Lately I found MCP to be much more than a coding tool. For example, I implemented it in my more complex macOS apps [0] like rcmd, Clop, Lunar, so they can be configured by natural language.
So even with a local Qwen and Pi you can now say things like:
Set up Clop to optimise any PNG that I drop in my website assets folder and convert to a webp with the same name near it
Get Crank to start Time Machine backups immediately when I connect my HDD and notify me when the backup is done.
I want to be able to hold rcmd and fuzzy search and focus cmux agent panes
BetterTouchTool has a great MCP which can create native SwiftUI views and bind them to hotkeys, trackpad gestures etc. It can leverage its immense macOS automation tools and private APIs to let agents do Computer Use.
You would need a much more capable coding model to code those tools from scratch and get the same fail-safe logic that the apps have honed over the years.
Like, since MCP, Crank [1] has fully replaced my use of crontab, launchd, scattered scripts I run once a week. Not that it could not do that before, but it's so much simpler now to just describe the automation and have it happen reliably and visible in the UI. The friction is gone.
Hi! I've dabbled in implementing an MCP server/client back in March. To me a proper REST API and/or cli tool seems sufficient enough, agents use them with good efficiency.
Any reason not to provide CLI or REST interface for your tools, but MCP for agents specifically?
In my apps, CLI came first which works through Mach ports as the IPC, so the "REST equivalent" of macOS apps is also present. MCP takes advantage of the same client-server architecture I created for the CLI, so there's nothing you can't do with the CLI that needs an MCP.
But in my case, a CLI was not enough.
Like, to the MCP I might say:
Set Clop to make every video copied in ~/shots smaller, 2x and silent
Then the MCP can use elicitation and say:
By smaller, you mean re-encode to compress file size (factor can be 0 to 100 max compression) or downscale resolution (100% same size, 50% half size)?
And does 2x mean faster speed? In which case do you want to keep frames so the video plays smoother or drop frames for size? Or does 2x mean upscale?
And the agent will present those as nice choice menus I can decide schematically on.
With the CLI I have to first read, learn and memorize the requests and commands needed for each app, the accepted values and formats and the steps to reach a specific result.
There's only so much space in my head I can leave for implementation details of arbitrary apps. I'd rather have an agent care about that.
And yes I get the irony, those are my apps, I coded them by hand for years, I should know their implementation details, yet even I forget if I should pass 50% or 0.5 for half size.
Btw Clop is a media file compressor for context: <a href="https://lowtechguys.com/clop" rel="nofollow">https://lowtechguys.com/clop
You answered "Why use MCP with your agent instead of using CLI manually?" but the more interesting question is "Why build an MCP when you could already point your agent to the CLI?". The user experience of "the agent will present those as nice choice menus I can decide schematically on" will probably be the same since agents are very adept at using cli tools and gathering required/optional arguments, examples, and warnings/errors to present you with useful choices on how to proceed.
The most important reason is that I can keep the CLI output and help for humans, while the MCP can be crammed with information for agents.
Plus I can add some complex commands like in the rcmd Stages [1] case where the agent can create a 4 monitor layout with apps and windows placed where you want, with every window opening the document/folder/project/URL you want and running the terminal commands you need. Sure you can do that with the CLI, but it's hard enough to get right because of shell quoting issues, that even an agent can get it wrong.
For simple tasks though, sure, the CLI is just enough and the agent can use it without needing to install yet another MCP. You'll know when you need it.
EDIT: I just remembered, you can even hook the Claude/Codex/Gemini desktop app to the MCP, while you can't get it to use the CLI. so there's that for users that still don't feel comfortable at a terminal, which is a number higher than you might estimate.
alin23 · · focus · HN ↗
So even with a local Qwen and Pi you can now say things like:
BetterTouchTool has a great MCP which can create native SwiftUI views and bind them to hotkeys, trackpad gestures etc. It can leverage its immense macOS automation tools and private APIs to let agents do Computer Use.You would need a much more capable coding model to code those tools from scratch and get the same fail-safe logic that the apps have honed over the years.
Like, since MCP, Crank [1] has fully replaced my use of crontab, launchd, scattered scripts I run once a week. Not that it could not do that before, but it's so much simpler now to just describe the automation and have it happen reliably and visible in the UI. The friction is gone.
[0] <a href="https://reddit.com/r/macapps/comments/1wkv0dy/mcp_in_macos_apps_are_they_useful_for_you/" rel="nofollow">https://reddit.com/r/macapps/comments/1wkv0dy/mcp_in_macos_a...
[1] <a href="https://lowtechguys.com/crank" rel="nofollow">https://lowtechguys.com/crank
gojogs · · focus · HN ↗
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alin23 · · focus · HN ↗
But in my case, a CLI was not enough.
Like, to the MCP I might say:
Then the MCP can use elicitation and say: And the agent will present those as nice choice menus I can decide schematically on.With the CLI I have to first read, learn and memorize the requests and commands needed for each app, the accepted values and formats and the steps to reach a specific result.
There's only so much space in my head I can leave for implementation details of arbitrary apps. I'd rather have an agent care about that.
And yes I get the irony, those are my apps, I coded them by hand for years, I should know their implementation details, yet even I forget if I should pass 50% or 0.5 for half size.
Btw Clop is a media file compressor for context: <a href="https://lowtechguys.com/clop" rel="nofollow">https://lowtechguys.com/clop
DrammBA · · focus · HN ↗
alin23 · · focus · HN ↗
Plus I can add some complex commands like in the rcmd Stages [1] case where the agent can create a 4 monitor layout with apps and windows placed where you want, with every window opening the document/folder/project/URL you want and running the terminal commands you need. Sure you can do that with the CLI, but it's hard enough to get right because of shell quoting issues, that even an agent can get it wrong.
For simple tasks though, sure, the CLI is just enough and the agent can use it without needing to install yet another MCP. You'll know when you need it.
[1] <a href="https://lowtechguys.com/rcmd" rel="nofollow">https://lowtechguys.com/rcmd
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EDIT: I just remembered, you can even hook the Claude/Codex/Gemini desktop app to the MCP, while you can't get it to use the CLI. so there's that for users that still don't feel comfortable at a terminal, which is a number higher than you might estimate.