Lenny Rachitsky Podcast Transcripts MCP Server

HAPI MCP – Headless API for Model Context Protocol

Stop rewriting systems for AI. Instantly turn your APIs into MCP servers.

HAPI MCP lifts your OpenAPI catalog into MCP tools automatically, keeping design (OAS/Arazzo) and runtime (agents/LLMs) cleanly separated. Your existing APIs become AI-ready tools—no new business logic, no sidecar servers, no rework.

Key Features

• No rewrites: Reuse 100% of your API logic. OpenAPI in, MCP tools out. No parallel codebase or shadow services.
• Faster time-to-value: Turn specs into agent-ready tools in minutes. Update the spec, ship new tools instantly.
• Reduced risk: Permissions, auth, rate limits, auditability are inherited from your APIs—governance without bolt-ons.
• Scales with you: runMCP delivers serverless-like elasticity with long-running when needed. Cold-start fast, stay warm for throughput.
• Deterministic orchestration: OrcA plans and executes multi-tool tasks predictably—no brittle prompt chaining.
• Vendor-neutral: Works with any MCP client: ChatGPT, Claude, QBot, chatMCP. OAS + MCP + Arazzo stay portable.

How It Works

1. Pick your API spec

   • OpenAPI, Swagger, REST—HAPI CLI works with any API specification format.
   • Supports OpenAPI 3.0+, REST APIs, OAuth 2.0 Dynamic Client Registration.

2. Run a single command

   • One simple CLI command transforms your API into a usable MCP Server.
   • No complex setup, zero configuration, works anywhere, cross-platform.

3. Use instantly

   • Your API is now ready as a tool, AI agent, or testing interface.
   • MCP server ready, AI agent compatible, testing interface, developer experience friendly.

Visual Pipeline

API Spec (swagger.json) → HAPI CLI → Usable Tool (AI-ready) ← MCP Clients

[ OpenAPI / Swagger ]       [ HAPI CLI ]        [ MCP Server ]
       (Your API)         →   (Transform)   →   (Usable Tool)
                                                 ↑          ↑
                                                 |          |
                                          [ ChatGPT ]  [ runMCP ]
                                          [ Claude  ]  [ OrcA   ]
                                          [ QBot    ]  [ chatMCP]
                                          [ Agents  ]

Who Wins With HAPI

• Executives: Ship AI initiatives without ballooning cost. Keep teams focused on outcomes, not rewrites and integration sprawl.
• Architects & PMs: Design with OpenAPI/Arazzo, run with MCP. Clear contracts, policy inheritance, and versioned workflows keep risk low.
• Engineers & Ops: Deploy once. HAPI Server + runMCP scale tools; QBot/chatMCP give fast feedback; OrcA keeps executions deterministic.

Your Stack, Already Wired

• HAPI Server: Turns OpenAPI into MCP tools automatically—contracts stay in sync with your source of truth.
• runMCP: Autoscaling execution and testing for MCP tools; cold-start fast, stay warm when workflows run long.
• QBot: CLI TUI for power users to interact with MCP tools directly from terminal or scripts.
• chatMCP: Conversational client that speaks MCP natively for support, ops, and internal assistants.
• OrcA: Deterministic planning and orchestration for multi-tool tasks; no brittle prompt spaghetti.
• Agents: Build agentic systems from standard APIs—no custom glue. Connect MCP clients across platforms.

Demos

• Playlist with demos
• New HAPI MCP YT Channel with demos API-First and MCP

Documentation

• Explore the Docs
• See HAPI Server

FAQ

• Do we need to rewrite our services?
  No. HAPI MCP lifts your existing OpenAPI specs directly into MCP tools. Your auth, validation, and business rules remain unchanged.

• Is this just another MCP server?
  It’s the Headless API model: your API becomes the runtime. HAPI Server reflects it as MCP; runMCP scales it; OrcA orchestrates it. No duplicate logic.

• Which clients can consume the tools?
  Any MCP client: ChatGPT, Claude, QBot, chatMCP, bespoke orchestrators—vendor-neutral by design.

• How do we keep control and compliance?
  Your API remains the single source of truth. Policies, RBAC, rate limits, and audit logs flow through automatically; no shadow logic.

• What about security and privacy?
  Scoped credentials, per-tool permissions, and auditable calls are inherited from your API layer. HAPI adds guardrails and observability for regulated environments.

• How fast can we get started?
  You can transform your first API into an MCP tool in less than five minutes. The HAPI CLI makes it quick and painless.

Get Started

1. Install HAPI CLI from latest release: https://github.com/la-rebelion/hapimcp/releases

2. Transform your OpenAPI spec into an MCP server with a single command:

   hapi serve path/to/your/swagger.json --headless
   

3. Start using your MCP tools with any compatible client!

4. Explore the documentation for advanced usage and best practices.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Open a discussion or submit a pull request on GitHub: https://github.com/la-rebelion/hapimcp

License

HAPI MCP is licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for details.