mcp-pulse

---
name: mcp-pulse
description: Weekly tracker for the Model Context Protocol (MCP) ecosystem — new server implementations, adoption velocity, npm/GitHub signals, and protocol evolution. Thesis check — is MCP becoming the default tool-call rail for agents?
schedule: "0 10 * * 5"
commits: true
permissions:
  - contents:write
tags: [AI, MCP, agent-infra]
---

Today is ${today}. Read `memory/MEMORY.md` before starting.

## Voice

If `soul/SOUL.md` and `soul/STYLE.md` exist and are populated, read them and match the operator's voice in the notification. Otherwise use a clear, direct, neutral tone — punchy, position-first, no fluff.

## Why this skill exists

MCP (Model Context Protocol) standardizes how agents make tool calls to external services — the way HTTP standardized transport. The bet: MCP becomes the default protocol layer connecting agents to every external service, and whoever controls the server-generation tooling controls the integration layer (Anthropic authored the spec and, via its 5/18/2026 Stainless acquisition, now owns SDK/server generation tooling too). For any agent framework, this is the single most load-bearing infra track. This skill tracks whether the thesis is advancing: new server implementations, adoption velocity, notable integrations, and ecosystem health. Pair with `x402-monitor` (Tue) — together they cover the two infrastructure layers agents need: payments (x402) and tool-calls (MCP).

## Steps

### 1. Load current context

Read:
- `memory/MEMORY.md` — overall ecosystem context and last-known MCP stats
- `memory/topics/mcp-ecosystem.md` — MCP-specific baseline (create with seed if missing — see end of this section)

Extract from the topic file:
- `npm_last_known` — last recorded `@modelcontextprotocol/sdk` weekly downloads
- `gh_repo_count_last` — last recorded count of MCP-related GitHub repos
- `known_servers` — list of known major MCP server implementations
- `last_run` — date of prior run

If `memory/topics/mcp-ecosystem.md` doesn't exist, create it:

```markdown
# MCP Ecosystem Tracker

*Last run: never*

## Seed Context (2026-05-18)
- Stainless acquired by Anthropic ~$300M+ (The Information, 5/18/2026). Stainless team now building MCP server generation tooling inside Anthropic. Previously generated SDKs for: OpenAI, Google, Cloudflare, Meta, Runway, Groq, Cerebras, Modern Treasury, and all official Anthropic SDKs.
- MCP (Model Context Protocol): open protocol Anthropic authored. Standardizes how agents make tool calls to external services. GitHub: modelcontextprotocol/modelcontextprotocol.
- Thesis: MCP becomes the default tool-call rail for agents. Anthropic owns the generation layer → controls the integration layer.

## Known Servers
- Official: filesystem, git, github, gitlab, google-maps, google-drive, postgres, sqlite, slack, brave-search, puppeteer, fetch, memory, sentry, time, sequential-thinking, everything (test server)
- Third-party high-quality: (populate from first run)

## Key Stats
- npm @modelcontextprotocol/sdk: unknown weekly downloads
- GitHub repos with MCP topic: unknown
- modelcontextprotocol org repos: unknown count

## Signal Log
- 2026-05-18: Anthropic acquires Stainless. Stainless team pointed at MCP server generation.
```

### 2. Check the modelcontextprotocol GitHub org

Fetch the list of repos in the `modelcontextprotocol` org:

```bash
gh api "orgs/modelcontextprotocol/repos?sort=updated&per_page=50" \
  --jq '.[] | {name, description, stargazers_count, updated_at, topics}'
```

From results:
- Note any repos created or updated in the last 7 days
- Record total org repo count (compare to `gh_repo_count_last` if it tracked org size)
- Flag new repos not seen before — these are official server or tooling additions
- Note star counts for `modelcontextprotocol/modelcontextprotocol`, `modelcontextprotocol/python-sdk`, `modelcontextprotocol/typescript-sdk`

If `gh api` fails, fall back to WebFetch:
```
https://api.github.com/orgs/modelcontextprotocol/repos?sort=updated&per_page=50
```

### 3. Search GitHub for new MCP server repos

Search for repos with MCP-related topics or descriptions updated in the last 7 days:

```bash
gh api "search/repositories?q=mcp-server+in:topics+OR+mcp-server+in:description&sort=updated&per_page=30" \
  --jq '.items[] | select(.updated_at > "'$(date -d '7 days ago' +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ 2>/dev/null || date -v-7d +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)'") | {full_name, description, stargazers_count, updated_at, topics}'
```

Also search:
```bash
gh api "search/repositories?q=model-context-protocol+in:topics+OR+modelcontextprotocol+in:description&sort=updated&per_page=20" \
  --jq '.items[] | {full_name, description, stargazers_count, updated_at}'
```

If `gh api` fails, fall back to WebSearch: `"mcp-server" site:github.com after:<7-days-ago>`

From results:
- Filter to repos updated in last 7 days
- Cross-check against `known_servers` — flag NEW implementations
- Note the service being wrapped (Stripe, Notion, Linear, Jira, etc.)
- Rank by stars descending

High-signal repo patterns to watch:
- Official company MCP servers (Stripe, Notion, Linear, Atlassian, etc.)
- Repos from major infrastructure players (AWS, GCP, Azure)
- Servers for high-demand services (databases, payments, CRMs, dev tools)
- Repos with 50+ stars — threshold for "real usage" signal

### 4. Fetch npm download trend

Use WebFetch:
```
https://api.npmjs.org/downloads/point/last-week/@modelcontextprotocol/sdk
```

Record `npm_weekly_downloads`. Compute delta vs `npm_last_known` if available. If 403 or no data, try:
```
https://www.npmjs.com/package/@modelcontextprotocol/sdk
```

Also check the Python SDK:
```
https://pypistats.org/api/packages/mcp/recent?period=week
```

If both fail, note in the log and skip the npm delta.

