Getting started with SpecLock MCP tools (51 tools explained)

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Getting started with SpecLock MCP tools (51 tools explained)

SpecLock ships as an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server with 51 tools that give AI assistants persistent memory and constraint enforcement. Here's a quick overview of the key categories.

Session Management

These tools handle cross-session continuity:

Tool	What it does
speclock_session_briefing	Loads all project context at session start — goal, locks, decisions, history
speclock_list_sessions	Shows previous session history
speclock_session_summary	Generates a summary of what happened in the current session
speclock_set_goal	Sets or updates the project's current goal

Constraint Management (Locks)

The core of SpecLock — persistent, enforceable rules:

Tool	What it does
speclock_add_lock	Creates a new constraint (e.g., "Never remove auth middleware")
speclock_add_typed_lock	Creates a typed constraint (architecture, security, data, etc.)
speclock_remove_lock	Removes a constraint (with confirmation)
speclock_list_typed_locks	Lists all constraints by type
speclock_strengthen	Makes an existing constraint stricter
speclock_override_lock	Temporarily overrides a constraint with audit trail

Protection & Auditing

Detect violations before they ship:

Tool	What it does
speclock_protect	Scans codebase for constraint violations
speclock_check_conflict	Checks if a proposed change conflicts with any lock
speclock_check_typed	Checks a specific typed constraint
speclock_semantic_audit	Deep semantic analysis — catches euphemisms and indirect violations
speclock_audit	Full audit report
speclock_verify_audit	Verifies audit integrity

Code Review

Integrate into your review workflow:

Tool	What it does
speclock_review_patch	Reviews a patch/PR against all constraints
speclock_review_patch_diff	Reviews a git diff against constraints
speclock_parse_diff	Parses a diff to understand what changed
speclock_blast_radius	Analyzes impact of a proposed change

Decision Tracking

Remember why choices were made:

Tool	What it does
speclock_add_decision	Records a technology or design decision with rationale
speclock_add_note	Adds a general note to the project context
speclock_log_change	Logs what was changed and why

Drift Detection

Catch slow erosion of your architecture:

Tool	What it does
speclock_detect_drift	Detects architectural drift from original design
speclock_drift_score	Quantifies how much the project has drifted
speclock_coverage	Shows which parts of the codebase are covered by constraints

Connecting to Claude Code

Add to your Claude Code MCP config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "speclock": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "speclock", "mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Connecting to Cursor

Add to .cursor/mcp.json in your project:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "speclock": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "speclock", "mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Once connected, the AI assistant automatically uses SpecLock tools to maintain context and enforce your rules.

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SpecLock is free and MIT licensed. Install: npx speclock init