> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/punkpeye/fastmcp/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# CLI Overview

> Introduction to the FastMCP command-line interface

The FastMCP CLI provides a set of commands to help you develop, test, and debug your MCP servers efficiently.

## Installation

The CLI is automatically available when you install FastMCP as a dependency:

```bash theme={null}
npm install fastmcp
```

FastMCP should be installed as a **development dependency** in your project. The CLI binary is exposed through the `fastmcp` command.

## Available Commands

The FastMCP CLI provides three main commands:

### `fastmcp dev`

Runs your MCP server in development mode with an interactive CLI interface for testing.

```bash theme={null}
npx fastmcp dev <file>
```

Learn more in the [dev command documentation](/cli/dev).

### `fastmcp inspect`

Launches the MCP Inspector for visual debugging of your server.

```bash theme={null}
npx fastmcp inspect <file>
```

Learn more in the [inspect command documentation](/cli/inspect).

### `fastmcp validate`

Validates your FastMCP server file for syntax and structure.

```bash theme={null}
npx fastmcp validate <file>
```

Validation includes:

* TypeScript compilation checks
* Server structure verification
* Optional strict mode type checking

**Options:**

* `--strict`, `-s` - Enable strict validation with type checking

## Getting Help

To see all available commands and options:

```bash theme={null}
npx fastmcp --help
```

For help with a specific command:

```bash theme={null}
npx fastmcp dev --help
npx fastmcp inspect --help
npx fastmcp validate --help
```

## Quick Example

Here's a quick example workflow:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash Test with CLI theme={null}
  npx fastmcp dev src/server.ts
  ```

  ```bash Visual Debugging theme={null}
  npx fastmcp inspect src/server.ts
  ```

  ```bash Validate Server theme={null}
  npx fastmcp validate src/server.ts --strict
  ```
</CodeGroup>

<Note>
  The CLI commands use `npx tsx` under the hood to execute TypeScript files directly, so you don't need to compile your server first.
</Note>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Dev Command" icon="terminal" href="/cli/dev">
    Learn about running servers in development mode
  </Card>

  <Card title="Inspect Command" icon="magnifying-glass" href="/cli/inspect">
    Explore visual debugging with MCP Inspector
  </Card>
</CardGroup>