@getalby/mcp/README.md

MCP server for controlling a Lightning wallet using Nostr Wallet Connect

# Alby MCP Server

Connect a bitcoin lightning wallet to your LLM using Nostr Wallet Connect ([NWC](https://nwc.dev)).

This MCP server uses the [official MCP TypeScript SDK](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/typescript-sdk)

This MCP server has knowledge of [NWC](https://nwc.dev/), [LNURL](https://github.com/lnurl/luds) and [L402](https://docs.lightning.engineering/the-lightning-network/l402) using [Alby SDK](https://github.com/getAlby/js-sdk) and [Alby Lightning Tools](https://github.com/getAlby/js-lightning-tools).

<a href="https://glama.ai/mcp/servers/@getAlby/mcp">
  <img width="380" height="200" src="https://glama.ai/mcp/servers/@getAlby/mcp/badge" />
</a>

## Quick Start

### Use the Alby-Hosted MCP Server

If your agent supports remote MCP servers - SSE (e.g. N8N) or HTTP Streamable transports, you can connect to Alby's MCP server.

- SSE: `https://mcp.getalby.com/sse`
- HTTP Streamable: `https://mcp.getalby.com/mcp`

#### Authentication

Both require providing an NWC connection secret as authentication, either as `Bearer` authentication (preferred) or via the `nwc` query parameter.

##### Bearer Auth

Example: `Authorization: Bearer nostr+walletconnect://...`

> If your agent UI supports bearer auth, just paste the connection secret into the bearer auth field.

##### Query Parameter

If your agent doesn't support bearer auth, you can pass the NWC connection secret as a query parameter.

Example: `https://mcp.getalby.com/sse?nwc=ENCODED_CONNECTION_SECRET` or `https://mcp.getalby.com/mcp?nwc=ENCODED_CONNECTION_SECRET`

_To get ENCODED_CONNECTION_SECRET, open browser devtools and enter this in the console:_

```js
encodeURIComponent("nostr+walletconnect://...");
```

And then copy the output and replace ENCODED_CONNECTION_SECRET. It will look like this: `nostr%2Bwalletconnect%3A%2F%2F...`

### Add to Claude Desktop

Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nwc": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@getalby/mcp"],
      "env": {
        "NWC_CONNECTION_STRING": "YOUR NWC CONNECTION STRING HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

### Add to Goose

#### Use the Alby MCP server (SSE)

1. Type `goose configure`
2. Add extension -> Remote Extension
3. Call it `alby`
4. What is the SSE endpoint URI: `https://mcp.getalby.com/sse?nwc=ENCODED_NWC_URL` (see above for instructions)
5. Timeout: 30
6. Description: no
7. environment variables: no

#### Client-side

1. Type `goose configure`
2. Add extension -> Command Line Extension
3. Call it `alby`
4. What command should be run: `npx -y @getalby/mcp`
5. Timeout: 30
6. Description: no
7. environment variables: yes
8. environment variable name: `NWC_CONNECTION_STRING`
9. environment variable value: `nostr+walletconnect://...` (your NWC connection secret here)

### Add to Cline

> Copy the below and paste it into a cline prompt. It should prompt you to update the connection string.

```json
Add the following to my MCP servers list:

"nwc": {
  "command": "npx",
  "args": ["-y", "@getalby/mcp"],
  "env": {
    "NWC_CONNECTION_STRING": "nostr+walletconnect://..."
  },
  "disabled": false,
  "autoApprove": []
}
```

### Add to N8N via SSE

You can use the native N8N MCP Client tool connected to an AI agent. Enter your SSE endpoint, set authentication to "Bearer" and paste your NWC connection secret.

Tested with OpenRouter + anthropic/claude-3.7-sonnet

See the [N8N workflow](examples/n8n-sse) for a simple example

### Add to N8N via STDIO (Community Node)

Currently this MCP server only works via command line (STDIO).

You can install the [n8n-nodes-mcp](https://github.com/nerding-io/n8n-nodes-mcp) community node and run n8n with tools enabled e.g.

```bash
N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES_ALLOW_TOOL_USAGE=true npx n8n
```

Create a blank workflow and add an AI agent node. Configure your LLM model and add a new tool "MCP Client" (which will have a cube next to it showing it's a community node).

Configure the MCP Client by adding a credential with Command Line (STDIO) selected.

command: `npx`
arguments: `-y @getalby/mcp`
environments `NWC_CONNECTION_STRING=nostr+walletconnect://your_key_here` (create the whole line in a text editor and paste it in, since the password field cannot be switched to plaintext)

See the [N8N paid chat workflow](examples/n8n-paid-chat-stdio) for a full example

## Modes

### STDIO

By default NWC MCP Server runs locally in `STDIO` mode.

### HTTP

You can set the following environment variable: `MODE=HTTP` which will enable Streamable HTTP (`http://localhost:3000/mcp`) and SSE (`http://localhost:3000/sse` Note: SSE is deprecated).

HTTP requires bearer authorization, where the token is a wallet's NWC connection secret. (header example: `Authorization: Bearer nostr+walletconnect://...` )

## From Source

### Prerequisites

- Node.js 20+
- Yarn
- A connection string from a lightning wallet that supports NWC

### Installation

```bash
yarn install
```

### Building

```bash
yarn build
```

### Add your NWC connection

Copy `.env.example` to `.env` and update your connection string

### Inspect the tools (use/test without an LLM)

`yarn inspect`

### Supported Tools

See the [tools directory](./src/tools)