[](https://mseep.ai/app/arben-adm-mcp-sequential-thinking)
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# MCP Sequential Thinking
[](https://mcptoplist.com/server/glama%2Farben-adm%2Fmcp-sequential-thinking)
[](https://www.python.org/downloads/)
[](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)
[](https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff)
A local MCP server for **working notes you can resume**: evidence, decisions, risks
and next actions for a difficult task, stored durably in SQLite and readable after
any restart. It records what the caller writes; it does not generate, judge or
improve reasoning, and it never asks for hidden chain-of-thought.
## Installation
Published on [PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/mcp-sequential-thinking/) and in the
[MCP Registry](https://registry.modelcontextprotocol.io/) as
`io.github.arben-adm/mcp-sequential-thinking`. With [uv](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/)
installed, `uvx mcp-sequential-thinking` runs it without a manual install
(pin with `uvx mcp-sequential-thinking@0.7.0`). `MCP_STORAGE_DIR` is optional.
**Claude Code**
```sh
claude mcp add working-notes -- uvx mcp-sequential-thinking # this project only
claude mcp add --scope user working-notes -- uvx mcp-sequential-thinking # all projects
claude mcp add --scope project working-notes -- uvx mcp-sequential-thinking # shared via .mcp.json
```
**Gemini CLI**
```sh
gemini mcp add working-notes uvx mcp-sequential-thinking # writes .gemini/settings.json
```
**Codex CLI**
```sh
codex mcp add working-notes -- uvx mcp-sequential-thinking
```
**Claude Desktop** (Settings → Developer → Edit Config, `claude_desktop_config.json`)
```json
{"mcpServers":{"working-notes":{
"command":"uvx",
"args":["mcp-sequential-thinking"],
"env":{"MCP_STORAGE_DIR":"/absolute/path/to/notes"}}}}
```
Restart Claude Desktop afterwards.
**VS Code** (`.vscode/mcp.json`)
```json
{"servers":{"working-notes":{"type":"stdio","command":"uvx","args":["mcp-sequential-thinking"]}}}
```
If a GUI client cannot find `uvx`, use its absolute path (`which uvx`).
### From source
```sh
python -m venv .venv && . .venv/bin/activate # Windows: .venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1
python -m pip install -e .
python scripts/stdio_smoke.py # restart demo: write, restart, read back
```
Then point the client at `/absolute/path/to/.venv/bin/mcp-sequential-thinking`
(Windows: `.venv\Scripts\mcp-sequential-thinking.exe`) instead of `uvx`.
## Quick start
A typical session:
```json
{"tool":"create_session","arguments":{"title":"Choose a local store","request_id":"create-1"}}
{"tool":"add_step","arguments":{"session_id":"","content":"Two writers need unique positions.","kind":"evidence","request_id":"step-1"}}
{"tool":"add_step","arguments":{"session_id":"","content":"Use SQLite.","kind":"decision","request_id":"step-2"}}
{"tool":"read_session","arguments":{"session_id":""}}
```
Lost the ID after a restart? `list_sessions` finds the session by title.
## Tools
| Tool | Purpose |
| --- | --- |
| `create_session` | Start a session from a title. |
| `add_step` | Add a note; `kind` is `note` (default), `observation`, `evidence`, `assumption`, `option`, `risk`, `decision` or `next_action`. |
| `list_sessions` | Find sessions by title or status. |
| `read_session` | `view="resume"` (default): active notes, decisions first. `view="steps"`: full history with filters. |
| `finalize_session` | Store the caller's outcome and evidence IDs; no further steps afterwards. |
| `delete_session` | Delete a session's database records (exports and backups remain). |
| `export_session` / `import_session` | JSON archive of one session, confined to `MCP_STORAGE_DIR/exports`. |
**Links between notes.** `parent_step_id` records provenance, `supersedes_step_id`
replaces an earlier note (resume hides it, full history keeps it), and
`branch_from_step_id` starts a named branch. All references stay inside one session.
