Skip to main content

​
System Requirements

Before getting started with forge-mcptools, ensure your development environment meets these requirements.

​
Operating System

  • macOS 11 (Big Sur) or later
  • Homebrew package manager (recommended)
  • Xcode Command Line Tools

​
Required Software

​
1. Python 3.12+

# Using Homebrew
brew install python@3.12

# Verify installation
python3.12 --version
Expected output: Python 3.12.x

​
2. UV Package Manager

UV is a fast Python package installer and resolver, required for managing dependencies. 
# Install UV
curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

# Add to PATH (if not already)
export PATH="$HOME/.cargo/bin:$PATH"

# Verify installation
uv --version
Expected output: uv 0.x.x or later

​
3. Docker & Docker Compose

Required for containerized development and deployment. 
# Install Docker Desktop
# Download from: https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop

# Or using Homebrew
brew install --cask docker

# Verify installation
docker --version
docker-compose --version
Expected output:
  • Docker version 24.x.x or later
  • Docker Compose version v2.x.x or later

​
4. Node.js & npm

Required for the React frontend. 
# Using Homebrew
brew install node@20

# Verify installation
node --version
npm --version
Expected output:
  • Node.js v20.x.x or later
  • npm 10.x.x or later

​
5. Git

Version control for cloning the repository. 
# Usually pre-installed, or use Homebrew
brew install git

git --version
Expected output: git version 2.x.x or later

​
Database-Specific Requirements

Depending on which connectors you plan to use:

​
PostgreSQL Connector

No additional requirements - uses Python packages only.

​
MSSQL Connector

Requires Microsoft ODBC Driver 18 for SQL Server. 
# Install using Homebrew
brew tap microsoft/mssql-release
brew install msodbcsql18 mssql-tools18

# Verify installation
odbcinst -q -d -n "ODBC Driver 18 for SQL Server"
Note: ODBC drivers are included in Docker images, so manual installation is only needed for non-Docker development.

​
Optional Tools

​
Development Tools

VS Code

Recommended IDE with Python, Docker, and React extensionsDownload VS Code

Postman

API testing tool for backend developmentDownload Postman

DBeaver

Universal database tool for testing connectionsDownload DBeaver

Docker Desktop

Visual Docker container managementDownload Docker Desktop

​
Verification Script

Run this script to verify all prerequisites are installed:
verify-prerequisites.sh
#!/bin/bash

echo "🔍 Checking forge-mcptools prerequisites..."
echo ""

# Check Python
if command -v python3.12 &> /dev/null; then
    echo "✅ Python 3.12: $(python3.12 --version)"
else
    echo "❌ Python 3.12 not found"
fi

# Check UV
if command -v uv &> /dev/null; then
    echo "✅ UV: $(uv --version)"
else
    echo "❌ UV not found"
fi

# Check Docker
if command -v docker &> /dev/null; then
    echo "✅ Docker: $(docker --version)"
else
    echo "❌ Docker not found"
fi

# Check Docker Compose
if docker compose version &> /dev/null; then
    echo "✅ Docker Compose: $(docker compose version)"
else
    echo "❌ Docker Compose not found"
fi

# Check Node.js
if command -v node &> /dev/null; then
    echo "✅ Node.js: $(node --version)"
else
    echo "❌ Node.js not found"
fi

# Check npm
if command -v npm &> /dev/null; then
    echo "✅ npm: $(npm --version)"
else
    echo "❌ npm not found"
fi

# Check Git
if command -v git &> /dev/null; then
    echo "✅ Git: $(git --version)"
else
    echo "❌ Git not found"
fi

echo ""
echo "🎉 Prerequisites check complete!"
Save this script and run: 
chmod +x verify-prerequisites.sh
./verify-prerequisites.sh

​
Next Steps

Set Up Your Environment

Once all prerequisites are installed, proceed to set up your local development environment

​
Troubleshooting

If you have multiple Python versions, use python3.12 explicitly:
python3.12 -m venv .venv
If curl fails, try manual installation:
pip install uv
On Linux, add your user to the docker group:
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
newgrp docker
Verify installation path:
odbcinst -j  # Show ODBC configuration
find /opt -name "libmsodbcsql*"  # Find driver library