# Connect to Hatchery MCP

Version: 0.1.0. Transport: stateless Streamable HTTP. Authentication: Bearer key.

Local endpoint: `http://localhost:8080/hatchery/mcp`.
Production endpoint, after deployment: `https://www.hatchery.com/mcp`.

Ask the Hatchery service administrator to issue a connection key. Keys are separate from RedRover keys. Administrators can grant `pages`, `products`, `case-studies`, `news`, and `faq` scopes, set an expiry, and revoke a connection. No browser login is used by MCP, and OAuth is not implemented in this version.

## Codex

Add this entry to `~/.codex/config.toml`:

```toml
[mcp_servers.hatchery]
url = "http://localhost:8080/hatchery/mcp"
bearer_token_env_var = "HATCHERY_MCP_KEY"
tool_timeout_sec = 60
```

Set `HATCHERY_MCP_KEY` in the environment of the process that launches Codex. An export in one Terminal window does not automatically reach an already running desktop application. Fully reopen the client and start a new chat after configuring it. Keep actual keys out of shared configuration and repositories. Use `codex mcp list` to inspect CLI configuration.

Source: [Official OpenAI MCP documentation](https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/extend/mcp?surface=cli).

## Claude Code

Use a project `.mcp.json` with an environment placeholder:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "hatchery": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "http://localhost:8080/hatchery/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer ${HATCHERY_MCP_KEY}"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

Set the variable before launching Claude Code. Use `/mcp` to inspect the connection and approve the project configuration when requested. The placeholder configuration may be shared; never commit the resolved key.

Source: [Claude Code MCP documentation](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp).

## First requests

- “Use `hatchery_context` to show what this connection can read.”
- “Use `hatchery_products` to explain RedRover's MCP capabilities with source links.”
- “Find Hatchery case studies relevant to AI and SaaS modernization.”
- “Search Hatchery's published pages for MCP development services. Cite the sources.”

`hatchery_get_page` accepts an exact `path` returned by `hatchery_list_pages`, not arbitrary URLs. It returns up to 20,000 characters by default; `maxCharacters` permits 100–40,000 and reports truncation. List tools accept `query`, `offset`, and `limit` (1–50). Search accepts `query` and `limit` (1–20).

## Terminal protocol check

Set the key without typing its value into shell history. For example, read your protected token file:

```sh
export HATCHERY_MCP_KEY="$(cat /path/to/private/hatchery.key)"
```

Initialize:

```sh
curl --silent --show-error --no-location \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $HATCHERY_MCP_KEY" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H 'Accept: application/json, text/event-stream' \
  --data '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"initialize","params":{"protocolVersion":"2025-11-25","capabilities":{},"clientInfo":{"name":"terminal-check","version":"1.0.0"}}}' \
  http://localhost:8080/hatchery/mcp
```

Then send `notifications/initialized` and `tools/call`. Use the negotiated protocol version from initialize; the following example assumes `2025-11-25`:

```sh
curl --silent --show-error --no-location \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $HATCHERY_MCP_KEY" \
  -H 'MCP-Protocol-Version: 2025-11-25' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H 'Accept: application/json, text/event-stream' \
  --data '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"notifications/initialized"}' \
  http://localhost:8080/hatchery/mcp

curl --silent --show-error --no-location \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $HATCHERY_MCP_KEY" \
  -H 'MCP-Protocol-Version: 2025-11-25' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H 'Accept: application/json, text/event-stream' \
  --data '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":2,"method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"hatchery_context","arguments":{}}}' \
  http://localhost:8080/hatchery/mcp
```

Replies can be JSON or SSE `data:` messages. This server is stateless; it does not require a session identifier.

## Troubleshooting

- **401:** Missing, invalid, expired, or revoked Hatchery key. A RedRover key cannot authenticate here.
- **403:** Disallowed browser origin or ambiguous credential headers. Supply only Bearer or `X-API-Key`.
- **Tool error about scope:** Ask the administrator for the relevant content scope.
- **400:** Query parameters, malformed protocol input, or unsupported arguments. Credentials belong in headers.
- **429:** Rate/concurrency limit; wait and retry. Avoid parallel duplicate requests.
- **503 / unavailable content:** Check local content URL, service logs, private registry permissions, and audit directory permissions.
- **No tools in a chat:** Verify client configuration, relaunch, and open a new chat. A successful terminal request alone does not establish that the interactive client loaded the tools.

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