ToolHive Registry Server
Introduction
The ToolHive Registry Server helps you publish and govern a catalog of MCP servers or skills for your team. Use it when you want a trusted catalog that improves discoverability, supports publishing workflows, and gives you more control over what different users can access.
It can aggregate entries from Kubernetes clusters, Git repositories, API endpoints, and local files, then expose them through a standard MCP Registry API for ToolHive and other clients.
This section covers the Registry Server, a standalone service you deploy yourself. Looking for the built-in registry instead? See Use the registry (CLI) or Use the registry (UI).
If you want to host and operate your own catalog, use the Registry Server. If you only need to browse the default ToolHive catalog from the UI or CLI, you do not need to deploy it.
Where to start
- New to the Registry Server? Follow the Registry Server quickstart to get a working deployment on a local Kubernetes cluster.
- Evaluating the Registry Server? Read the Introduction for architecture, features, and supported registry source types.
- Ready to deploy? See Deploy the Registry Server to choose between the Operator, Helm, and manual methods.
- Already running? Jump to Configuration, Authentication, or Authorization.
Contents
Introduction
Architecture, features, and registry source types for the ToolHive Registry Server
Quickstart
Deploy the ToolHive Registry Server on a local Kubernetes cluster with a file-based source and query its API.
Deploy the Registry Server
3 items
Configuration
Configure the ToolHive Registry Server with sources, registries, and sync policies
Publish MCP servers
How to publish MCP server entries to a ToolHive Registry Server using a Git or file source, or the managed source admin API.
Authentication configuration
How to configure authentication for the ToolHive Registry Server with anonymous and OAuth modes
Authorization
Configure role-based access control and claims-based authorization for the Registry Server
Database configuration
How to configure PostgreSQL database storage and migrations for the ToolHive Registry server
Manage skills
How to publish, list, retrieve, and delete skills in the ToolHive Registry Server through the admin API or a synced source.
Telemetry and metrics
How to enable OpenTelemetry metrics and distributed tracing for the ToolHive Registry Server
API reference
REST API reference for the ToolHive Registry Server, covering server discovery and skill management.
Upstream registry JSON schema
JSON schema reference for the ToolHive registry format, which builds on the official MCP server schema and adds skills, groups, and publisher-provided metadata.
ToolHive registry JSON schema
JSON schema reference for ToolHive registry entries, including server metadata and configuration fields.