MCP registry server.json lifecycle postinstall service setup schema
If an MCP package installs but the server still cannot provide tools, check whether it requires a companion daemon, database, indexer, or background service that is not represented in `server.json`.
Agent Quick Fix
{
"server": {
"command": "/absolute/path/to/server",
"args": ["serve"],
"requires": [
{
"type": "service",
"name": "companion-daemon",
"start": "service start command",
"health": "service health command"
}
]
}
}If the current registry schema does not support lifecycle fields, document the post-install service requirement next to the MCP config and make the verifier perform a real `initialize` plus `tools/list` handshake.
Symptom
Registry install succeeds, but the MCP host shows no tools, initialization stalls, or the server responds only after an undocumented companion process is started.
Why This Happens
The moving contract is the MCP registry metadata schema. A server that doubles as a system service may need lifecycle setup that a simple command-only manifest cannot communicate.
Codex Search Keywords
MCP registry server.json lifecycle postinstall service setup schema
modelcontextprotocol registry server.json schema
site:github.com modelcontextprotocol registry server.json
modelcontextprotocol registry schema packages remotes server json