### 5. WebSearch for MCP news this week

Run these searches:
```
WebSearch: "model context protocol MCP server release ${year}"
WebSearch: "MCP server anthropic stainless ${year}"
WebSearch: '"model context protocol" integration announcement ${year}'
```

From results:
- New official server launches (a company publishing its own MCP server)
- Protocol spec updates or new versions
- Stainless/Anthropic news on MCP server generation progress
- Developer tutorials/blog posts showing real implementations
- Enterprise adoptions (a Fortune 500 shipping an MCP server = high signal)

Flag any result from the last 7 days. Discard opinion/speculative pieces — keep launches, integrations, official announcements.

### 6. Synthesize momentum score

Rate ecosystem velocity this week:

| Signal | Points |
|--------|--------|
| New MCP server from a named company (Stripe, Notion, Linear, etc.) | +3 each |
| New MCP server repo with 50+ stars updated this week, not in baseline | +2 each |
| npm @modelcontextprotocol/sdk downloads up vs last known | +3 |
| New official modelcontextprotocol org repo | +2 each |
| Stainless/Anthropic MCP-related announcement | +3 |
| Notable blog post or tutorial (real implementation, not vaporware) | +1 each |
| MCP mentioned in mainstream dev context (HN, major tech blog) | +1 |

**Momentum levels:**
- 0–2: quiet week
- 3–6: building
- 7–10: accelerating
- 11+: breakout

**Thesis check:** After reviewing all data, answer in one sentence:
> **Thesis check:** MCP-as-default-tool-call-rail thesis [advancing / holding / stalling / reversing] — [one concrete data point].

### 7. Update memory/topics/mcp-ecosystem.md

Rewrite with:
- Updated `*Last run: ${today}*`
- Updated `Known Servers` list (add newly discovered)
- Updated `npm_last_known` with this week's count
- Updated `gh_repo_count_last` with current count
- Appended entry to `Signal Log`:
  ```
  - ${today}: [N new repos] / npm [downloads]/wk / momentum: [level] / [top signal]
  ```

### 8. Send notification

Write to `.pending-notify-temp/mcp-pulse-${today}.md` (create the dir if needed), then:
```bash
./notify -f .pending-notify-temp/mcp-pulse-${today}.md
```

**Format — match the operator's voice if soul files are populated, otherwise direct and neutral:**

```
mcp pulse — ${today}

momentum: {level} ({score} pts)

{IF new company servers}
new official servers ({count}):
- {company}: {service_described_one_line} ({stars}★)
{end}

{IF new repos}
new implementations ({count}):
- {full_name}: {description_one_line} ({stars}★)   [top 3]
{end}

{IF npm_delta known}
npm @modelcontextprotocol/sdk: {downloads}/wk ({delta:+N vs last week} or "first data point")
{end}

{IF notable news}
signals:
- {one-line summary}   [top 2]
{end}

thesis: {advancing/holding/stalling/reversing} — {one data point}

{IF quiet_week}
quiet week. ecosystem still compounding.
{end}
```

Keep total under 900 chars. Do NOT use `./notify "$(cat ...)"` — write the file first, pass the path.

If momentum score is 0 and no new repos and no news: log `MCP_PULSE_OK: quiet` and skip notification.

### 9. Log to memory/logs/${today}.md

Append:
```markdown
## MCP Pulse
- **New repos (7d):** {count}
- **New company servers:** {count} ({names if any})
- **npm @modelcontextprotocol/sdk:** {downloads}/wk (delta: {delta})
- **Momentum score:** {score} ({level})
- **Thesis:** {advancing/holding/stalling/reversing} — {data point}
- **Notification:** sent / skipped (quiet)
- MCP_PULSE_OK
```

## Required Env Vars

None. Uses `gh` CLI (GITHUB_TOKEN via workflow), WebFetch, WebSearch. No additional auth needed.

## Sandbox Note

- `gh api` and `gh search` use gh CLI — handles auth internally, no env-var expansion in headers.
- npm API, PyPI stats, GitHub API fallbacks: use WebFetch (not curl — sandbox may block outbound). WebFetch bypasses the sandbox network gate.
- WebSearch: built-in tool, always available.

## What to watch for (recurring signal classes)

- **Official company MCP servers** — Stripe, Notion, Linear, Atlassian, Salesforce, GitHub, Slack, Jira publishing their own MCP servers = protocol hitting mainstream.
- **Stainless/Anthropic server generation updates** — when the generation tooling ships, expect a spike in server-count that's automated rather than organic. That inflection point is the key event to catch.
- **npm download velocity** — `@modelcontextprotocol/sdk` installs measure developer adoption, more reliable than announcements.
- **Enterprise adoptions** — a Fortune 500 shipping an MCP server for internal use = institutional lock-in signal.
- **Protocol spec versions** — breaking changes or new capabilities (multi-step tool calls, resource subscriptions) that shift what agents can do.
- **Non-Anthropic framework integrations** — LangChain, AutoGen, LlamaIndex, CrewAI adopting MCP = protocol winning the inter-framework standard war.

## Output feeds

- `article` skill — MCP Pulse data feeds infrastructure/agent-tools articles
- `topic-momentum` — MCP signal now has dedicated weekly data, will surface when high
- `digest` — MCP developments slot into the agent-infra section
- `x402-monitor` (Tue) — pair together to cover full agentic infrastructure: payments + tool-calls