cobol-mcp-client 0.1.17

COBOL MCP server with hybrid search and blind-spot detection

cobol-mcp-client

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for COBOL development assistance. Provides static analysis with blind-spot detection and hybrid documentation search across major COBOL dialects.

Quick Start

uvx --from cobol-mcp-client cobol-mcp setup YOUR_API_KEY

This launches an interactive wizard to select which IDEs to configure. Use arrow keys to navigate, Enter to select, and Enter on "Proceed" to confirm.

Direct Install (skip prompts)

uvx --from cobol-mcp-client cobol-mcp setup YOUR_API_KEY --ide cursor
uvx --from cobol-mcp-client cobol-mcp setup YOUR_API_KEY --ide claude-code

List Supported IDEs

uvx --from cobol-mcp-client cobol-mcp list-ides

Supported: cursor, claude-code, claude-desktop, vscode, windsurf, amp, zed, cline, continue, roo-code

What It Does

Three tools exposed via MCP:

Tool	Description
check(file_path)	Static analysis of COBOL source files. Runs 30+ rules covering FILE STATUS, uninitialized variables, missing STOP RUN, arithmetic overflow, and IMS DL/I issues.
search(query)	Hybrid semantic + keyword search across GnuCOBOL, IBM Enterprise COBOL, IBM CICS, and Micro Focus Visual COBOL documentation.
translate_reference(topic)	COBOL-to-Java translation patterns for data types, control flow, file I/O, CICS, DB2, and more.

Resources available:

• cobol://context — Dialect differences and search tips
• cobol://rules — Full rule documentation
• cobol://gnucobol — GnuCOBOL compiler reference

Dialects & Documentation Coverage

Source	Coverage
GnuCOBOL 3.x	Programmer's Guide, Quick Reference, Sample Programs
IBM Enterprise COBOL 6.x	Full language reference
IBM CICS TS	EXEC CICS commands, transaction processing
Micro Focus Visual COBOL	Developer's Guide, Application Modernization Tools
Dialect comparison guides	Cross-dialect syntax differences

Static Analysis Rules

Category	Rules	Examples
General COBOL	5	Missing FILE STATUS, uninitialized variables, missing STOP RUN, arithmetic overflow
File I/O	4	WRITE target validation, file mode checks, FILE STATUS binding
IMS DL/I	25+	DL/I function codes, PCB validation, status code handling, GSAM, checkpoint/restart, SSA validation

Manual Configuration

If you prefer to configure manually, add to your IDE's MCP config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cobol": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["--refresh", "--from", "cobol-mcp-client", "cobol-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "COBOL_MCP_API_KEY": "your-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}

Config file locations (macOS):

IDE	Path
Cursor	~/.cursor/mcp.json
Claude Desktop	~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
VS Code	~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/mcp.json
Windsurf	~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json
Zed	~/.config/zed/settings.json (uses context_servers key)
Cline	~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/globalStorage/saoudrizwan.claude-dev/settings/cline_mcp_settings.json
Continue	~/.continue/config.json (uses experimental.modelContextProtocolServers)
Roo Code	~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/globalStorage/rooveterinaryinc.roo-cline/settings/cline_mcp_settings.json

For Claude Code and Amp, use the CLI setup command — they configure via their own mcp add commands.

Environment Variables

Variable	Required	Description
COBOL_MCP_API_KEY	Yes	API key from cobolmcp.com
COBOL_MCP_API_URL	No	Backend API URL (defaults to production)

Development

git clone https://github.com/haladir-ai/cobol-mcp-client
cd cobol-mcp-client
pip install -e .
python -m pytest tests/ -v

License

Proprietary.