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Servers (MCP)

Servers are MCP backends capa can start or proxy. Declare them under servers, bind tools to @server-id, then run capa install.

Local (subprocess)

Section titled “Local (subprocess)”
servers:
  - id: brave
    type: mcp
    description: Brave Search MCP
    def:
      cmd: npx
      args: ['-y', '@modelcontextprotocol/server-brave-search']
      env:
        BRAVE_API_KEY: ${BraveApiKey}

capa expands ${VarName} at install time from the credential store or a .env via capa install -e. See Credentials.

Remote (HTTP)

Section titled “Remote (HTTP)”
servers:
  - id: company-mcp
    type: mcp
    def:
      url: https://mcp.example.com/sse
      headers:
        Authorization: Bearer ${CompanyMcpToken}
      # tlsSkipVerify: true   # only for trusted self-signed lab endpoints
OptionWhen to use
urlRemote MCP HTTP/SSE endpoint
headersAuth or custom headers (prefer ${VarName})
tlsSkipVerifySkip TLS verification for that server (lab/self-signed only)

If you set an Authorization header, capa skips its OAuth2 probe for that server. Otherwise, remote servers that require OAuth can be completed from the Web UI during install or from the project’s server/OAuth screens.

Wire tools

Section titled “Wire tools”
tools:
  - id: search
    type: mcp
    def:
      server: '@brave'
      tool: brave_web_search

Skills reference MCP tools as @brave.search. Run them with capa sh after install (for example capa sh brave search --help).

  1. Add the server block to capabilities.yaml.
  2. Declare tools that point at @server-id.
  3. Put secrets in ${VarName} placeholders.
  4. Run capa install (and capa restart if you changed cmd, args, or env).
Section titled “Related”