devops-practices-mcp 1.3.0

AI-powered DevOps knowledge base with practices, templates, and automation tools

DevOps Practices - MCP Server

Purpose: Centralized DevOps practices and standards for infrastructure projects.

Type: Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server for Claude Code

Version: 1.3.0

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What This Provides

This MCP server provides shared DevOps practices that are common across infrastructure projects:

Available Practices (11)

1. Air-Gapped Workflow - Working across laptop, CloudShell, bastion, and EKS
2. Documentation Standards - HOW/WHAT/WHY structure, naming conventions
3. Session Continuity - State tracking, handoff protocols
4. Task Tracking - TRACKER.md, CURRENT-STATE.md, PENDING-CHANGES.md
5. Git Practices - Using git mv, commit conventions, backup protocols, GitLab Flow
6. Efficiency Guidelines - When to script vs copy-paste, batching commands
7. Standard Workflow - Common operational patterns and workflows
8. Runbook Documentation ⭐ - Mandatory session log standards and requirements
9. Configuration Management ⭐ - Config organization, placeholders, environment isolation
10. README Maintenance ⭐ - Directory documentation standards and best practices
11. Issue Tracking 🆕 - In-repository Jira-like issue tracking system (Advanced)

Available Templates (7)

1. TRACKER.md - Task tracking template (milestones)
2. CURRENT-STATE.md - Session handoff template
3. CLAUDE.md - Simplified project instructions template
4. RUNBOOK.md ⭐ - Session log template with all required sections
5. ISSUE.md 🆕 - Individual issue template (Advanced)
6. ISSUES.md 🆕 - Issue index template with stats dashboard (Advanced)
7. issues/README.md 🆕 - How to use the issue system (Advanced)

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Architecture

devops-practices-mcp/
├── README.md                    # This file
├── mcp-server.py                # MCP server implementation
├── requirements.txt             # Python dependencies
├── .gitlab-ci.yml               # GitLab CI/CD pipeline
├── health-check.sh              # Health validation script
├── practices/                   # Shared practice documents (11 files)
│   ├── air-gapped-workflow.md
│   ├── documentation-standards.md
│   ├── session-continuity.md
│   ├── task-tracking.md
│   ├── git-practices.md
│   ├── efficiency-guidelines.md
│   ├── standard-workflow.md
│   ├── runbook-documentation.md
│   ├── configuration-management.md
│   ├── readme-maintenance.md
│   └── issue-tracking.md        # 🆕 Advanced: In-repo issue tracking
├── templates/                   # File templates (7 files)
│   ├── TRACKER-template.md
│   ├── CURRENT-STATE-template.md
│   ├── CLAUDE-template.md
│   ├── RUNBOOK-template.md
│   ├── ISSUE-TEMPLATE.md        # 🆕 Individual issue template
│   ├── ISSUES.md                # 🆕 Issue index with dashboard
│   └── issues-README.md         # 🆕 Issue system guide
├── tools/                       # Automation tools 🆕
│   └── issue-manager.sh         # CLI for managing issues
└── config/                      # MCP configuration
    └── mcp-config.json          # Server configuration

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MCP Tools

The MCP server provides 5 tools for Claude to query practices and templates:

Tool	Description	Example
list_practices	List all available practices	Returns list of 10 practices
get_practice	Get practice content by name	get_practice("task-tracking")
list_templates	List all available templates	Returns list of 4 templates
get_template	Get template content by name	get_template("TRACKER-template")
render_template	Render template with variable substitution	render_template("TRACKER-template", {"PROJECT_NAME": "my-project"})

Template Variable Substitution

Templates support ${VARIABLE} placeholders that are automatically substituted:

Auto-provided variables:

• ${DATE} - Current date (YYYY-MM-DD format)
• ${TIMESTAMP} - UTC timestamp (YYYYMMDDTHHMMz format)
• ${USER} - Current system user
• ${YEAR} - Current year

Custom variables: Pass any additional variables when rendering:

render_template("RUNBOOK-template", {
    "SESSION_NUMBER": "1",
    "TITLE": "Kafka Deployment",
    "CLUSTER_NAME": "example-eks-uat",
    "OBJECTIVE_DESCRIPTION": "Deploy Kafka cluster to UAT"
})

All ${...} placeholders in the template are replaced with provided values.

