Description

The MCP server cannot be run directly from GitHub using npx due to a missing prepare script in package.json. This prevents users from using the one-line installation method commonly used for MCP servers.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Run the following command:

   npx -y github:PinMeTo/pinmeto-location-mcp@latest

2. Observe the error (likely ENOENT: no such file or directory for ./build/index.js)

Expected Behavior

The MCP server should:

1. Automatically build the TypeScript source code
2. Execute successfully from the built files
3. Start the MCP server

Actual Behavior

The command fails because:

• The bin field in package.json points to ./build/index.js
• The build/ directory is gitignored and doesn't exist in the GitHub repository
• No prepare script exists to automatically build the project when installing from GitHub
• npx attempts to execute a non-existent file

Root Cause

When installing from GitHub (not npm registry), npm doesn't have access to pre-built artifacts. The package requires a prepare lifecycle script to build TypeScript sources before execution.

Proposed Solution

Add a prepare script to package.json:

{
  "scripts": {
    "build": "node manifest.js && tsc && cp package.json build/",
    "prepare": "npm run build",
    "start": "node build/index.js",
    // ... other scripts
  }
}

The prepare script runs automatically:

• After npm install (including from GitHub)
• Before npm publish
• When using npx with GitHub URLs

Additional Context

• Environment: Node.js (any version)
• Installation method: npx with GitHub URL
• Package version: 1.0.1
• Similar pattern: Most TypeScript-based MCP servers include a prepare script for this exact reason

Workaround (for users)

Until fixed, users must:

1. Clone the repository manually
2. Run npm install && npm run build
3. Run node build/index.js or configure MCP client to use the local path

References

• npm lifecycle scripts documentation
• The prepare script is specifically designed for this use case