**Retries.** Every write takes a `request_id`. Repeating a call with the same ID and
input returns the original result; the same ID with different input returns
`IDEMPOTENCY_CONFLICT`. `finalize_session` and `delete_session` also need
`expected_version`.
**Pagination and limits.** Reads default to 20 entries and 12,000 characters
(`limit` ≤ 100, `max_chars` 1,000–50,000). Follow `cursor` until it is `null`, and
keep the same `view` while paging. `truncated` reports shortened content. A note
too large for one response comes back as its first chunk; continue with `step_id`
and `content_offset` until `next_content_offset` is `null`.
**Errors** set `isError=true` with a stable code and a short hint, e.g.
`INVALID_INPUT` (with `Fields: …`), `UNKNOWN_SESSION`, `INVALID_REFERENCE`,
`CONFLICT` (with `current_version`), `SESSION_FINALIZED`, `IDEMPOTENCY_CONFLICT`,
`STORAGE_BUSY` (retry with the same `request_id`), `PATH_OUTSIDE_EXPORTS`,
`RESPONSE_LIMIT`.
Sources attached to notes are caller-supplied and never fetched or verified.
## Legacy tools (deprecated)
`process_thought`, `generate_summary` and `clear_history`, plus `export_session` /
`import_session` without a `session_id`, work on a single shared `legacy` session.
They remain for existing clients; every result carries a `deprecation_notice`.
Use the session API for new work.
- Stages: Problem Definition, Research, Analysis, Synthesis, Conclusion
(case-insensitive). Order warnings are advisory unless `--strict-stages` is set.
- `main_line_progress` counts mainline notes only, against your `total_thoughts`;
it is not task completion.
- Legacy import **replaces** the legacy history.
- `read_session(session_id="legacy")` reads it; a legacy branch `X` appears as
`legacy-X` there.
## Storage and operation
```sh
mcp-sequential-thinking # stdio server
mcp-sequential-thinking --health # diagnostic check
mcp-sequential-thinking --ephemeral # in memory only, lost on exit
```
- Data lives in `~/.mcp_sequential_thinking` (or `MCP_STORAGE_DIR`) as **plaintext**
SQLite (WAL, synchronous FULL, 5 s busy timeout). Use a local disk; NFS/SMB and
multiple hosts are not supported.
- Several stdio servers may share one store. Local stdio trusts the OS user; a
session ID is not authorization. HTTP/SSE are experimental.
- Deletion is not secure erasure. There is no automatic retention.
- On first start, an existing 0.6 JSONL history migrates into SQLite in one
transaction, keeping IDs and content; a backup of the source stays in place.
Stop old 0.6 servers first. Downgrading after new writes is not supported.
Backup and restore (all sessions, including retry keys):
```sh
python -m mcp_sequential_thinking.backup create /path/to/storage /path/to/snapshot.sqlite3
python -m mcp_sequential_thinking.backup restore /path/to/NEW-storage /path/to/snapshot.sqlite3
```
Restore requires a new directory. Never copy a live database file without its WAL.
## Tested with
| Client | OS | Date |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Python MCP SDK 2.0.0 and latest, Python 3.10–3.14 | Linux, Windows | every CI run |
| Claude Desktop | Linux | 2026-10-21 |
## Development
```sh
uv run --extra dev ruff check .
uv run --extra dev ruff format --check .
uv run --extra dev mypy --strict mcp_sequential_thinking
uv run --extra dev pytest --cov=mcp_sequential_thinking --cov-fail-under=85
rm -rf dist && uv run --extra dev --with build --with twine --with jsonschema python scripts/check_artifacts.py
```
The artifact check builds and installs the wheel in isolation and runs a real
restart round trip. Releases publish that tested artifact via Trusted Publishing
once a GitHub release is created; the version lives in
`mcp_sequential_thinking/_version.py`. See [CHANGELOG.md](CHANGELOG.md) for details.