Smart home and IoT · MCP server
Stack chan: MCP server, setup and security
Stack chan is an open-source MCP server published on GitHub that lets an AI agent control interactions and emotions on a robot based on M5Stack. Its repository has 1,813 stars and its last commit is from October 24, 2026 and it is licensed under Apache-2.0.
What Stack chan does
According to its repository: “M5Stack-based robot with an MCP server for AI-controlled interactions and emotions.”
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a standard plug between an AI agent and an outside service: once the server is connected, its tools show up in the agent, which decides when to call them. Stack chan is listed under Smart home and IoT, a category of 34 servers in the directory, where it ranks #2 by stars.
Topics declared by the repository: m5stack, moddable, robots, fusion360, kicad, kawaii.
Installing and connecting Stack chan
No package or remote server is declared in the official MCP registry: you install it from source, following the repository README.
It works with any MCP-compatible client (Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, Codex and most recent agents). You add one entry to the client's MCP configuration: server name, start command or URL, environment variables. Project language: TypeScript.
Security: what to check
Connecting an MCP server means installing software that talks straight to your agent: it runs with your rights and the model trusts its tool descriptions. The risk therefore depends on what it can touch and how far its code can be trusted.
None of the risk signals we track (system access, secrets, missing licence, abandonment) applies to Stack chan. That does not replace reading the code.
Good practice: grant only the rights needed (least privilege), require human approval for irreversible actions, and run the AI agent security check.
Project activity and maintenance
Created on June 6, 2021, the stack-chan/stack-chan repository has 1,813 stars and 242 forks, with 51 open issues. It has more stars than 95% of the servers in the directory. It received changes this month.
Stars measure attention, not quality: a recent, heavily promoted project can collect them fast, while a useful but niche server will have few.
Verdict
Stack chan is one of the most solid servers in its category: followed, maintained and well framed.
Strengths
- Active project: recent commit
- Widely followed: 1.8K stars
- Permissive licence (Apache-2.0)
Limitations
- Install from source
Alternatives
- Ha MCP5.2K ★
- Bagel399 ★
- Tapo MCP863 ★
- Kiln219 ★
- Bambu Printer MCP233 ★
- Gearcoleco MCP Server143 ★
Learn more
Frequently asked questions
How do I install Stack chan?
No package is declared in the MCP registry: clone the stack-chan/stack-chan repository, follow its README, then declare the start command in your client's MCP configuration.
Is Stack chan free?
The code is published under the Apache-2.0 licence and can be used free of charge.
Is Stack chan safe?
No risk signal found (system access, secrets, licence, abandonment). As with any MCP server, keep rights minimal and read the code before sensitive use.
Is it an official server?
Nothing says so: it is a project published by stack-chan on GitHub. Check who maintains it before giving it access.
What are the alternatives to Stack chan?
In the same category: Ha MCP, Bagel, Tapo MCP, and Kiln.
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Neutrality. No affiliate links. No vendor pays to be reviewed, rated or ranked. Reviews are directed by François Chollet, neutral and factual, and every data point is dated and sourced. How we score