@genar/knip-mcp-server

A Model Control Protocol (MCP) server that integrates with knip.dev to help AI agents identify and clean up unused files, imports, exports, and dependencies in JavaScript/TypeScript projects.

Overview

This MCP server provides AI agents with powerful code cleanup capabilities through knip.dev integration. It's designed to work seamlessly with Cursor AI and other MCP-compatible tools to maintain clean, efficient codebases.

Features

• Code Analysis: Run comprehensive knip analysis to find unused code
• Unused File Detection: Identify files that are no longer referenced
• Import/Export Cleanup: Find and remove unused imports and exports
• Dependency Management: Detect unused npm dependencies and devDependencies
• Safe Operations: Built-in safety checks and backup mechanisms
• Workspace Support: Full support for monorepo and workspace setups
• Dry Run Mode: Preview changes before applying them

Installation

npm install -g @genar/knip-mcp-server

Or in your project:

npm install @genar/knip-mcp-server

Usage

As an MCP Server

Run the server directly:

knip-mcp-server

Or use npx:

npx @genar/knip-mcp-server

Configuration

Configure via environment variables:

export KNIP_PROJECT_ROOT="/path/to/your/project"
export KNIP_CONFIG_PATH="/path/to/knip.json"
export KNIP_BACKUP_DIR="/path/to/backups"
export KNIP_LOG_LEVEL="info"
export KNIP_SAFE_MODE="true"

Integration with Cursor AI

Option 1: MCP Server Configuration

1. In Cursor AI settings, navigate to MCP configuration
2. Add a new MCP server:
   • Name: "Knip Code Cleanup"
   • Command: npx @genar/knip-mcp-server
3. Save and restart Cursor AI

Option 2: Cursor Rules Configuration

You can also integrate this MCP server through Cursor's rules system by creating a .cursor/rules directory in your project root and adding the following configuration:

1. Create the rules directory structure:

mkdir -p .cursor/rules

2. Create a knip rule file (.cursor/rules/knip-mcp.md):

# Knip Code Cleanup Rules

You have access to the Knip MCP server for code cleanup tasks. Use these tools proactively to maintain clean code:

## Available Tools

- `knip_scan` - Run comprehensive code analysis
- `knip_get_unused_files` - Find unused files
- `knip_get_unused_exports` - Find unused exports
- `knip_get_unused_imports` - Find unused imports  
- `knip_get_unused_dependencies` - Find unused dependencies
- `knip_remove_unused_files` - Safely remove unused files
- `knip_remove_unused_imports` - Clean up unused imports
- `knip_fix_issues` - Auto-fix common issues
- `knip_get_config` - View knip configuration
- `knip_validate_config` - Validate knip config

## Usage Guidelines

1. **After implementing features**: Always run `knip_scan` to identify cleanup opportunities
2. **Before commits**: Use `knip_fix_issues` with `dryRun: true` to preview cleanup
3. **Regular maintenance**: Run `knip_get_unused_dependencies` to audit packages
4. **Safety first**: Always use dry-run mode first, create backups for destructive operations

## Workflow Integration

When asked to implement features:
1. Complete the implementation
2. Run `knip_scan` to analyze unused code
3. Use `knip_remove_unused_imports` to clean imports
4. Check `knip_get_unused_files` for orphaned files
5. Apply fixes with appropriate safety measures

## Safety Measures

- All destructive operations default to dry-run mode
- Backups are created automatically before modifications
- File limits prevent accidental bulk deletions
- Safe mode protects critical files (package.json, etc.)

Remember: Always review suggestions before applying changes to ensure they don't break functionality.

3. Create a main rules file (.cursor/rules/main.md) that includes knip rules:

# Project Development Rules

Include code cleanup and maintenance guidelines.

@knip-mcp.md

## Code Quality Standards

- Use the Knip MCP server for regular code cleanup
- Maintain clean imports and remove unused dependencies
- Follow the knip workflow after feature implementation

4. Optional: Add to your .gitignore if you want to keep rules private:

echo ".cursor/" >> .gitignore

Option 3: Per-Project MCP Configuration

Create a local MCP configuration file in your project root (.mcp-config.json):

{
  "servers": {
    "knip": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@genar/knip-mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "KNIP_PROJECT_ROOT": ".",
        "KNIP_LOG_LEVEL": "info",
        "KNIP_SAFE_MODE": "true"
      }
    }
  }
}

Then reference this configuration in Cursor's MCP settings.

