Mcp2cli – One CLI for every API, 96-99% fewer tokens than native MCP
Every MCP server injects its full tool schemas into context on every turn — 30 tools costs ~3,600 tokens/turn whether the model uses them or not. Over 25 turns with 120 tools, that's 362,000 tokens just for schemas. mcp2cli turns any MCP server or OpenAPI spec into a CLI at runtime. The LLM discovers tools on demand: mcp2cli --mcp https://mcp.example.com/sse --list # ~16 tokens/tool mcp2cli --mcp https://mcp.example.com/sse create-task --help # ~120 tokens, once mcp2cli --mcp https://mcp.example.com/sse create-task --title "Fix bug" No…
In plain words
Mcp2cli converts MCP servers and OpenAPI specifications into command-line interfaces that language models can call on demand. Instead of loading full tool schemas into context for every interaction, the LLM discovers and uses tools through CLI commands, reducing token overhead by 96-99%. It works with any language model and requires no code generation or rebuilds when servers change, supporting both local and remote API specifications.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
In the maker’s words, at launch
Every MCP server injects its full tool schemas into context on every turn — 30 tools costs ~3,600 tokens/turn whether the model uses them or not. Over 25 turns with 120 tools, that's 362,000 tokens just for schemas. mcp2cli turns any MCP server or OpenAPI spec into a CLI at runtime. The LLM discovers tools on demand: mcp2cli --mcp https://mcp.example.com/sse --list # ~16 tokens/tool mcp2cli --mcp https://mcp.example.com/sse create-task --help # ~120 tokens, once mcp2cli --mcp https://mcp.example.com/sse create-task --title "Fix bug" No codegen, no rebuild when the server changes. Works with any LLM — it's just a CLI the model shells out to. Also handles OpenAPI specs (JSON/YAML, local or remote) with the same interface. Token savings are real, measured with cl100k_base: 96% for 30 tools over 15 turns, 99% for 120 tools over 25 turns. It also ships as an installable skill for AI coding agents (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex): `npx skills add knowsuchagency/mcp2cli --skill mcp2cli` Inspired by Kagan Yilmaz's CLI vs MCP analysis and CLIHub. https://github.com/knowsuchagency/mcp2cli
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