How do I install Openlane MCP Server?

Copy the stdio config for Cursor, Claude Desktop, Claude Code, or VS Code on this page. It uses the publisher's install, not a PlugMCP proxy.

Does Openlane MCP Server need an API key?

The publisher lists these environment variables: OPENLANE_API_TOKEN, OPENLANE_ORGANIZATION_ID, OPENLANE_BASE_URL, OPENLANE_ALLOW_WRITE, OPENLANE_ALLOW_DELETE.

What transport does Openlane MCP Server use?

Openlane MCP Server runs locally over stdio.

When was Openlane MCP Server last checked?

Last checked 2026-11-09. MCP server for Openlane GRC: controls, evidence, policies, risks, workflows, and approvals.

Openlane MCP server

Power your agent

Add this server

The publisher's own command. Not a PlugMCP endpoint.

Add to Cursor Add to VS Code Run on PlugMCP

Host a copy with our keys and logs.

Local command

docker run -i --rm ghcr.io/gregdog/mcp-server-theopenlane:v0.8.0

Credentials from the publisher

OPENLANE_API_TOKEN — Openlane API token or PAT
OPENLANE_ORGANIZATION_ID — Organization ID for multi-org PATs
OPENLANE_BASE_URL — Openlane API base URL
OPENLANE_ALLOW_WRITE — Enable write MCP tools
OPENLANE_ALLOW_DELETE — Enable delete MCP tools

Claude Code has no install link for a local command. Copy the command below and run it in a terminal.

shClaude Code

1OPENLANE_API_TOKEN=<secret> OPENLANE_ORGANIZATION_ID=<value> OPENLANE_BASE_URL=<value> OPENLANE_ALLOW_WRITE=<value> OPENLANE_ALLOW_DELETE=<value> claude mcp add io.github.gregdog-mcp-server-theopenlane -- docker run -i --rm ghcr.io/gregdog/mcp-server-theopenlane:v0.8.0

Run in a terminal.

jsonClaude Desktop

1{2  "mcpServers": {3    "io.github.gregdog-mcp-server-theopenlane": {4      "command": "docker",5      "args": [6        "run",7        "-i",8        "--rm",9        "ghcr.io/gregdog/mcp-server-theopenlane:v0.8.0"10      ],11      "env": {12        "OPENLANE_API_TOKEN": "<secret>",13        "OPENLANE_ORGANIZATION_ID": "<value>",14        "OPENLANE_BASE_URL": "<value>",15        "OPENLANE_ALLOW_WRITE": "<value>",16        "OPENLANE_ALLOW_DELETE": "<value>"17      }18    }19  }20}

claude_desktop_config.json

Local · ociPublisher installStep-by-step: add this in Claude

Remote URL or a command on your machine? How the two installs differ

Run on PlugMCP

Host a copy with our keys and logs.

A new server you create. It is not this listing's official endpoint. Use the publisher install when you want their URL and their credentials.

Launch

Server facts

Local

Transport: stdio
Version: 0.8.0

Tools

No tool list yet. Remote servers get one after the first health check.

FAQ

Questions

Openlane MCP Server

A secure, open-source Model Context Protocol server for the Openlane GRC platform.

This project is not an official Openlane product and is not endorsed by theopenlane, Inc.

Overview

openlane-mcp lets MCP clients such as Cursor and Claude Desktop query Openlane over stdio (default) or Streamable HTTP. It talks to Openlane Cloud or a self-hosted instance through the official Openlane Go client.

MCP Client
    → Openlane MCP Server (stdio or HTTP)
        → Official Openlane Go Client
            → Openlane API

The server is read-only by default. Write and delete tools are opt-in and independent. Openlane authorization still applies to every request.

Features

Openlane MCP access for programs, controls, evidence, policies, risks, standards, tasks, entities (vendors), assets, platforms, contacts, findings, assessments, control implementations, groups, users, and workflows
Enriched get tools with vendor/security fields and compact relationship summaries
List filters on entities, risks, findings, evidence, programs, assessments, implementations, and workflows
Opt-in create/update tools for controls, evidence, policies, risks, tasks, vendors/entities, contacts, vendor Risk Reviews, workflow definitions, workflow assignments, and native policy lifecycle
Opt-in delete tools for the same domains plus workflow definitions (except programs and standards)
Openlane Cloud and self-hosted Openlane (configurable base URL)
stdio transport (default) and opt-in Streamable HTTP transport
Native Go binary
Docker image (published with GitHub Releases)
MCP Registry listing on tagged releases (io.github.GregDog/mcp-server-theopenlane)

Quick Start

Create an Openlane API token or PAT in console developer settings. Organization tokens start with tola_. Personal access tokens start with tolp_.

export OPENLANE_API_TOKEN="tola_..."
# Optional for multi-org PATs:
export OPENLANE_ORGANIZATION_ID="..."

openlane-mcp serve

Then connect an MCP client. See Client configuration.

Installation

From source

go install github.com/GregDog/mcp-server-theopenlane/cmd/openlane-mcp@latest

Requires Go 1.27 or later.

