MCP Servers
Extend AI capabilities with the Model Context Protocol.
Dial8 supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP) — an open standard for connecting AI assistants to external tools and services.
Built-in MCP Server
Dial8 runs a local MCP server that exposes all of its native capabilities as tools. This means external AI tools (like Claude Desktop) can interact with your Dial8 data.
Available Tool Categories
| Category | Capabilities |
|---|---|
| Actions | Full CRUD for tasks and action items |
| Calendar | Read/write calendar events |
| Contacts | Search, create, update contacts and groups |
| List, search, read emails and create drafts | |
| Notes | Search knowledge base, create and update notes |
| Goals | Manage goals and milestones |
| Browser | Navigate, click, fill forms, execute JavaScript, manage tabs |
| Canvas | Create and manipulate diagram elements |
| System | System info, AppleScript execution, screenshots |
| Accessibility | UI element inspection, focused element detection |
| Clipboard | Read/write clipboard, insert text |
| Workflows | Manage and execute workflows |
| User Profile | Read/update user preferences |
Connecting to Claude Desktop
In Settings > MCP, you'll find a ready-to-use configuration JSON. Copy it to your Claude Desktop config to give Claude access to all your Dial8 tools.
External MCP Servers
Connect third-party MCP servers to extend the AI's capabilities beyond Dial8's built-in tools.
Adding External Servers
- Go to Settings > MCP
- Browse the MCP Catalog for pre-configured servers, or add a custom server
- Configure the connection (command + arguments for local servers, URL for remote)
- Add any required API keys (stored in Keychain)
Transport Types
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| stdio | Local process communication (most common) |
| HTTP | Remote server via HTTP |
How It Works
Once connected, external MCP server tools become available to the AI assistant during chat. The AI can:
- List connected servers and their tools
- Call any tool on any connected server
- Combine Dial8's built-in tools with external services
Server Lifecycle
- Servers auto-connect on app launch (if configured)
- Connections survive system sleep/wake
- Status indicators show: disconnected, connecting, connected (with tool count), or error
A bundled Node.js runtime is included for running stdio-based MCP servers — no separate Node.js installation needed.