Installation process manually

[ilan-schemoul]

Hello,
I appreciate installing via AI as an option but I'd rather have manual installation as an alternative if possible.
AI can somewhat be decent to help a professional accomplish his task but I personnally don't think it should automate an entire process an user do not understand and have never done. I prefer understanding what is going on to debug when things go wrong and to have control (I believe most nvim users are power users who prefer to have control unlike VSCode hands off approach).

I think it mostly boils down to tell the user "Read the README.me, copy/paste the json bit in your config file and (that's the part I missed to be honest, maybe it's in the doc but I didn't understand it) press "R" to restart server (I thought restarting nvim would be enough like other packages)"

[ravitemer]

You mean from marketplace?

[ilan-schemoul]

Yes that's what I mean I added explanations of where I struggled in original post.

[ilan-schemoul]

Oh actually I just did with perplexity server and the process seemed more involved than git ? There were multiple commands and clone etc.

[ravitemer]

I appreciate installing via AI as an option but I'd rather have manual installation as an alternative if possible.

What do you mean as an alternative? You can now manually just copy paste the json bit and open the config file and press "R" right?
You mean make it more smooth? or remove the AI installation completely?

I think it mostly boils down to tell the user "Read the README.me, copy/paste the json bit in your config file

Yeah, that's why the README is given below, along with the github url so that users can "gx" and visit the website for manual installation.

(I thought restarting nvim would be enough like other packages)"

Yes it will work, but even better instead of restarting nvim you can just press "R" in the HUB to reload the latest config from servers.json file. You can obviously exit and enter to see the latest config.

The AI part might help some users who are new to MCP servers. As there will many steps needed for some servers setup. It might help them. And also currently reading the README in the hub UI seems jarring to me.

[ravitemer]

Oh actually I just did with perplexity server and the process seemed more involved than git ? There were multiple commands and clone etc.

Exactly! AI might help in this case with bash or cmd_runner tools or just instruct the user how to setup. They can always go back to readme of repo to troubleshoot if something doesn't work.

To be honest, it should be as simple as adding the json bit. But some MCP Servers make it difficult. For the time being at least.

[ilan-schemoul]

What do you mean as an alternative? You can now manually just copy paste the json bit and open the config file and press "R" right? You mean make it more smooth? or remove the AI installation completely?

I was just thinking that right now you have Installation and you pick Avante or Codecompanion I wish, if you think it's relevant, we had a "manual" third option. it would explain everything simply to a human. I think the important bit it to explain you need to press "R" (and copy paste the json which is kinda obvious anyway)

Yes it will work, but even better instead of restarting nvim you can just press "R" in the HUB to reload the latest config from servers.json file. You can obviously exit and enter to see the latest config.

I don't think it works. At least if I have one nvim with my config and I open a second one the Hub won't restart. It's counter intuitive as I always have one nvim for the config and I always open a second nvim to test if config worked.

Exactly! AI might help in this case with bash or cmd_runner tools or just instruct the user how to setup. They can always go back to readme of repo to troubleshoot if something doesn't work.

Yeah ngl it helped. I didn't understand the value for git but for perplexity it worked. But it really gotta be standardized one way or the other. They should provide something like install.sh or whatever I wish.

But fully relying in AI can be a bit too much, especially when u gotta manually debug

[ravitemer]

I don't think it works. At least if I have one nvim with my config and I open a second one the Hub won't restart. It's counter intuitive as I always have one nvim for the config and I always open a second nvim to test if config worked.

Did you test this in the updated version? This is supposed to be fixed. Can you confirm though. Restarting from any nvim instance should reload the config.

[ravitemer]

yes when I press "R" I see this then I see my new server in the list

So it works? Or are you mentioning something else? By the way I should make sure that all views show "Restarting..." so that it is much clear to the user

[ilan-schemoul]

I just say that having to manually type "R" after installing a new server might not be intutive. Usually if I restart neovim it restarts all plugin but MCPHub is a remote UI to a server hence the need to type "R" I guess. Maybe warn the user in MCPHub "The config file has changed pressed "R" to load the new server" also in the manual installation process we talked about tell the user "You need to press R after modifying the configuration" etc.

[ravitemer]

@ilan-schemoul this can be solved with --watch option. Working on better support for multiple neovim instances. Will update you with this once done.

[ilan-schemoul]

Awesome, love how willing you are to improve this already great plugin. The MCP ecosystem is at its birth it's good a competent willing person takes care of an essential plugin in this ecosystem.
Much appreciation

[ravitemer]

@ilan-schemoul Thank you for the kind words!

This is fixed and some other improvements with v4.7.0.
Visit #85 for more info

[ravitemer]

I was just thinking that right now you have Installation and you pick Avante or Codecompanion I wish, if you think it's relevant, we had a "manual" third option. it would explain everything simply to a human. I think the important bit it to explain you need to press "R" (and copy paste the json which is kinda obvious anyway)

Okay! You mean, list out bullet points like

• Read the following readme
• Follow any setup steps required in it
• Add the json bit to your config file
• Restart with R
• etc

This will definitely help someone! Thanks for the suggestion.

[ilan-schemoul]

Okay! You mean, list out bullet points like
Read the following readme
Follow any setup steps required in it
Add the json bit to your config file
Restart with R
etc

Yes that's what I mean it would be less confusing for some people I believe.

[ravitemer]

True! Will update it