# MCP Flag Tester — Test Claude Code Flag Combinations

Test whether Claude Code CLI flags work together by launching test sessions and checking connectivity.

Use when the user says "test flag combinations", "do these flags work together", "check flag compatibility", "test MCP flags", or wants to verify that specific Claude Code flags can be combined.

## Arguments

`<flags>` — The flag combination to test (e.g., "--continue --dangerously-load-development-channels server:robo-voice")

## Workflow

### Step 1: Parse the requested flags

Identify which flags are being tested. Common flags:
- `--continue` — continue most recent session
- `--resume <name-or-id>` — resume a specific session
- `--name <name>` — name a session
- `--dangerously-load-development-channels server:<name>` — enable development channels
- `--channels plugin:<name>@<marketplace>` — enable production channels

### Step 2: Run a non-interactive test

Use `-p` (print mode) to test without entering interactive mode:

```bash
claude -p <flags> "respond with just the word YES" 2>/tmp/mcp-flag-test-stderr.txt
```

Check:
- Did the command succeed (exit code 0)?
- Did it return a response?
- Any errors in stderr?

### Step 3: Check MCP server connectivity

If the flags include a channel server, verify the MCP server spawned:

```bash
# Check if the server's port is in use
lsof -ti:7890 2>/dev/null

# Check stderr for MCP connection messages
grep -i "mcp\|channel\|robo-voice\|connected" /tmp/mcp-flag-test-stderr.txt
```

### Step 4: Test session persistence (if --name or --continue involved)

If testing session management flags:

```bash
# Create a named session
claude -p --name test-session <other-flags> "say hello"

# Try to continue it
claude -p --continue <other-flags> "what did I just say?"

# Check if context was preserved
```

### Step 5: Report results

Print a compatibility matrix:

```
FLAG COMBINATION TEST RESULTS
═══════════════════════════════════════
  Flags tested:    <list of flags>
  Command:         claude <full command>
  Exit code:       <0 or error>
  Response:        <yes/no/error message>
  MCP connected:   <yes/no>
  Channel active:  <yes/no/n/a>
  Session persist: <yes/no/n/a>
  
  VERDICT: ✓ COMPATIBLE / ✗ INCOMPATIBLE
═══════════════════════════════════════
```

## Rules

- Always test with `-p` (print mode) to avoid entering interactive sessions
- Clean up test sessions after testing — don't leave orphan session files
- Kill any spawned MCP servers after testing (check port 7890)
- If a combination fails, check GitHub issues for known bugs and report the issue number
- Test one combination at a time for clear results