Arch Linux

You set up an MCP Server to bridge AI assistants with the Arch Linux ecosystem, enabling safe, structured access to the Arch Wiki, AUR, and official repositories for AI-assisted Arch Linux usage across Arch and non-Arch systems. This server provides digestible, actionable results that you can follow up with concrete steps and actions.

How to use

To use the MCP server, connect your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, or any client that supports STDIO transport) to the local server. Start the server using the commands shown in the installation steps, then configure your client to communicate with the local MCP endpoint. You can query Arch Wiki content, retrieve package details from official repositories and AUR, perform safety checks on PKGBUILDs, inspect system information, and run safety-focused workflows. Use prompts and workflows to perform common tasks such as searching the Arch Wiki, checking for updates safely, auditing packages before installation, and planning installation orders.

How to install

Prerequisites: ensure you have Python 3.11+ installed and a Python package manager or the uv runtime available.

Install the MCP server using the recommended runtime command provided for a local, STDIO-based setup.

Steps you will follow to install and run the MCP server locally:

1. Install the runtime if needed and prepare the environment.

2. Run the server via the local runtime command shown in the next step.

Configuration

You can configure the MCP client to connect to the local server using STDIO transport. The following example shows how to declare the local MCP server configuration.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "arch-linux": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["arch-ops-server"]
    }
  }
}

Notes and best practices

• Use the STDIO approach for local development and testing. - If you are connecting from a client, ensure the client supports STDIO transport and points to the local command as shown above. - Validate that the server is reachable from your client before issuing complex queries.

Security and safety considerations

• Verify that you run the server in a trusted environment. - Regularly review safety checks and ensure your client prompts do not leak sensitive information to the Arch ecosystem.

Troubleshooting

• If the client cannot communicate, confirm the server is running and that the STDIO transport is correctly configured in the client. - Check for required language/runtime versions and ensure the arch-ops-server binary is accessible in your PATH.

Examples and workflows

Use the server to query the Arch Wiki, fetch AUR metadata, validate PKGBUILDs, inspect package databases, and review system information. Combine tools to create safety-focused installation plans and safe update workflows.

Available tools

search_archwiki

Query Arch Wiki with ranked results to fetch concise wiki pages and summaries.

search_aur

Search AUR for packages with relevance, votes, and popularity metrics.

get_official_package_info

Retrieve official package details combining local and remote data.

check_updates_dry_run

Check for available updates in a dry-run mode to assess changes safely.

install_package_secure

Install packages with security checks to block malicious packages.

remove_packages

Remove packages by name, with options to remove dependencies or force removal.

manage_orphans

List or remove orphaned packages with a dry-run safety first.

verify_package_integrity

Check file integrity for modified or missing files in packages.

manage_install_reason

Manage install reasons by listing explicit packages or marking packages as explicit/dependency.

query_file_ownership

Determine file ownership by querying which package owns a given file.

list_package_groups

List all package groups such as base, base-devel, and others.

list_group_packages

Show packages belonging to a specific group.

get_system_info

Fetch system information including kernel, memory, and uptime.

check_disk_space

Provide disk usage statistics and warnings.

get_pacman_cache_stats

Report package cache size and age.

check_failed_services

Identify failed systemd services.

get_boot_logs

Retrieve journalctl boot logs for diagnostics.

check_database_freshness

Check the freshness of the package database synchronization.

query_package_history

Query package history from pacman logs with multiple query types.

get_latest_news

Fetch Arch Linux news from RSS feeds.

check_critical_news

Identify critical news requiring manual intervention.

get_news_since_last_update

Show news posted since the last system update.

optimize_mirrors

Smart mirror management with status, test, suggest, and health actions.

analyze_pacman_conf

Parse pacman.conf settings with focused views and recommendations.

analyze_makepkg_conf

Parse makepkg.conf settings and highlight build configuration insights.

analyze_pkgbuild_safety

Analyze PKGBUILD for over 50 red flags and safety concerns.

analyze_package_metadata_risk

Assess package trust using votes, maintainer history, and age.