ROS MCP Server: Control ROS Robots from Claude and Cursor

• Points the server at your robot and checks it answers

  Sets the robot's IP address and port, then tests that the robot is reachable and the port is open.

  Try: “Connect to the robot at 192.168.1.50”

  Network · connect_to_robot

• Checks which robots are reachable on your network

  Pings one or more addresses and checks whether the rosbridge port is open. An answer from the address but not the port suggests rosbridge is not running.

  Try: “Check if the robots at 192.168.1.100 and 192.168.1.101 are up”

  Network · ping_robots

• Tells you which ROS version the robot runs

  Asks the robot, through rosbridge, which ROS version and distribution it is on.

  Try: “Is this robot on ROS 1 or ROS 2?”

  Network · detect_ros_version

• Lists the topics the robot publishes

  Returns every ROS topic currently available.

  Try: “What topics does the robot have?”

  Network · get_topics

• Shows the message type of one topic

  Returns the type of messages that a topic carries.

  Try: “What message type is /cmd_vel?”

  Network · get_topic_type

• Shows a topic with its publishers and subscribers

  Returns the topic's type and which nodes publish and subscribe to it.

  Try: “Who publishes and subscribes to /cmd_vel?”

  Network · get_topic_details

• Shows the fields of a message type

  Returns the full structure of a message type so the assistant can build valid messages.

  Try: “Show me the fields in geometry_msgs/Twist”

  Network · get_message_details

• Reads one message from a topic

  Waits for the first message on a topic and returns it. Image messages from camera topics are saved to a local file.

  Try: “Read one message from /odom”

  Files · subscribe_once

• Listens to a topic for a few seconds

  Collects messages from a topic for a set time, up to a maximum count, and can limit the rate for fast topics.

  Try: “Listen to /scan for 5 seconds”

  Files · subscribe_for_duration

• Shows an image saved earlier from a camera topic

  Opens an image file from disk, by default the last camera frame, without subscribing again.

  Try: “Show me the last camera image”

  Files · view_saved_image

• Lists the running ROS nodes

  Returns every node currently running.

  Try: “Which nodes are running?”

  Network · get_nodes

• Shows what one node publishes, subscribes to and offers

  Returns the node's publishers, subscribers and services.

  Try: “What does the /turtlesim node publish?”

  Network · get_node_details

• Lists the services the robot offers

  Returns every ROS service currently available.

  Try: “What services does the robot offer?”

  Network · get_services

• Shows the type of one service

  Returns the service type for a service name.

  Try: “What type is /rosapi/topics?”

  Network · get_service_type

• Shows a service's request and reply fields

  Returns the request and response structure and the nodes that provide the service.

  Try: “Show the request fields for /spawn”

  Network · get_service_details

• Calls a ROS service on the robot

  Sends a request to a service and returns its reply. What it does depends on the service, and it is marked as possibly destructive.

  Try: “Call the /clear service”

  Write · call_service

• Lists the actions the robot supports

  Returns every ROS action available.

  Try: “What actions can this robot do?”

  Network · get_actions

• Shows an action's goal, result and feedback fields

  Returns the structures for an action. You give the action type, or call it without one to get the list of types back.

  Try: “Show the goal fields for /turtle1/rotate_absolute”

  Network · get_action_details

• Shows the status of an action

  Returns the status of goals for one action. It works only with ROS 2.

  Try: “What is the status of /turtle1/rotate_absolute?”

  Network · get_action_status

• Gives the robot a goal to carry out

  Sends a goal to an action server, such as turning to an angle or moving to a pose. It works only with ROS 2 and is marked as possibly destructive.

  Try: “Rotate the turtle to 1.57 radians”

  Write · send_action_goal

• Stops a goal the robot is working on

  Cancels a running action goal by its ID. It works only with ROS 2.

  Try: “Cancel goal goal_1758653551839”

  Write · cancel_action_goal

• Sends one message to a topic

  Publishes a single message, for example a velocity command, to a topic. The robot acts on it if something is listening.

  Try: “Publish a forward velocity of 0.2 to /cmd_vel”

  Write · publish_once

• Sends a timed series of messages to a topic

  Publishes messages one after another, each held for a set time, and can repeat them at a rate for controllers that need a steady stream.

  Try: “Drive forward for 2 seconds, then stop”

  Write · publish_for_durations

• Lists the parameters of one node

  Returns every parameter name for a node. It works only with ROS 2.

  Try: “What parameters does /turtlesim have?”

  Network · get_parameters

• Reads one parameter value

  Returns the value of a single parameter. It works only with ROS 2.

  Try: “What is background_b on /turtlesim?”

  Network · get_parameter

• Shows a parameter's value, type and metadata

  Returns the value, type and other details for a parameter. It works only with ROS 2.

  Try: “Show the details for background_r”

  Network · get_parameter_details

• Checks whether a parameter exists

  Returns yes or no for a parameter name. It works only with ROS 2.

  Try: “Does the parameter background_b exist?”

  Network · has_parameter

• Changes a parameter on the robot

  Sets a parameter to a new value, which can change how a running node behaves. It works only with ROS 2.

  Try: “Set background_b on /turtlesim to 255”

  Write · set_parameter

• Removes a parameter from the robot

  Deletes a parameter. It works only with ROS 2.

  Try: “Delete the parameter background_b”

  Delete · delete_parameter

• Lists robot models with extra guidance included

  Returns the robot models that have a ready-made specification file, which holds usage tips.

  Try: “Which robot models have built-in specs?”

  Read · get_verified_robots_list

• Loads the guidance file for a listed robot model

  Returns a model's specification. Most robots have none, and the tool says to connect directly instead.

  Try: “Load the spec for my robot model”

  Read · get_verified_robot_spec

Watch out for

• It can move a real robot

  Publishing messages, calling services and sending action goals can make a robot move. Keep the robot clear and the emergency stop in reach, and test in simulation first. github.com

• It can delete and change robot parameters

  delete_parameter removes a parameter and set_parameter changes one on a running node. Write down the current values before you let the assistant change them. github.com

• There is no read-only mode

  All 31 tools load every time. Only approve read tools such as listing topics and reading messages, and review each command before you allow it. github.com

• Camera frames are saved to disk

  Reading an image topic saves the frame as a JPEG under ./camera in the folder the server runs from. Delete saved frames if they show private spaces. github.com

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