Axis exposes its full coordination layer as MCP tools — the same protocol your agent already speaks. Connect to the hosted server atDocumentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/virsanghavi/axis/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
https://useaxis.dev/api/mcp (zero install, OAuth or API key) or run the local stdio server from a checkout for contributor work. Every tool is scoped to your authenticated account and active org; team members sharing the same project name share the same job board, file locks, codebase index, and live notepad automatically.
Two Surfaces
Axis tools are available on two surfaces:- Hosted (HTTP MCP) —
https://useaxis.dev/api/mcp. Recommended for all users. Authenticate with OAuth (browser flow, no key to manage) orAuthorization: Bearer sk_sc_your_key. New tools land server-side; nothing to update on your machine. - Local (stdio) — runs from a checkout via
bun start:local. Used when contributing to Axis itself or when your MCP client doesn’t support HTTP MCP yet (bridge withmcp-remote).
Common Parameters
Every tool accepts two optional parameters that apply universally:projectName— defaults to the auto-detected project (derived from the nearest.git/package.json, or from a committed.axis/axis.json). Override only when you need to address a different project explicitly.agentId— the identity of the calling agent. Defaults to the session’s unique identity when omitted. Pass an explicit value when you want a stable, human-readable name in lock denial messages and job ownership records.
Tool Reference by Category
Job Board
All job board tools are available on both the local and hosted surfaces.| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
post_job | Add a job to the distributed job board |
claim_next_job | Atomically claim the highest-priority available job |
claim_job | Claim a specific job by ID |
complete_job | Mark a job done and release its file locks |
cancel_job | Withdraw a posted job that’s no longer needed |
release_job | Put a claimed job back on the board for someone else |
list_jobs | Inspect status, priority, ownership, and dependencies |
File Locking
| Tool | Surface | Description |
|---|---|---|
propose_file_access | Both | Lock files before editing |
release_file_access | Both | Release an owned lock early |
list_locks | Both | Inspect active file ownership and intent |
verify_file_lock | Both | Confirm a locked file wasn’t changed under you (tamper check) |
force_unlock | Both | Admin override for stale locks from crashed agents |
guarded_write | Local only | Enforced write: server writes only if lock is held and file is unchanged |
guarded_write is local-only because it writes directly to the developer’s filesystem. The hosted server has no access to client-side files. Hosted agents get tamper detection via verify_file_lock; enforced writes require the local server.Presence & Session
| Tool | Surface | Description |
|---|---|---|
list_agents | Both | See which agents are active or idle on the project |
finalize_session | Both | Archive the session and clear all remaining locks |
switch_project | Local only | Rebind a live MCP session to another workspace without reconnecting |
switch_project is local-only because workspace rebinding is a local-process concern. The hosted server is stateless per request and resolves the project from each call’s projectName and org — there is nothing to switch.Shared Context
| Tool | Surface | Description |
|---|---|---|
update_shared_context | Both | Append a short attributed note to the project’s live notepad |
get_shared_context | Both | Fetch the current live notepad |
read_context | Local only | Read project soul files from disk (.axis/instructions/) |
update_context | Local only | Write to project soul files on disk |
get_project_soul | Local only | Load project context, goals, and conventions |
update_project_soul | Local only | Write or refresh the project soul |
The soul and context tools (
read_context, update_context, get_project_soul, update_project_soul) are local-only because the project soul lives in .axis/instructions/ on the client’s repository. The hosted server cannot read local disk files. When the hosted context mirror is promoted to a full store, these will become shared tools.Intelligence / Search
| Tool | Surface | Description |
|---|---|---|
search_codebase | Both | Hybrid search (local: ripgrep + keyword ranking; hosted: vector + full-text + trigram, fused and LLM-reranked) |
index_codebase | Both | Build or refresh the codebase search index |
index_file | Local only | Index a single file by reading it from disk |
search_docs | Local only | Search indexed project documentation |
deep_search | Hosted only | Agentic cited multi-hop answer engine |
deep_search is hosted-only because multi-step agentic search carries real embedding and LLM cost — it is part of the paid hosted intelligence tier. Local users get search_codebase’s instant ripgrep-based fallback. index_file is local-only because it reads file content from the client’s disk sandbox; hosted indexing receives content via index_codebase’s batch payload instead.Account
| Tool | Surface | Description |
|---|---|---|
get_subscription_status | Both | Current plan and entitlements |
get_usage_stats | Both | Request counts and limits for the current billing period |
Open-Core Model
Axis is open-core. The orchestration layer — job board, file locking, shared notepad, sessions, and project soul — is free for everyone. The intelligence layer — hosted vector + full-text + trigram search,deep_search, and incremental indexing — is the paid hosted tier. Free orgs coordinate fully; they receive an upgrade prompt when reaching for intelligence tools.
Job Board
Post work, claim it atomically, complete it, and track dependencies across agents and machines.
File Locking
Lock files before editing, detect tampering, and prevent two agents from clobbering the same file.
Context & Search
Update the live notepad, read project soul files, and search the codebase with hybrid retrieval.
Session & Account
Finalize sessions, switch projects, check your subscription, and monitor usage limits.