Claude-Code MCP Controller 🚀
A local MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for remotely controlling and monitoring Claude Code sessions via ChatGPT Custom Connectors. Perfect for mobile workflows, remote development, and managing multiple coding sessions from anywhere.
⚠️ Important: Personal DIY Project
This is a personal DIY project for managing my own Claude Code sessions via ChatGPT Custom Connectors on mobile.
The main focus is leveraging ChatGPT Custom Connectors, which are custom MCP servers that extend ChatGPT's capabilities.
- ✅ Works great for personal/temporary use with ephemeral ngrok URLs
- ❌ NOT designed for production or long-term deployment
- ❌ NO security hardening (minimal auth, designed for temporary use)
- 🎯 Use case: Temporary remote control via ChatGPT mobile while away from Mac
- 🤝 Community: More robust solutions will likely emerge from the community soon
Use at your own risk. If you need production-ready session management, please wait for community solutions or fork and harden this project.
🎯 What This Solves
Problem: You're away from your Mac but need to check on or control your Claude-Code sessions.
Solution: Use ChatGPT Custom Connectors as a remote control for your Claude Code sessions through MCP.
Real-World Use Cases
- 📱 Mobile Development: Check session status while commuting
- 🏠 Remote Work: Monitor long-running tasks from anywhere
- 🔄 Multi-Project Management: Control multiple Claude-Code sessions simultaneously
- 🚨 Stuck Command Recovery: Handle interactive prompts that block sessions
- 📊 Session Monitoring: Get logs and status updates in natural language
⚡ Quick Demo
You: "What Claude-Code sessions are running?"
ChatGPT: "You have 2 active sessions:
- web-app_a1b2: Building user dashboard (last active 5 min ago)
- api_c3d4: Adding authentication (last active 2 min ago)"
You: "Tell the web-app session to run the tests"
ChatGPT: "✅ Message sent! The session is now running tests..."
You: "Any sessions stuck waiting for input?"
ChatGPT: "Yes! The api session is asking: 'Install new dependency? [y/n]'"
You: "Tell it yes"
ChatGPT: "✅ Response sent! Session will continue with installation."
💡 Test this demo locally! Start the server + supervisor, then
ngrok http 8000to try it yourself with real ChatGPT before deploying.
🎬 Real-World Example
Here's an actual conversation showing how to use ChatGPT to control Claude Code and build features on-the-go:
Scenario: Adding next/previous navigation to a blog's notes pages while away from your Mac.
You: "How many Claude Code sessions running?"
ChatGPT: "There is 1 active Claude-Code session running now:
- claude-mostafa-xyz (active, in claude-code-mcp-controller)"
You: "For this project, I want to add navigation for notes - basically
previous/next post functionality"
ChatGPT: "I've sent your request to Claude. It's analyzing the notes
structure now..."
You: "Check logs"
ChatGPT: "Claude analyzed the project and suggested:
- Add a NoteNavigation component with Previous/Next links
- Create getAdjacentPosts(slug) helper in lib/mdx
- Update notes/[slug]/page.tsx to use the new component
- Fully typed, accessible design
Do you want it to implement this?"
You: "Sounds good, go for it"
ChatGPT: "Claude has started implementing..."
You: "Check logs"
ChatGPT: "Claude created NoteNavigation.tsx and is asking to update page.tsx
to integrate it. Should I approve?"
You: "Yes please"
ChatGPT: "✅ Navigation wired in. Previous/Next links are now integrated
with your existing theme."
You: "Ask it to run checks and build to make sure everything working"
ChatGPT: "Claude is running typecheck... ✅ Passed!
Now running build... ✅ Build successful!
Your notes now have working previous/next navigation!"
