health_check
Get server health status and metrics
LABSCO SUMMARY
Context without write access, enforced by what the server does not implement.
The safety property here is structural rather than configured: there are no write tools to disable, the root is derived from the install location instead of a setting, and paths that climb above it are refused. That combination is what makes the workflow work — open the editor on the folder you want changed, and let this expose the rest of the repository read-only, so the agent has the context without the reach.
What it is
A read-only view of one project directory. You open your editor on a small folder so writes stay contained, and this gives the agent visibility into the rest of the codebase without the ability to change it.
What you get
- Files and directories searched by name pattern, with glob support
- Content searched inside files, with an include filter and case sensitivity you control
- The project listed as MCP resources — recursive by default, to a depth you configure — and file contents read back with MIME type detected
- Server health and metrics on request
- No write, edit or delete operation exists in the surface at all
- Path traversal above the project root refused, and the root itself detected from where the package is installed rather than configured
Requirements
No account and no key. Install it into the project you want readable — npm install peekaboo-mcp — then run npx peekaboo-mcp with that project as the working directory. The root comes from where the package is installed and cannot be overridden: the PEEKABOO_ROOT variable was removed in 2.0.0 precisely so a model or a malicious caller cannot repoint it. PEEKABOO_RECURSIVE=false turns off recursive listing and PEEKABOO_MAX_DEPTH changes the depth, which defaults to 10. Resource limits default to a 30 second timeout, 10MB per file and 100MB in total, and are adjustable when the server is created programmatically.
Setup effort
One command — npm install peekaboo-mcp
USE CASES
01
Letting an agent understand a codebase it must not modify
Point it at the project read-only while your editor stays open on the folder you do want changed.
02
Finding where a symbol is used across the repository
Search file contents with an include filter to narrow the file types.
03
Locating a file when you only remember part of its name
Search paths by glob pattern.
04
Checking the server is up and behaving
Read the health status and metrics.
3 tools
Counted once with only startup setup. Other versions, modes or optional credentials may expose a different list.
search_content
Search for content within files
search_path
Search for files and directories by name pattern
BEFORE YOU INSTALL
What to know first
Tools you get
3 tools when we connected. health_check is undocumented. File listing and reading are MCP resources (file:// URIs), not tools.
Requires
npx on PATH
CONTEXT COST
Light Standing cost
Rated by the size of the 3 tool definitions that ride along on every turn, not by how many there are
INSTALLATION
Connect your client
Server setup
TERMINAL
npm install peekaboo-mcpMCP Clients
Claude Desktop
CLAUDE DESKTOP · JSON
{
"mcpServers": {
"peekaboo": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"peekaboo-mcp"
],
"cwd": "<YOUR_PATH_TO_PROJECT>"
}
}
}Claude Code
CLAUDE CODE · TERMINAL
claude mcp add peekaboo npx peekaboo-mcpCursor
CURSOR · JSON
{
"mcpServers": {
"peekaboo": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"peekaboo-mcp"
],
"cwd": "<YOUR_PATH_TO_PROJECT>"
}
}
}
