Cicada MCP Server

Context compaction for AI code assistants – Give your AI structured, token-efficient access to 17+ languages including Elixir, Python, TypeScript, JavaScript, Rust, and more. It runs locally over stdio via the published package.

People connecting developer tools tools to Claude, Cursor, VS Code, or another MCP client. The project is written in Python.

VERIFIED ACTIVE

LAST COMMIT 2026-07-28 · ★ 41 · #67 OF 139 MAINTAINED DEVELOPER TOOLS · VERIFIED 2026-08-25

MIT · Python servers · how we verify → /methodology

01 · Install Cicada

before you install - you'll need

Set CICADA_CONFIG_DIR before connecting.

Claude Code

claude mcp add wende-cicada -- uvx cicada-mcp

Claude Desktop / Cursor / VS Code - add to config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "wende-cicada": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "cicada-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

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

license MIT - declared in the repository

pypi package cicada-mcp - check the name against the project README before installing (PyPI has no namespace ownership)

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

03 · Who maintains Cicada

CICADA is maintained by wende. We track 2 MCP servers from wende - 2 actively maintained, 44 combined GitHub stars, oldest repo from Oct 2025. Full record: all servers from wende.

Macbeth Open-source computer use for macOS agents. ★ 3

04 · Facts

repository: github.com/wende/cicada
website: https://github.com/wende/cicada#readme
category: developer tools - ranked #67 of 139 actively-maintained developer tools servers as of 2026-08-25.
registry: io.github.wende/cicada (active, first published 2026-02-26)
packages: pypi:cicada-mcp

05 · Cicada FAQ

What is Cicada?

Is Cicada still maintained?

Yes - as of 2026-08-25, its last commit was 2026-07-28. We re-verify nightly.

How do I install Cicada?

Run `uvx cicada-mcp`. The README documents one environment variable (CICADA_CONFIG_DIR) to set first. Set CICADA_CONFIG_DIR before connecting. You can also paste the ready-made client config above.

Does Cicada run locally?

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

06 · Alternatives to Cicada

Alternatives to Cicada

Maintained developer tools servers if Cicada isn't the fit.

Pairs well with

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

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