What happened:
- 💬 Natural conversation with ChatGPT from mobile
- 🔍 Claude Code analyzed the codebase structure
- 🏗️ Implemented 3 files: helper function, component, page integration
- ✅ Ran TypeScript checks and production build
- 🎨 Followed existing design system automatically
All done from your phone while commuting! 🚀
🏗️ Architecture
┌─────────────────┐ ┌──────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐
│ ChatGPT │◄──►│ Local MCP │◄──►│ Mac Supervisor │
│ Mobile App │ │ + ngrok tunnel │ │ (Local Agent) │
└─────────────────┘ └──────────────────┘ └─────────────────┘
│ │
HTTPS via ngrok │
No Authentication ▼
(until OpenAI fixes OAuth) ┌─────────────────┐
│ Existing Claude │
│ Sessions (PTYs) │
│ • session_1 │
│ • session_2 │
│ • session_N │
└─────────────────┘
📋 Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure you have:
- Python 3.10+ installed
- tmux installed (
brew install tmuxon macOS) - ngrok installed and configured (
brew install ngrokon macOS) - Claude Code installed and working
- macOS (tested on macOS, may work on Linux with modifications)
🚀 Quick Start
⚡ One-Command Setup (Recommended)
# Clone and setup everything
git clone <your-repo>
cd claude-code-mcp-controller
make setup
# Add session creation alias to your shell
echo "alias cs='claude_session() { tmux new-session -d -s \"claude-\${1:-session}\" -c \"\${2:-\$(pwd)}\" \"claude\" && echo \"✅ Started claude-\$1\"; }; claude_session'" >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc
# Create your first Claude session
cs myproject
⚙️ Configuration (Optional)
The system uses sensible defaults, but you can customize settings:
# Copy example config
cp env.example .env
# Edit as needed (optional)
nano .env
Key settings:
SUPERVISOR_PORT=8080- Supervisor HTTP server portMCP_PORT=8000- MCP server port for ChatGPTNGROK_PORT=8000- Port for ngrok tunnelLOG_LEVEL=INFO- Logging level (DEBUG, INFO, WARNING, ERROR)
🔧 Essential Make Commands
# Show available commands
make help
# Complete project setup
make setup
# Start services
make run-supervisor # Start supervisor
make run-server # Start MCP server
make ngrok # Start ngrok tunnel for ChatGPT (requires ngrok installed)
# Development
make test # Test the system
make format # Format code
make lint # Lint code
# Cleanup
make clean # Clean up files
🚀 Creating & Managing Claude Sessions
The supervisor discovers and manages tmux sessions with names starting with claude-. You can create sessions manually or via ChatGPT.
Quick Setup: Shell Alias (Recommended)
Add this alias to your shell for easy session creation:
# Add to ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc
alias cs='claude_session() {
local name="${1:-session}"
local dir="${2:-$(pwd)}"
tmux new-session -d -s "claude-$name" -c "$dir" "claude" &&
echo "✅ Started claude-$name in $dir"
tmux list-sessions | grep "claude-$name"
}; claude_session'
# Reload your shell config
source ~/.zshrc # or ~/.bashrc
Usage:
# Create a session in current directory
cs myproject
# Create a session in specific directory
cs webapp ~/projects/webapp
# List all Claude sessions
tmux list-sessions | grep claude-
# Attach to a session to see what's happening
tmux attach -t claude-myproject
# (Detach with Ctrl+B, then D)
# Kill a session when done
tmux kill-session -t claude-myproject
Via ChatGPT (Once Connected)
# 1. Start supervisor (in one terminal)
make run-supervisor
# 2. Start MCP server (in another terminal)
make run-server
# 3. Connect ChatGPT to your MCP server
# 4. Use ChatGPT commands:
ChatGPT Commands:
"Create a new Claude-Code session called 'my-project'"
"List my active sessions"
"Send message to session 'my-project': 'ls -la'"
"Show me logs from session 'my-project'"
"Terminate session 'my-project'"
Via Direct HTTP API
# Create session
curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/sessions \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"name": "test-session", "working_dir": "/path/to/project"}'
# List sessions
curl http://localhost:8080/sessions
# Send message
curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/sessions/SESSION_ID/message \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"message": "Hello Claude-Code!"}'
# Get logs
curl http://localhost:8080/sessions/SESSION_ID/logs
# Terminate session
curl -X DELETE http://localhost:8080/sessions/SESSION_ID
1. Test Locally with ChatGPT (Recommended)
# Clone and setup
git clone <your-repo>
cd claude-code-mcp-controller
make setup
# Start supervisor (Terminal 1)
make run-supervisor
# Start MCP server (Terminal 2)
make run-server
# Start ngrok tunnel (Terminal 3)
make ngrok
# Test the system (Terminal 4)
make test
Configure ChatGPT:
- Add MCP connector:
https://your-ngrok-url.ngrok.app(root path, no/mcpsuffix) - Test: "What Claude-Code tools are available?"