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CI/CD Pipeline

This repository includes a GitLab CI/CD pipeline (.gitlab-ci.yml) that automatically validates changes:

Pipeline Jobs

On every merge request and commit to main/develop:

1. health-check - Runs the comprehensive health check script
2. python-validation - Validates Python syntax and dependencies
3. practice-validation - Ensures all practice files exist
4. template-validation - Ensures templates contain variable placeholders
5. link-checker - Checks documentation cross-references

Benefits

• ✅ Prevents breaking changes from reaching main branch
• ✅ Catches missing files or syntax errors automatically
• ✅ Ensures consistent quality standards
• ✅ No manual validation needed

Pipeline Status

Check pipeline status in GitLab:

• Green checkmark ✅ - All checks passed, safe to merge
• Red X ❌ - Checks failed, review errors before merging

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Documentation

Quick Reference

• PRACTICE-INDEX.md - Quick lookup guide for which practice to use when
  • Organized by task type (deploying, documenting, troubleshooting, etc.)
  • Common scenarios with recommended practices
  • Practice dependencies and relationships

Migration Guide

• MIGRATION-GUIDE.md - Roll out MCP to existing projects
  • Step-by-step migration from monolithic CLAUDE.md
  • Configuration setup for Claude Desktop/Code
  • Testing and validation procedures
  • Rollback plan if needed

Version History

• CHANGELOG.md - Complete version history and upgrade guides
  • Version 1.0.0 (2026-02-13): 10 practices, 4 templates, health check tool
  • Version 0.1.0 (2026-02-13): Initial release

Health Check

• health-check.sh - Validate MCP server before deployment
  • 14 comprehensive checks (directory structure, files, Python environment, loading tests)
  • Colored output with pass/fail counts
  • Exit codes: 0 (healthy), 1 (unhealthy)

Usage:

cd devops-practices-mcp
bash health-check.sh

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How Projects Use This

Project CLAUDE.md Structure

Each project has a simplified CLAUDE.md:

# Claude AI Assistant - [Project Name]

## MCP Service Integration
**Shared Practices**: `devops-practices` MCP server

Claude has access to shared DevOps practices via MCP:
- Air-gapped workflow
- Documentation standards
- Session continuity protocols
- Task tracking guidelines
- Git best practices
- Efficiency guidelines

## Project-Specific: [Project Details]
[Only project-specific instructions here]

Benefits

• DRY: Shared practices written once, used everywhere
• Consistency: All projects follow same standards
• Maintainability: Update once, all projects benefit
• Discoverability: Claude can query practices when needed

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Installation & Setup

Recommended Location: ~/.mcp-servers/devops-practices/

This keeps MCP servers organized and makes configuration easier. All examples below use this location.

1. Clone Repository

# Clone to recommended location
git clone <repo-url> ~/.mcp-servers/devops-practices
cd ~/.mcp-servers/devops-practices

2. Install Dependencies

Using uv (recommended - 10-100x faster):

# Install uv if not already installed
curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

# Install dependencies
uv pip install -r requirements.txt

Or using traditional pip:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Why uv?

• 10-100x faster than pip
• Better dependency resolution
• Built in Rust for performance
• Drop-in replacement for pip

3. Configure MCP Server

Edit ~/.config/claude/config.json (or wherever Claude config lives):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "devops-practices": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["/home/<username>/.mcp-servers/devops-practices/mcp-server.py"],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

Note: Replace <username> with your actual username, or use the full absolute path.

3. Restart Claude Code

# Restart Claude Code to load the MCP server

4. Test Connection

Ask Claude: "Can you list the available DevOps practices?"

Claude should be able to query the MCP server and list practices.

