The cadre stdio server exposes immutable template resources and 35
purpose-built tools. It does not expose a generic cadre_workflow dispatcher or
arbitrary filesystem/shell operations.
Every mutation preview returns a compact, opaque, apply-ready proposalToken
that resolves to the normalized input and digest retained in Cadre's bounded
user-local runtime cache. Apply tools accept only that token, and a token can
survive an MCP server restart until it expires or is evicted. Tool failures set the MCP error flag and
return structured { error: { code, message, details? } } content; callers do
not need to parse human-readable text to recover transition guidance.
Template Resources
Every bundled template is readable at
cadre://templates/v1/<relative-template-path>. Resource metadata includes the
template-set version, media type, and content hash.
workflow_elicit
Presents one client-native MCP form for a Cadre clarification or approval. Clarification forms contain at most three flat text, boolean, number, single-select, or multi-select fields. Approval forms have a fixed decision and optional notes, and require a proposal digest or immutable verification checkpoint binding.
This tool is read-only: it records no approval and mutates no Cadre state. It
normalizes accept, request-changes, decline, and cancel outcomes. Skills inspect
active task policy before calling it: under a non-interactive policy such as
Codex Full Access, they skip the tool and ask the same concise question once in
chat. The tool returns fallback_required when the client does not advertise
form elicitation or rejects the request as an error. If Codex instead returns an
immediate protocol decline while task context explicitly reports policy
never, the skill treats it as policy rejection rather than human input and
uses the same single chat fallback. Form mode must never request passwords, API
keys, access tokens, payment credentials, or other secrets.
template_catalog
Lists logical template IDs, resource URIs, paths, media types, and SHA-256
hashes. Read-only. Prefer known template_get_many bundles in workflow skills.
template_get
Returns one immutable template by logical id. Read-only.
template_get_many
Returns an ordered non-empty array of immutable templates for ids. Read-only
and used to avoid repeated template calls.
styleguide_resolve
Maps an approved non-empty technology list to bundled default styleguide templates. Read-only and always paired with human selection/amendment during project creation.
project_status
Reads a project root, discovers active/archived tracks, performs centralized validation, and returns both structured state and a human-readable summary.
state_validate
Returns all project, track, plan, learning, dependency, execution, review, archive, and derived-index validation errors. Read-only.
execution_graph_validate
Parses one active track's plan.md, validates dependencies/cycles/barriers
against lifecycle state, and returns the derived graph and errors. Read-only.
execution_graph_validate_draft
Parses an unapproved plan supplied directly as bounded Markdown, validates its dependencies, cycles, derived manual-verification barriers, and intended target lifecycle status, and returns the derived graph and errors. It accepts an optional diagnostic source label but no project root or track path, so it neither reads nor writes project files. Read-only.
review_complete_preview
Previews a clean review cycle, completed track state, and exact derived index. Inputs include the range start, approval, and optional accepted risks; the server derives and verifies the execution HEAD, range end, and timestamp. Read-only.
review_complete_apply
Applies the clean-review completion only when the unchanged proposal digest is still current.
archive_batch_preview
Previews selected-track moves, completed→archived states, structured pattern/index/seed updates, operation journal, expected commits, and post-archive index. Omit selection to archive all eligible completed tracks in dependency order. The server derives the batch ID, base commit, and timestamp. Read-only.
archive_batch_apply
Journals and applies the complete approved archive batch behind its unchanged digest.
archive_batch_record_preview
Previews the follow-up state that records an existing archive commit across selected tracks, project history, and batch journal. Read-only.
archive_batch_record_apply
Records archive commit provenance and completes the batch journal behind a stale-state digest.
execution_start_preview
Previews a new execution journal and track operation for an approved plan. The
server derives its ID, current base commit, and timestamp. Approval mode defaults
to phase and resumes inherit the prior mode. Read-only.
execution_start_apply
Creates the execution journal and enters in_progress only while the preview
digest remains current.
execution_checkpoint_preview
Accepts one semantic event—start, record_commit, record_integration,
record_verification, complete, block, or resume—and expands it into the
complete legal node-transition sequence with required evidence. It returns a
compact transition receipt rather than the complete execution journal. Read-only.
execution_checkpoint_apply
Applies the previewed semantic checkpoint atomically from its proposal token and returns the changed-node receipt plus compact scheduling state.
execution_status
Reads an execution journal and returns a compact scheduler view: execution
metadata, status counts, ready phases/tasks, active nodes, blockers, and
guidance for active or blocked nodes. Pass optional nodeId for complete detail
and guidance about one node. The complete journal remains canonical on disk and
is not echoed through this tool. Read-only.
execution_finish_preview
Verifies completed nodes, current journal evidence, reachable commits, and
removed worktrees; derives HEAD/time and previews plan commit markers, the
completed journal, ready_for_review state, and tracks.md atomically. Read-only.
execution_finish_apply
Finalizes the approved execution, track transition, and derived index together behind its digest.
worktree_create_preview
Derives one constrained phase/task worktree path, branch, parent, and exact base commit. Task phase identity and ancestry are inferred from the node ID and the current registered phase or canonical worktree. Read-only.
worktree_create_apply
Creates or reconciles the approved derived worktree. Digest-gated and idempotent for the same state.
integration_preview
Verifies clean source/target worktrees, protected .cadre/ state, branch tips,
and changed files before a derived merge. Read-only.
integration_apply
Performs the approved non-squash merge. Conflicts are reported and left for the main agent; the MCP does not resolve them.
worktree_cleanup_preview
Verifies a worker is clean and its branch fully integrated before proposing
worktree/branch removal. It also supports interruption recovery when the node
was already marked completed. Read-only.
worktree_cleanup_apply
Removes only the approved clean, fully integrated worktree and safely deletable
branch when the journal node is integrated or already completed. This is the
only tool annotated as destructive.
worktree_status
Lists registered Cadre-managed worktrees and orphaned empty runtime directories. Read-only.
project_init_preview
Validates approved rendered project files, project identity/context, Git
disposition, and base commit; returns the proposed .cadre/ file set and
semantic digest as a path/SHA-256 manifest without echoing file content. The
approvedAt audit timestamp is shown and recorded but
does not affect the digest. Read-only.
project_init_apply
Atomically creates .cadre/ only when semantic inputs and preview digest are
unchanged, while recording the supplied approvedAt audit timestamp. It never
copies runtime code or templates into the project.
setup_record_commit
Records the already-created setup commit SHA and completes the pending create operation.
setup_record_git_initialized
Idempotently records that the caller verified Git initialization at the exact approved project root.
tracks_render_preview
Reads every track-local state record and returns exact generated tracks.md
content plus a digest. Read-only.
tracks_render_apply
Writes tracks.md only when current track state still matches the approved
preview digest.
Common Guarantees
- Project roots must be existing directories and cannot be
/or the user's home directory. - Track, execution, batch, node, commit, digest, and timestamp formats are validated at the MCP boundary.
- Preview output is not approval.
- Apply never accepts a stale digest.
- Tool errors return a structured failure rather than partial success.