2. Local Development Setup (Current Approach)
Why Local over Cloud:
- Need access to your Mac's existing Claude sessions
- Supervisor must run locally to manage local processes
- Cloud deployment can't control local Mac sessions
Current Status:
- ✅ Local MCP server working with FastMCP 2.12.4
- ✅ ngrok tunnel for ChatGPT connectivity
- ⏳ OAuth pending (ChatGPT OAuth currently has known issues)
- ⏳ Supervisor component for Claude session management
🛠️ MCP Tools Available
| Tool | Purpose | ChatGPT Example |
|---|---|---|
list_sessions | Show all active sessions | "What sessions are running?" |
create_session | Start new Claude-Code | "Create a session in my project folder" |
send_message | Send commands to session | "Tell the web-app session to add tests" |
get_logs | Retrieve session output | "Show me recent logs from api session" |
get_session_status | Check session details | "What's the status of session X?" |
terminate_session | Stop a session | "Terminate the stuck session" |
check_prompts | Find pending prompts | "Any sessions waiting for input?" |
respond_to_prompt | Answer interactive prompts | "Tell it 'yes'" |
search | Search sessions (ChatGPT requirement) | "Find sessions with 'web-app' in name" |
fetch | Get session data (ChatGPT requirement) | "Get full details for session X" |
📋 Testing & Development
🎯 Local ChatGPT Testing (Recommended)
Test the real end-to-end experience with ChatGPT locally before deploying:
# Terminal 1: Start supervisor
make run-supervisor
# Terminal 2: Start MCP server
make run-server
# Terminal 3: Start ngrok tunnel
make ngrok
# Terminal 4: Test the system
make test
Then connect ChatGPT:
- Configure ChatGPT: Add MCP connector with
https://your-ngrok-url.ngrok.app(root path) - Test mobile workflow: Use ChatGPT mobile app to control Claude-Code remotely
Test scenarios in ChatGPT:
"What Claude-Code tools are available?"
"List my Claude-Code sessions"
"Create a new session called mobile-test"
"Tell the mobile-test session to list files"
"Show me recent logs from that session"
🔧 Development Testing (Automated)
For code validation and CI/CD:
# Test the system
make test
# Format code
make format
# Lint code
make lint
Local vs Production Testing
| Testing Method | Purpose | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT Local | Real UX validation | Before deployment, mobile testing |
| Automated Tests | Code validation | Development, CI/CD |
| FastMCP Cloud | Production testing | Final validation |
Priority: Always test with ChatGPT locally first - it's your source of truth for user experience.
🚢 Deployment Approach
Current: Local with ngrok (Recommended)
- ✅ Direct Mac Access: Control local Claude sessions
- ✅ FastMCP 2.12.4: Production-ready MCP framework
- ✅ SSE Transport: JSON-RPC 2.0 over HTTPS via ngrok
- ✅ Ephemeral Security: ngrok URLs expire when tunnel closes
- ⏳ No Authentication: Temporary until OpenAI fixes OAuth
Security Status
Current Implementation:
- I couldn't get OAuth working with ChatGPT at this stage
- ChatGPT's OAuth workflow for MCP connectors has known issues (community confirmed)
- Using ephemeral ngrok URLs as a practical workaround for personal use
- URLs expire when tunnel closes, limiting exposure window
Important:
- This is a DIY/personal project, not production software
- Use only for temporary sessions, not long-term deployment
- OAuth will be implemented once ChatGPT properly supports it
Why Not Cloud Deployment?
