We're excited to announce the release of vikstra-bridge, an open-source stdio bridge that connects Claude Desktop to remote Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers over HTTP/HTTPS. This Go-based implementation provides a robust solution for integrating desktop applications with remote MCP services.
What is vikstra-bridge?
vikstra-bridge is a protocol bridge that translates between MCP's standard STDIO interface and HTTP/HTTPS communication. It enables Claude Desktop to seamlessly communicate with remote MCP servers, expanding the possibilities for tool integration and remote service connectivity.
While this isn't a groundbreaking concept—there are many other bridges and proxies for MCP STDIO to HTTP existing in the ecosystem—vikstra-bridge represents our contribution to the community: a clean, efficient Go implementation built strictly according to the MCP specifications.
Key Features
Protocol Compliance
- Full MCP Protocol Support: Implements MCP Protocol Revision 2025-06-18 with complete specification compliance
- Comprehensive Method Support: Handles 15+ MCP methods including tool discovery, resource management, completion methods, and sampling
- Automatic Capability Discovery: Dynamically discovers available tools, resources, prompts, and resource templates
Transport Flexibility
- Dual Transport Support: Supports both Streamable HTTP and Server-Sent Events (SSE) transports
- Intelligent Detection: Automatically detects the appropriate transport method based on server capabilities
- Real-time Communication: Provides real-time change notifications and updates
Enterprise-Ready Features
- Environment Variable Expansion: Supports environment variable substitution in headers for secure configuration
- Comprehensive Logging: Extensive debugging and logging capabilities for troubleshooting and monitoring
- Error Handling: Robust error handling with automatic retry logic and exponential backoff
- Cross-Platform: Supports macOS, Windows, and Linux deployments
Technical Architecture
vikstra-bridge is written in Go (version ≥1.19) and designed for reliability and performance. The bridge operates as a transparent intermediary, maintaining full protocol fidelity while enabling network communication between local and remote components.
Core Components
- STDIO Interface: Handles communication with Claude Desktop using the standard MCP STDIO protocol
- HTTP Transport Layer: Manages HTTP/HTTPS communication with remote servers
- Protocol Translation: Converts between STDIO and HTTP message formats while preserving semantics
- Connection Management: Handles connection pooling, timeouts, and retry mechanisms
Installation and Usage
vikstra-bridge can be installed from source or using pre-built binaries:
# Install from source
git clone https://github.com/unarii/vikstra-bridge
cd vikstra-bridge
go build -o vikstra-bridge
# Basic usage
./vikstra-bridge <MCP_SERVER_URL> [OPTIONS]
Pre-built binaries are available for macOS, Windows, and Linux platforms, making deployment straightforward across different environments.
Use Cases
vikstra-bridge enables several important integration scenarios:
Remote API Integration
Connect Claude Desktop to remote APIs and web services through MCP-compliant interfaces, enabling seamless tool integration without local infrastructure requirements.
Database Access
Provide secure database access through remote MCP servers, allowing Claude Desktop to interact with databases while maintaining proper security boundaries and access controls.
Cloud Service Integration
Enable integration with cloud-based services and platforms through standardized MCP interfaces, expanding the range of available tools and capabilities.
Enterprise Tool Connectivity
Connect to enterprise systems and internal tools through remote MCP endpoints, facilitating workflow automation and business process integration.
Why Another Bridge?
The MCP ecosystem already includes various bridges and proxies for STDIO to HTTP communication. Our motivation for creating vikstra-bridge was to provide:
- Go-based Implementation: Leveraging Go's excellent concurrency model and deployment characteristics
- Strict Specification Compliance: Ensuring full adherence to MCP protocol specifications
- Production Readiness: Including enterprise-grade features like comprehensive logging and error handling
- Clean Architecture: Providing a well-structured codebase that serves as a reference implementation
Open Source and Community
vikstra-bridge is released under the MIT License and available on GitHub. We welcome contributions, bug reports, and feature requests from the community.
The project represents our commitment to contributing to the MCP ecosystem and supporting the broader community of developers working with Claude Desktop integrations.
Getting Started
To get started with vikstra-bridge:
- Download: Grab the latest release from GitHub or build from source
- Configure: Set up your MCP server URL and any required authentication headers
- Deploy: Run the bridge and configure Claude Desktop to use it
- Monitor: Use the built-in logging capabilities to monitor operation and troubleshoot issues
For detailed installation and configuration instructions, visit the project repository or check out the vikstra.ai/bridge documentation.
Questions about vikstra-bridge or need help with MCP integration? Contact our team for support and consulting services.