mcphub.nvim — Neovim MCP Client & UI

Practical Notes

• Quant: baseline your setup with 1 server and 3 tool calls; aim for <2 minutes from :MCPHub open to first successful tool run.
• Quant: keep versions explicit: Neovim >= 0.8 and Node.js >= 18 are hard requirements—record them in your dotfiles.

How to make MCP in-editor feel “native”

A practical pattern is to keep three layers separate:

1. Server definition (what runs, with what env)
2. UI discovery/testing (:MCPHub as a tool console)
3. Chat integration (only wire the few tools you actually use)

Debugging checklist

• Confirm Node.js and Neovim versions first.
• Ensure mcp-hub is installed and on PATH (the Lazy build step can do this).
• Start with one small server/tool, then expand.

Team workflow tip

Store your MCP server config in version control and treat it like infra: reviews, changelog notes, and rollback steps.

FAQ

Q: Do I need to install mcp-hub separately? A: The recommended Lazy.nvim setup installs mcp-hub via the build step.

Q: Should I expose every tool to my chat plugin? A: No. Start with 1–3 tools you actually use and expand deliberately.

Q: What breaks most often? A: Version drift (Neovim/Node) and PATH issues for the mcp-hub binary.