Cloud deployment (FastMCP Cloud, etc.) cannot solve the core use case:
- Need local supervisor to access existing Claude sessions
- Sessions run as local processes on your Mac
- Remote server cannot control local Mac processes
🔒 Security Architecture & Session Management
Why the Supervisor Only Manages Sessions It Creates
Important: The supervisor only tracks sessions it creates - this is intentional security design, not a limitation.
🔒 Security Principles
- Session Isolation: Each session is sandboxed with controlled lifecycle
- Process Ownership: Only manages processes it spawns (prevents hijacking)
- Secure IDs: Cryptographically secure UUIDs for all session identifiers
- Audit Trail: Complete tracking of session creation → management → termination
- Least Privilege: No automatic access to external processes
🎯 What This Means
- ✅ Safe: Can't accidentally control random processes on your system
- ✅ Predictable: All sessions follow same security model
- ✅ Auditable: Complete history of session management
- ❌ Convenient: Won't auto-detect existing Claude-Code sessions
🔄 Architecture Flow
ChatGPT → MCP Server → Supervisor → SessionManager → ClaudeWrapper → Claude-Code Process
Each layer adds security controls and isolation.
Security Features (MCP 2025-03-26 Compliant)
Current Implementation:
- 🔒 Secure Sessions: Cryptographically secure UUID session IDs
- 🌐 HTTPS Only: All endpoints encrypted via ngrok
- 🚪 Session Isolation: Each Claude-Code session sandboxed
- 📝 Audit Logging: Complete MCP request/response tracking
- 🚫 Command Validation: Restrict dangerous operations
- ⏳ Ephemeral URLs: ngrok tunnels expire when closed
Ready for OAuth (when ChatGPT fixes issues):
- 🔐 OAuth 2.1 with PKCE: RFC-compliant authorization flows
- 🏢 Dynamic Client Registration: RFC7591 support for new clients
- 🔍 Authorization Server Metadata: RFC8414 endpoint discovery
- 🛡️ DNS Rebinding Protection: Origin header validation
- 🔄 Token Rotation: Access token expiration and refresh
📱 Mobile Workflow Example
Morning Commute:
You: "Start a new session for my mobile app project"
ChatGPT: "Created session mobile-app_x7y8 in ~/projects/mobile-app"
You: "Tell it to run the test suite and fix any failures"
ChatGPT: "Message sent! The session is running tests..."
Lunch Break:
You: "How's the mobile app session doing?"
ChatGPT: "Session is active. Recent activity shows:
- Fixed 3 test failures ✅
- Updated component tests ✅
- Waiting for your input on TypeScript migration"
You: "Tell it to proceed with TypeScript migration"
ChatGPT: "Message sent! Session will begin TypeScript migration."
End of Day:
You: "Show me what the mobile session accomplished today"
ChatGPT: "Session mobile-app_x7y8 completed:
- Fixed all test failures
- Migrated 15 components to TypeScript
- Added new authentication module
- Session has been active for 8 hours"
You: "Great! Terminate that session"
ChatGPT: "✅ Session terminated. All work has been committed."
🤝 Contributing
This is an open-source project designed for the Claude Code community!
- Fork the repo
- Create feature branch:
git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature - Setup and test:
make setup && make test - Format and lint:
make format && make lint - Commit with good messages: Follow Conventional Commits
- Submit pull request
📄 License
MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.
Built with ❤️ for the Claude Code community
Turn your iPhone into a remote control for your Mac's Claude Code sessions using ChatGPT Custom Connectors.