Agents and MCP

Automatic setup

rationale init --skip-agent-config
rationale install-agent --dry-run
rationale install-agent

The installer detects supported agents, writes an idempotent instruction block, and registers the MCP server where the agent supports a project configuration. The block contains the master prompt.

Claude Code also receives six project skills: /rationale-preflight, /rationale-explain, /rationale-capture, /rationale-health, /rationale-protocol, and the human-only /rationale-review.

Manual setup

For a global Codex registration:

codex mcp add rationale -- "$HOME/.local/bin/rationale" serve

Codex reads the Rationale protocol from AGENTS.md. Use plain-language requests instead of assuming a client-specific slash command, for example:

Prepare this change with Rationale for <target> with intent <intent>.

Inspect agent configuration before committing it. Never commit tokens, private keys, or sensitive paths.

What MCP does not do

MCP exposes health, preparation, explanation, and capture. Approval, dispute, revocation, supersession, and authority changes stay in the interactive CLI.