates to Apr 2026.

05 · Facts

repository: github.com/rhinocap/raven-mcp
website: https://ravenmcp.ai/
category: coding agent - ranked #23 of 194 actively-maintained coding agent servers as of 2026-08-25.
release cadence: 8 releases in the last 90 days (latest 2026-08-22)
registry: ai.ravenmcp/raven-mcp (active, first published 2026-05-04 · 8 versions)
packages: npm:raven-mcp

06 · Raven FAQ

Is Raven still maintained?

Yes - as of 2026-08-25, its last commit was 2026-08-24 and it shipped 8 releases in the last 90 days. We re-verify nightly.

What can Raven do?

With this server connected, an agent can get design principles relevant to a UI context, get proven patterns for a specific UI type, get business/monetization strategies, and search across all principles, patterns, and strategies.

How do I install Raven?

Run `npx -y raven-mcp`. The README does not document required environment variables for a basic install. You can also paste the ready-made client config above.

Does Raven require authentication?

No - the endpoint accepted our unauthenticated MCP initialize when probed on 2026-08-25; you can connect without credentials.

07 · Alternatives to Raven

Alternatives to Raven

Maintained coding agent servers if Raven isn't the fit.

Pairs well with

Servers that cover what Raven doesn't - only shown when the pairing reason fits the companion.

More coding agent MCP servers · Tyrekick · Filesift · Agent Harnesses · Sourced · Builderforce

More JavaScript MCP servers · Fable Cut · Figbridge · Flow Nexus · Norn · Muapi · see all