MCP Port Cleaner Server

The MCP Port Cleaner Server addresses a common bottleneck in modern development workflows: port conflicts. When multiple services or test suites run locally, a single TCP port can become occupied by an orphaned process, causing build failures or flaky tests. This server offers a reliable, cross‑platform solution that integrates seamlessly into any AI assistant’s toolset via the Model Context Protocol.

At its core, the server exposes two intuitive tools— and . The scan tool enumerates every process listening on a user‑supplied port, returning detailed metadata such as PID, executable name, owning user, and protocol. The clean tool builds on this by terminating all processes that occupy the target port, effectively freeing it for subsequent use. Both tools validate input strictly with a Zod schema to prevent accidental misuse and guarantee that only legitimate port numbers are processed. The server’s error handling is exhaustive: it reports invalid parameters, failure to locate the process, or permission issues that prevent termination, ensuring developers can quickly diagnose problems.

Developers benefit from the server’s cross‑platform design. Under Linux and macOS it leverages , , and ; on Windows it falls back to , , and . This guarantees consistent behavior regardless of the operating system, a critical feature for teams that deploy CI pipelines across diverse environments. The use of guarantees termination even when processes ignore softer signals, making the tool dependable in stubborn scenarios.

Typical use cases include automated test runners that need to restart services on a fixed port, continuous integration agents that must clean up after failed builds, and developers who frequently spin up local servers during experimentation. By integrating the MCP Port Cleaner into an AI assistant’s workflow, a user can simply ask the assistant to “clean port 3000” or “scan for processes on 8080,” and the assistant will invoke the appropriate tool, returning actionable results without leaving the conversational context. This reduces context switching and streamlines debugging sessions.

What sets this server apart is its strict adherence to the MCP specification while providing a lightweight, single‑purpose service. Its modular architecture—separating scanning logic from cleanup logic and from protocol plumbing—facilitates maintenance and future extensions, such as adding a graceful shutdown option or supporting additional network protocols. The MIT license further encourages adoption and customization within open‑source projects.

In summary, the MCP Port Cleaner Server delivers a dependable, cross‑platform solution for diagnosing and resolving port conflicts directly within AI‑powered development workflows. By exposing clear, validated tools over MCP, it empowers developers to keep their local environments stable and focus on writing code rather than wrestling with networking errors.