zig-mcp

Zig Docs MCP

The Zig Docs MCP is a versatile Model Context Protocol (MCP) server designed to provide up-to-date documentation for the Zig programming language's standard library and built-in functions. This tool leverages a similar methodology to Zig's official autodoc (ziglang.org) by directly reading the source files of the standard library through a WebAssembly (WASM) module. Instead of generating HTML, it outputs Markdown format, which optimizes token usage significantly.

Purpose and Usage

The Zig Docs MCP facilitates developers by providing quick access to critical documentation that enhances coding efficiency and productivity. It is especially beneficial for those working with the Zig standard library and looking to streamline their development process.

Tip: Add use zigdocs to prompts for explicit guidance to utilize Zig documentation tools. Otherwise, the LLM (Language Model) intelligently decides when to engage MCP tools based on the context of the inquiries.

Features

• List Built-in Functions: Easily list all available Zig built-in functions, which are compiler-provided and prefixed with '@'. The comptime keyword indicates parameters that must be known at compile time.
• Get Built-in Function: Search for specific Zig built-in functions by name, retrieving detailed documentation, signatures, and usage information, ranked by relevance.
• Search Standard Library: Conduct searches for declarations within the Zig standard library by name, returning a list of matching items along with their fully qualified names. This tool aids in identifying types, functions, and constants available in the library.
• Get Standard Library Item: Retrieve comprehensive documentation for a specific standard library item using its fully qualified name (e.g., "std.ArrayList.init"). This command provides extensive information, including function signatures, parameters, potential errors, examples, and source code.

Command Line Interface (CLI)

The CLI of Zig Docs MCP offers flexible options for managing versions and updates:

# Start MCP server with default options (master branch, manual updates)
zig-mcp

# Use a specific Zig version
zig-mcp --version 0.13.0

# Enable automatic daily updates
zig-mcp --update-policy daily

# Update documentation without starting the server
zig-mcp update --version 0.14.1

# Start a local web server to view documentation
zig-mcp view --version 0.14.1

Version options include:

• master (default): the latest development version from Zig's master branch
• Specific versions (e.g., 0.14.1, 0.14.0): for more control over the version used

Update policies provide different levels of control:

• manual (default): no automatic updates, full manual control
• daily: automatic checks for documentation updates daily
• startup: updates documentation each time the server starts

Cache Information

Documentation is fetched from ziglang.org and stored in platform-specific cache directories for efficient access:

• Linux: ~/.cache/zig-mcp/
• macOS: ~/Library/Caches/zig-mcp/
• Windows: %LOCALAPPDATA%\zig-mcp\

By utilizing Zig Docs MCP, developers gain a powerful tool to enhance their programming experience with Zig, ensuring they have immediate access to relevant and precise documentation.