mcpbeat

Ref Tools MCP Server

tools.ref/ref-tools-mcp
answering

Ref Tools MCP is answering right now. Last checked 8 min ago. Last commit 6 May 2026.

Token-efficient search for coding agents over public and private documentation.

Uptime history 40 hours of history
40 hours agonow
100.0%
Uptime 24h
91 of 91 checks
—
Tools
hidden behind auth
235 ms
Response time
average over 24h
1150
Stars
last commit 6 May 2026

Connect this server

Endpoint below is the one we actually reach during checks — not the one copied from a README. Last verified 8 min ago.

run in your terminal
claude mcp add ref-tools-mcp --transport http https://api.ref.tools/mcp
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ref-tools-mcp": {
      "url": "https://api.ref.tools/mcp"
    }
  }
}
~/.codex/config.toml
[mcp_servers.ref-tools-mcp]
url = "https://api.ref.tools/mcp"
.cursor/mcp.json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ref-tools-mcp": {
      "url": "https://api.ref.tools/mcp"
    }
  }
}
.vscode/mcp.json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ref-tools-mcp": {
      "url": "https://api.ref.tools/mcp"
    }
  }
}

This endpoint answered with an authorization challenge — the server is running, but you need an API key or OAuth to use it.

Endpoints

URLTransportStateLatencyChecked
https://api.ref.tools/mcp streamable-http needs key 245 ms 8 min ago

Ref Tools MCP — questions

Answers built from our own checks of this server.

Why is there no tool list for Ref Tools MCP?
The server answered our handshake with an authorization challenge, so it is running — but it will not describe its tools to an anonymous client. To see them you need to connect with your own credentials. We record it as alive, not as broken: 100.0% of checks in the last 24 hours got a reply.
Is Ref Tools MCP working right now?
We send a real MCP handshake every 15 minutes. Over the last 24 hours 91 of 91 checks got a reply (100.0%), average response time 235 ms. The bar chart above shows every period we have measured.
How do I connect Ref Tools MCP?
Copy the ready config from this page — we generate it for Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Codex, Cursor and VS Code, each with the file path that client actually reads. It is a remote server, so there is nothing to install — the client connects to the address. You will need your own key or an OAuth login: it refuses anonymous clients.
Does Ref Tools MCP need an API key?
Yes. Every time we knock, Ref Tools MCP answers with an authorization challenge instead of its tool list — that is how we know it is running and gated rather than broken. Bring your own credentials and it will talk.
How fast is Ref Tools MCP?
It answers our handshake in 235 ms on average, which is faster than 56% of all working MCP servers we measure. The comparison comes from our own checks across the whole registry, every 15 minutes.
Is Ref Tools MCP open source?
Yes — it is published under the MIT licence, written in TypeScript, 1 150 stars on GitHub and 3 open issues. The source link is on this page, so you can read exactly what it does with your data before you connect it.