Stack Gems
Read-only search of 900+ reviewed developer tools, each with a verdict and caveats. Free/OSS first.
Should I use this
Quality & Safety
Based on automated analysis of tool definitions and protocol compliance.
Context Cost
This is the approximate number of tokens consumed each time the server's tools are loaded into a model's context. Higher counts reduce the attention available for other tasks.
Install
One-Click Install
Add this to your `claude_desktop_config.json` file:
{
"mcpServers": {
"catalog": {
"url": "https://stackgems.com/api/mcp"
}
}
}Remote endpoints
https://stackgems.com/api/mcpstreamable-httpWhat it can do
Tool inventory
Tools (5)
🟢search_gems(query, tag, subcategory, category, pricing, ...)
Search the Stack Gems catalog of reviewed developer tools. Matches name, tagline, verdict, Catch, subcategory and tags. Filters combine with AND. Returns verdict and the first sentence of the Catch for each hit.
Input Schema
{
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"query": {
"type": "string",
"description": "Free text, e.g. \"postgres backup\" or \"browser automation\""
},
"tag": {
"type": "string",
"description": "Comma list of tags, all must match (see list_categories), e.g. \"mcp,self-host\""
},
"subcategory": {
"type": "string",
"description": "Subcategory slug or label, e.g. \"coding-agents\""
},
"category": {
"type": "string",
"enum": [
"agents",
"nextjs",
"python",
"shopify",
"databases",
"devops",
"design",
"observability",
"rust",
"payments",
"comms",
"notifications",
"libraries"
]
},
"pricing": {
"type": "string",
"enum": [
"free",
"freemium",
"paid",
"open-source",
"source-available"
]
},
"sort": {
"type": "string",
"enum": [
"curated",
"catalog",
"new",
"stars",
"trending",
"name"
],
"default": "curated",
"description": "curated = free/OSS first"
},
"limit": {
"type": "integer",
"minimum": 1,
"maximum": 50,
"default": 10
}
},
"additionalProperties": false
}🟢get_gem(slug)
Full Stack Gems review of one tool by slug: what is good, the Catch, verdict, license, repo health, plus links to its best-of list and alternatives.
Input Schema
{
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"slug": {
"type": "string",
"description": "Tool slug, e.g. \"ollama\" (from search_gems)"
}
},
"required": [
"slug"
],
"additionalProperties": false
}🟢best_for(use_case, limit)
Ranked shortlist for a use case or category (e.g. "vector database", "coding agents", "auth", "mcp"), free and open source first, each with verdict and Catch. Falls back to search when no list matches.
Input Schema
{
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"use_case": {
"type": "string",
"description": "What the tool is for, e.g. \"self-hosted auth\" or \"kubernetes\""
},
"limit": {
"type": "integer",
"minimum": 1,
"maximum": 25,
"default": 10
}
},
"required": [
"use_case"
],
"additionalProperties": false
}🟢get_alternatives(slug, limit)
Free and open-source alternatives to a tool from the same category, with verdict and Catch. Works for any slug in the catalog.
Input Schema
{
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"slug": {
"type": "string",
"description": "Tool slug, e.g. \"cursor\""
},
"limit": {
"type": "integer",
"minimum": 1,
"maximum": 15,
"default": 8
}
},
"required": [
"slug"
],
"additionalProperties": false
}🟢list_categories
The catalog vocabulary: stacks (categories), best-of lists with counts, and the tag vocabulary with counts. Use the slugs as filters in search_gems.
Input Schema
{
"type": "object",
"properties": {},
"additionalProperties": false
}Community
Evidence