MCP Server Registry Management Process

February 21, 2026 · View on GitHub

Overview

This document outlines the processes for managing MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers within the ToolHive registry, covering adding, removing, appealing decisions, and handling duplicate submissions.

⚠️ Registry Migration Notice

The ToolHive registry has been migrated to a separate repository for better management and maintenance.

To add or modify MCP servers, please visit: https://github.com/stacklok/toolhive-catalog

Adding MCP Servers

  1. Visit the toolhive-catalog repository
  2. Follow the contribution guidelines in that repository
  3. Submit PR with required server definition files
  4. Automated technical verification and building
  5. Manual review by registry maintainers
  6. Final approval and automatic release

Once a new release is published to toolhive-catalog, the registry data reaches ToolHive via a Renovate dependency bump of the github.com/stacklok/toolhive-catalog Go module (daily cadence).

Removing MCP Servers

  1. Automated non-compliance detection
  2. Notification to registry maintainers
  3. Grace period for remediation
  4. Final review and decision
  5. Public notification with reasoning

Appeals Process

  • Open to MCP server users and maintainers
  • Based on objective criteria
  • Transparent communication of outcomes

Handling Duplicates

  • Assess functional differentiation from existing entries
  • Prioritize based on:
    • Community adoption and activity levels
    • Overall code quality
    • Long-term viability and backing
  • Add deprecation notices before removal (1-2 month transition period)
  • Document rationale for decisions