MCP Server

Dagu includes a built-in Model Context Protocol (MCP) server. There is no separate Dagu MCP package to install: run the Dagu HTTP server and point your MCP client at the /mcp endpoint.

Use the MCP server when you want an MCP-capable AI tool to inspect Dagu state, edit workflow definitions, or control DAG runs through Dagu's authenticated API.

Quick setup

1. Install Dagu with one of the installation methods.
2. Start the server:

dagu start-all

3. In your MCP client, add an HTTP or Streamable HTTP MCP server with these values:

Field	Value
Name	dagu
URL	http://localhost:8080/mcp
Auth	Use Authorization: Bearer <token> when Dagu authentication is enabled

If you changed Dagu's server base path, append /mcp under that base path instead.

Authentication

The MCP endpoint uses the same authentication mode as the Dagu server.

Dagu auth mode	MCP client setup
none	No token is required.
builtin	Create an API key and send it as Authorization: Bearer dagu_.... A login JWT also works, but API keys are better for tools and automation.
basic	Use HTTP Basic authentication if your MCP client supports it.

Prefer an Authorization header. If a client cannot send headers, Dagu also accepts ?token=<token> on stream endpoints, but headers are safer for shared or proxied environments.

Tool surface

Dagu intentionally exposes a compact MCP surface:

Tool	Use it for
dagu_read	Read DAG lists, DAG details, DAG specs, DAG-run details, logs, and MCP reference resources.
dagu_change	Preview and apply DAG YAML upserts. Use mode=preview before mode=apply.
dagu_execute	Start, enqueue, retry, or stop DAG runs.

The server also exposes resources such as dagu://dags/{name}/spec, dagu://runs/{name}/{dagRunId}, and dagu://runs/{name}/{dagRunId}/logs. MCP clients that support resource subscriptions can subscribe to a run resource and receive an update when the run reaches a terminal state.

Skill vs MCP

The Dagu skill and the Dagu MCP server solve related but different problems.

Integration	Install or configure	Best for
Dagu skill	gh skill install dagucloud/dagu dagu	Teaching AI coding tools how to write valid Dagu workflow YAML.
Dagu MCP server	http://localhost:8080/mcp	Letting MCP clients read Dagu state, validate or apply DAG edits, and control runs.

Most AI-assisted workflow authoring setups benefit from both: install the skill for authoring guidance, then connect MCP when the tool should operate a running Dagu server.

Troubleshooting

• 404 or connection refused: confirm dagu start-all is running and the MCP URL matches your server address and base path.
• 401 unauthorized: add an API key or login token as Authorization: Bearer <token>.
• Client shows no tools: configure Dagu as an HTTP or Streamable HTTP MCP server, not a stdio command.
• Remote server access: expose the Dagu server through your normal secure route, use HTTPS, and give the MCP client a least-privilege API key.

See also

• AI Agent — built-in Steward and workflow agent steps
• CLI Commands — command reference, including external AI tool integration
• API Keys — bearer tokens for programmatic access