Available Tools

knip_scan

Run comprehensive knip analysis on your project.

Parameters:

• projectPath (optional): Project path to analyze
• workspace (optional): Specific workspace for monorepos
• includePaths (optional): Array of paths to include
• excludePaths (optional): Array of paths to exclude
• dryRun (default: true): Run without making changes

knip_get_unused_files

Get a list of unused files in the project.

Parameters:

• workspace (optional): Specific workspace to analyze

knip_get_unused_exports

Get unused exports organized by file.

Parameters:

• workspace (optional): Specific workspace to analyze
• filePath (optional): Get exports for specific file only

knip_get_unused_imports

Get unused imports organized by file.

Parameters:

• workspace (optional): Specific workspace to analyze
• filePath (optional): Get imports for specific file only

knip_get_unused_dependencies

Get unused npm dependencies and devDependencies.

Parameters:

• workspace (optional): Specific workspace to analyze
• type (optional): 'dependencies', 'devDependencies', or 'all'

knip_remove_unused_files

Safely remove unused files with backup options.

Parameters:

• files (optional): Specific files to remove, or all if empty
• dryRun (default: true): Preview mode
• createBackup (default: true): Create backups before removal
• backupDir (optional): Custom backup directory
• maxFiles (default: 50): Safety limit

knip_remove_unused_imports

Remove unused imports from a specific file.

Parameters:

• filePath (required): File to clean up
• imports (optional): Specific imports to remove
• dryRun (default: true): Preview mode
• createBackup (default: true): Create backup before changes

knip_fix_issues

Automatically fix common knip issues.

Parameters:

• issueTypes (default: ['imports']): Types of issues to fix
• dryRun (default: true): Preview mode
• createBackup (default: true): Create backups
• maxFiles (default: 25): Safety limit

knip_get_config

Get the current knip configuration.

Parameters:

• projectPath (optional): Project path
• configPath (optional): Specific config file path

knip_validate_config

Validate knip configuration for correctness.

Parameters:

• projectPath (optional): Project path
• configPath (optional): Specific config file path
• config (optional): Configuration object to validate

Example AI Agent Workflows

1. Code Cleanup After Feature Implementation

AI Agent: I just implemented a new authentication feature. Let me clean up any unused code.

1. Run knip_scan to get overview of unused code
2. Use knip_get_unused_imports to find unused imports
3. Apply knip_remove_unused_imports to clean up imports
4. Check knip_get_unused_files for any orphaned files
5. Safely remove files using knip_remove_unused_files

2. Dependency Audit

AI Agent: Let me audit our dependencies for unused packages.

1. Run knip_get_unused_dependencies
2. Review the list of unused dependencies
3. Generate recommendation report for package.json cleanup

3. Project Health Check

AI Agent: Let me analyze the overall health of this codebase.

1. Run knip_scan for comprehensive analysis
2. Use knip_validate_config to check configuration
3. Generate health report with recommendations

Safety Features

• Dry Run Mode: All destructive operations default to dry-run mode
• Backup Creation: Automatic backups before file modifications
• Safe Mode: Prevents removal of critical files (package.json, etc.)
• File Limits: Configurable limits on batch operations
• Error Handling: Comprehensive error reporting and recovery

Configuration

The server supports knip configuration files:

• knip.json
• knip.jsonc
• .knip.json
• .knip.jsonc
• knip.config.js
• knip.config.ts

Development

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/gtrias/knip-mcp-server.git

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Build the project
npm run build

# Run in development mode
npm run dev

# Run tests
npm test

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Add tests
5. Submit a pull request

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

Support

• GitHub Issues: Report bugs or request features
• Documentation: Full documentation

Related Projects

• knip.dev - The underlying code analysis tool
• MCP SDK - Model Context Protocol implementation
• Cursor AI - AI-powered code editor with MCP support