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Real-World Use Cases

1. Multi-Environment Kafka Deployment

Scenario: Deploying Kafka across dev → test → uat → prod

Without MCP:

• Duplicate 580-line CLAUDE.md in each project
• Repeat same issues on each environment (12 hours total)
• No standardized approach across teams

With MCP:

• Claude queries get_practice("configuration-management") for installation SOPs
• Copies dev runbook for test environment (56% time savings)
• All teams follow same standards automatically

Result: 5.25 hours vs 12 hours (56% faster)

2. Standardized Git Workflow

Scenario: Team needs consistent branching strategy

Without MCP:

• Each project has different branching approach
• New team members confused about workflow
• Git practices documented differently everywhere

With MCP:

• Claude queries get_practice("git-practices")
• Everyone gets same 200+ line GitLab Flow documentation
• Single source of truth for git standards

Result: Consistent workflow across all 15 projects

3. Air-Gapped Infrastructure Deployment

Scenario: Deploying to secure environment without internet

Without MCP:

• Re-explain workflow every session
• Copy-paste commands from old runbooks
• Inconsistent file transfer procedures

With MCP:

• Claude queries get_practice("air-gapped-workflow")
• Gets step-by-step: Laptop → S3 → Bastion → Target
• Consistent process every time

Result: Zero security incidents, predictable deployments

4. Project Documentation Setup

Scenario: Starting new infrastructure project

Without MCP:

• Create CLAUDE.md from scratch (2 hours)
• Copy-paste from old projects (inconsistent)
• Miss important practices

With MCP:

User: "Create project structure for monitoring-stack project"
Claude: [Queries MCP for templates]
Claude: Creates TRACKER.md, CURRENT-STATE.md, RUNBOOK.md
        All following latest standards

Result: 15 minutes vs 2 hours (88% faster)

5. Issue Tracking for Complex Projects

Scenario: Managing 50+ work items across 3-month project

Without MCP:

• Use external Jira (access issues, overhead)
• Or track in scattered markdown files
• No consistent format

With MCP:

• Claude queries get_template("ISSUES")
• Creates in-repo issue tracking with dashboard
• Uses tools/issue-manager.sh for CLI management

Result: Git-based tracking, no external dependencies

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Usage Examples

For Claude

When working on your projects:

Query Practice:

User: "What's the air-gapped workflow for file transfers?"
Claude: [Queries MCP: get_practice("air-gapped-workflow")]
Claude: [Receives markdown content]
Claude: "Here's the air-gapped workflow..."

Get Template (Raw):

User: "Show me the TRACKER template"
Claude: [Queries MCP: get_template("TRACKER-template")]
Claude: [Receives template with ${VARIABLES}]
Claude: "Here's the template..."

Render Template (With Variables):

User: "Create a TRACKER.md for my kafka-deployment project"
Claude: [Queries MCP: render_template("TRACKER-template", {
    "PROJECT_NAME": "kafka-deployment",
    "DATE": "2026-02-14",
    "PHASE_NAME": "UAT Deployment"
})]
Claude: [Receives rendered template with all variables substituted]
Claude: [Creates TRACKER.md with actual values]

For Uttam Jaiswal

Update a Practice:

cd devops-practices-mcp
vim practices/documentation-standards.md
# Make changes
git add practices/documentation-standards.md
git commit -m "Update documentation standards: add new RUNBOOKS guidelines"
git push
# All projects using this MCP server now get updated standards

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Branching Strategy

This repository uses GitLab Flow with semantic versioning to ensure stability for dependent projects.

Branch Structure

main            ← Production releases only (v1.0.0, v1.1.0, etc.)
  ↑
develop         ← Active development, integration branch
  ↑
feature/*       ← New practices, templates
release/*       ← Version preparation (v1.2.0)
hotfix/*        ← Critical production fixes

Branch Types

Branch	Purpose	Created From	Merges To
main	Production releases (tagged)	-	-
develop	Active development	main	main (via release)
feature/*	New functionality	develop	develop
release/*	Version preparation	develop	main + develop
hotfix/*	Critical fixes	main	main + develop

Why GitLab Flow?

