> ## 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.

# Installation

> Install FastMCP and set up your development environment

## Prerequisites

Before installing FastMCP, ensure you have:

* **Node.js** - Version 18 or higher recommended
* **Package manager** - npm, yarn, or pnpm

## Install FastMCP

Install the `fastmcp` package using your preferred package manager:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash npm theme={null}
  npm install fastmcp
  ```

  ```bash yarn theme={null}
  yarn add fastmcp
  ```

  ```bash pnpm theme={null}
  pnpm add fastmcp
  ```
</CodeGroup>

This will install FastMCP along with its core dependencies:

* `@modelcontextprotocol/sdk` - The official MCP SDK
* `zod` - For schema validation (you can also use ArkType or Valibot)
* Additional runtime dependencies for HTTP streaming and session management

## Optional dependencies

Depending on your use case, you may want to install additional packages:

### For OAuth/JWT authentication

If you plan to use OAuth authentication with JWT token verification:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash npm theme={null}
  npm install jose
  ```

  ```bash yarn theme={null}
  yarn add jose
  ```

  ```bash pnpm theme={null}
  pnpm add jose
  ```
</CodeGroup>

### For Valibot schema validation

If you prefer Valibot over Zod for schema validation:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash npm theme={null}
  npm install valibot @valibot/to-json-schema
  ```

  ```bash yarn theme={null}
  yarn add valibot @valibot/to-json-schema
  ```

  ```bash pnpm theme={null}
  pnpm add valibot @valibot/to-json-schema
  ```
</CodeGroup>

### For ArkType schema validation

If you prefer ArkType over Zod for schema validation:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash npm theme={null}
  npm install arktype
  ```

  ```bash yarn theme={null}
  yarn add arktype
  ```

  ```bash pnpm theme={null}
  pnpm add arktype
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Verify installation

Create a simple test file to verify FastMCP is installed correctly:

```typescript test.ts theme={null}
import { FastMCP } from "fastmcp";

const server = new FastMCP({
  name: "Test Server",
  version: "1.0.0",
});

console.log("FastMCP installed successfully!");
```

Run the file:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash npm theme={null}
  npx tsx test.ts
  ```

  ```bash node theme={null}
  node --loader tsx test.ts
  ```
</CodeGroup>

If you see "FastMCP installed successfully!", you're ready to build your first MCP server.

## Using the CLI

FastMCP includes a CLI for testing and debugging servers:

```bash theme={null}
# Test your server with interactive CLI
npx fastmcp dev src/server.ts

# Inspect your server with MCP Inspector (web UI)
npx fastmcp inspect src/server.ts
```

The CLI supports various options:

* `--transport` - Choose transport type (stdio, http-stream)
* `--port` - Set HTTP port (default: 8080)
* `--stateless` - Enable stateless mode for serverless deployments

## Project setup

For a complete boilerplate with TypeScript configuration and best practices:

```bash theme={null}
git clone https://github.com/punkpeye/fastmcp-boilerplate.git my-mcp-server
cd my-mcp-server
npm install
```

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Quickstart" icon="bolt" href="/quickstart">
    Create your first MCP server
  </Card>

  <Card title="Core concepts" icon="book" href="/core/tools">
    Learn about tools, resources, and prompts
  </Card>
</CardGroup>