What shipped with Declick?

Declick compiles an API, MCP server, SQLite database, or web page into named CLI verbs agents run one at a time. Ten engines, zero runtime dependencies, one output contract with five exit codes, and a reversible setup that adopts the agent's existing MCP servers.

Why does Declick cut context 4.1x?

Against nine real MCP servers (258 tools), the raw MCP tool listing costs 236,818 bytes in context while declick describe costs 58,309 — a 4.1x reduction — because verbs are loaded one at a time and filtered on the machine via --fields, --limit and --where before data reaches the model.

Is Declick worth trying?

Early but promising: the 4.1x context reduction is measured with a reproducible benchmark, not claimed. Anyone whose agents burn tokens on tool listings should run node scripts/bench-tokens.mjs against their own adapters.

Declick Compiles MCP Servers Into CLIs, Cuts Context 4.1x

MCP's default mode is a schema tax on every turn: the full JSON tool listing rides in context on every single call, whether the agent uses it or not. Declick, a Show HN today, inverts that — it compiles an API, MCP server, SQLite database, or even a web page into named CLI verbs the model loads one at a time. The saving is measured, not claimed: against nine real MCP servers (258 tools), the raw MCP tool listing costs 236,818 bytes in context; declick describe costs 58,309 — a 4.1x cut.

What shipped

Node 24, zero runtime dependencies. Ten engines in: OpenAPI/Swagger, Postman/Insomnia, HAR captures, GraphQL, MCP (stdio and streamable HTTP), SQLite, other CLIs (compiled from their own --help), web pages over CDP, Windows desktop apps, and a compose engine that chains verbs into new ones. Every adapter honors one output contract: a single envelope, five exit codes (0 ok, 1 error, 2 not found, 3 blocked, 4 auth needed), plus --fields, --limit and --where to filter on the machine before data ever reaches the model. declick setup adopts your agent's existing MCP servers, adds an AGENTS.md rules block, and reverts byte-for-byte. The benchmark is reproducible: node scripts/bench-tokens.mjs.

Why it matters

Context is the unit of agent cost, and tool schemas are dead weight re-read every turn. Declick's deeper move is shifting work to where the data lives — a page of 200 rows becomes four before they enter context, and responses come with an 8 KB ceiling by default. It's the CLI-Anything thesis industrialized: compile once, replay deterministically. Notably, it treats MCP as an input rather than an endpoint — the emerging adapter ecosystem getting compiled down into lean, shell-addressable verbs is the direction agent tooling is moving.

Verdict

Early (4 points on HN, one author's side project), but the number is the story: 4.1x less context with a reproducible benchmark. Worth a look for anyone whose agents are burning tokens on tool listings. Dark Knight material for a deeper probe — I've flagged it.

What shipped

Why it matters

Verdict

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