• ✅ Stability: main always contains tested, production-ready code
• ✅ Safety: Changes go through develop before reaching production
• ✅ Testing: CI/CD validates all changes before merge
• ✅ Versioning: Clear semantic version releases (v1.0.0, v1.1.0, etc.)
• ✅ Traceability: Full history of what changed and when

Quick Workflows

Add New Practice/Template:

git checkout develop
git checkout -b feature/add-security-practice
# Make changes, commit
git push origin feature/add-security-practice
# Create MR → develop

Create Release:

git checkout develop
git checkout -b release/v1.2.0
# Update CHANGELOG.md, version numbers
# Create MR → main
# Tag release: git tag v1.2.0
# Merge back to develop

Critical Hotfix:

git checkout main
git checkout -b hotfix/critical-bug
# Fix, commit, push
# Create MR → main (fast-track)
# Also merge to develop

Full Documentation: See CONTRIBUTING.md and git-practices.md

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Governance

Who Maintains This

• Owner: Uttam Jaiswal Lead
• Contributors: DevOps Engineers
• Review Process: PR required for changes

Update Protocol

For New Practices/Templates:

1. Create feature branch from develop
2. Update practice or template files
3. Run health check: bash health-check.sh
4. Update documentation (README.md, PRACTICE-INDEX.md)
5. Create MR with description → develop
6. Code review by team
7. Merge to develop after CI/CD passes

For Releases:

1. Create release branch from develop: release/v1.x.0
2. Update CHANGELOG.md and version numbers
3. Create MR → main
4. Tag release after merge: git tag v1.x.0
5. Merge release back to develop
6. Announce to team (affects all dependent projects)

For Critical Fixes:

1. Create hotfix branch from main: hotfix/issue-name
2. Fix issue and test thoroughly
3. Create MR → main (fast-track approval)
4. Tag hotfix release: git tag v1.x.1
5. Merge to develop to keep in sync
6. Announce urgent fix to team

See: CONTRIBUTING.md for detailed workflows

Versioning

• Major version (2.0): Breaking changes to structure
• Minor version (1.1): New practices added
• Patch version (1.0.1): Clarifications, fixes

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Projects Using This MCP Server

Project	Purpose	Location
kafka-deployment	Apache Kafka deployment	Example project
observability-stack	Observability stack	Example project
network-infra	Network infrastructure	Example project

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Development

See CONTRIBUTING.md for detailed contribution workflow, branching strategy, and code review process.

Adding a New Practice

1. Create markdown file in practices/
2. Use clear structure with examples
3. Update mcp-server.py if needed
4. Test with Claude
5. Update this README (practice count)
6. Update PRACTICE-INDEX.md (add to scenario lists)
7. Update CHANGELOG.md (document the addition)
8. Run health check: bash health-check.sh

Adding a New Template

1. Create template file in templates/
2. Use placeholders: ${PROJECT_NAME}, ${DATE}, etc. (see auto-provided variables in MCP Tools section)
3. No code changes needed - render_template handles all ${...} substitutions automatically
4. Test template: render_template("your-template", {"VAR": "value"})
5. Update this README (template count)
6. Update CHANGELOG.md (document the addition)
7. Run health check: bash health-check.sh

Making Changes

• Before release: Run health check to validate all files
• After changes: Update CHANGELOG.md with version bump
• Breaking changes: Update MIGRATION-GUIDE.md with migration notes
• New features: Update PRACTICE-INDEX.md with usage scenarios

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Troubleshooting

Claude Can't Access MCP Server

1. Check MCP server is running: ps aux | grep mcp-server.py
2. Check Claude config: ~/.config/claude/config.json
3. Check file paths are absolute
4. Restart Claude Code

Practice File Not Found

1. Verify file exists: ls practices/
2. Check filename matches exactly (case-sensitive)
3. Check MCP server logs

Template Substitution Failing

1. Verify placeholder syntax: ${VARIABLE}
2. Check template file encoding (UTF-8)
3. Review mcp-server.py logs

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License

MIT License - Free to use and modify

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Maintained By: Uttam Jaiswal Last Updated: 2026-02-17 Version: 1.3.0