Question 1

What is mpak?

Accepted Answer

mpak is the secure, open-source package registry for MCP servers. Every bundle is scanned with 25 security controls across 5 domains, and trust scores are visible on every package. Think of it as a purpose-built registry for the MCP ecosystem, with security at its core.

Question 2

What are Bundles?

Accepted Answer

Bundles are pre-packaged MCP servers that give your AI new capabilities: database access, API integrations, file operations. They contain everything needed to run: binaries, configs, and metadata. Works across macOS, Linux, and Windows.

Question 3

What are Skills?

Accepted Answer

Skills are markdown instructions that teach your AI new behaviors and domain expertise: code review patterns, writing styles, specialized knowledge. They follow the Agent Skills specification and work across AI platforms.

Question 4

How is mpak different from the MCP Registry?

Accepted Answer

The MCP Registry is a metaregistry that aggregates server listings from multiple sources. mpak is a package registry: it hosts the actual bundles, scans them for security, computes trust scores, and serves them to the CLI. The MCP Registry can point to mpak as a source.

Question 5

Is mpak open source?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The registry, CLI, SDK, scanner, and deploy tooling are all Apache 2.0 licensed. mpak.dev is one instance of the registry, but you can self-host your own with federation, policies, and audit logging.

Question 6

How do I install a package?

Accepted Answer

First install the CLI: npm install -g @nimblebrain/mpak. Then for bundles: mpak bundle pull @scope/bundle-name. For skills: mpak skill install @scope/skill-name.

Question 7

Is mpak free to use?

Accepted Answer

Yes, mpak is completely free for both users and publishers. The registry, CLI tool, and all features are available at no cost.

Question 8

How do I publish a package?

Accepted Answer

Add a manifest.json and the mcpb-pack GitHub Action to your repo. When you create a release, the action builds, scans, and publishes automatically. Visit /publish for the full guide.

Publish to mpak

Publish a Bundle

Publish a Skill