GitHub Releases

Binary archives will be published on tagged GitHub Releases (linux/darwin amd64+arm64, windows amd64) with SHA256 checksums.

Docker

docker run --rm -i \
  -e OPENLANE_API_TOKEN \
  -e OPENLANE_ORGANIZATION_ID \
  ghcr.io/gregdog/mcp-server-theopenlane serve

Images are published with GitHub Releases to ghcr.io/gregdog/mcp-server-theopenlane.

Client configuration

Cursor (stdio, recommended)

This repository's .cursor/mcp.json uses scripts/mcp-serve.sh, which loads .env and runs the local binary:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "openlane": {
      "command": "bash",
      "args": ["${workspaceFolder}/scripts/mcp-serve.sh"]
    }
  }
}

Or install globally and pass env vars directly:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "openlane": {
      "command": "openlane-mcp",
      "args": ["serve"],
      "env": {
        "OPENLANE_API_TOKEN": "${env:OPENLANE_API_TOKEN}",
        "OPENLANE_ORGANIZATION_ID": "${env:OPENLANE_ORGANIZATION_ID}"
      }
    }
  }
}

Cursor (HTTP)

Start the server with bash scripts/mcp-http.sh (see HTTP transport), then use examples/cursor-http.mcp.json as a template.

Claude Desktop

Add to claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "openlane": {
      "command": "openlane-mcp",
      "args": ["serve"],
      "env": {
        "OPENLANE_API_TOKEN": "tola_your_token_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Prefer environment substitution or a local secrets store over committing tokens. Examples in this repository use fictional values only.

Security

Read tools are always available. Write tools require OPENLANE_ALLOW_WRITE=true or --allow-write. Delete tools require OPENLANE_ALLOW_DELETE=true or --allow-delete.

A successful read still requires:

An Openlane token with the relevant object:read scope (or equivalent PAT permissions)
Openlane authorization for that object in the selected organization

Writes and deletes additionally require server opt-in (OPENLANE_ALLOW_WRITE / OPENLANE_ALLOW_DELETE) and matching Openlane token permissions. Workflow definition writes, workflow assignment actions, native policy lifecycle actions, and workflow deletes also require confirm: true on the tool call.

Tokens are never logged. See docs/security.md.

Tool coverage

Tool	Description
`openlane_controls_list`	List controls
`openlane_controls_search`	Search controls by ref code, title, or description
`openlane_control_get`	Get a control by ID (with relationship summaries)
`openlane_programs_list`	List programs (optional name filter)
`openlane_program_get`	Get a program by ID (with relationship summaries)
`openlane_evidence_list`	List evidence metadata (optional program/control filters)
`openlane_evidence_get`	Get evidence metadata by ID
`openlane_policies_list`	List internal policies (optional status filter)
`openlane_policies_awaiting_approval`	List policies awaiting approval (native NEEDS_APPROVAL + your pending workflow assignments)
`openlane_policy_get`	Get a policy by ID
`openlane_risks_list`	List risks (optional program/entity/control/status filters)
`openlane_risk_get`	Get a risk by ID (with relationship summaries)
`openlane_findings_list`	List findings (optional program/assessment/open/status/severity filters)
`openlane_finding_get`	Get a finding by ID
`openlane_assessments_list`	List assessments
`openlane_assessment_get`	Get an assessment by ID
`openlane_control_implementations_list`	List control implementations
`openlane_control_implementation_get`	Get a control implementation by ID
`openlane_mapped_controls_list`	List cross-framework control mappings (`MappedControl`)
`openlane_mapped_control_get`	Get a control mapping by ID

Write tools (require OPENLANE_ALLOW_WRITE=true or --allow-write):

Tool	Description
`openlane_control_create` / `openlane_control_update`	Create or update a control
`openlane_mapped_control_create` / `openlane_mapped_control_update`	Create or update cross-framework control mappings (`MappedControl`)
`openlane_evidence_create` / `openlane_evidence_update`	Create or update evidence; optional `control_ids` / `add_control_ids` / `remove_control_ids` (org-owned controls only — not system catalog copies); optional base64 file uploads
`openlane_controls_list` / `openlane_controls_search`	Optional `linkable_only` returns org-owned controls suitable for evidence linking
`openlane_policy_create` / `openlane_policy_update`	Create or update an internal policy
`openlane_policy_submit_for_approval` / `openlane_policy_approve` / `openlane_policy_publish` / `openlane_policy_return_to_draft`	Native InternalPolicy status transitions (`confirm` required)
`openlane_risk_create` / `openlane_risk_update`	Create or update a risk
`openlane_task_create` / `openlane_task_update`	Create or update a task
`openlane_entity_create` / `openlane_entity_update`	Create or update an entity (vendor); optional base64 logo upload or `logo_remote_url`
`openlane_platform_create` / `openlane_platform_update`	Create or update a platform (system boundary); owner fields accept user id, email, name, or group id/name; optional scope link ids and base64 diagram uploads
`openlane_contact_create`	Create a contact (optional `entity_ids`)
`openlane_vendor_risk_review_create` / `openlane_vendor_risk_review_update`	Create or update a vendor Risk Review

Delete tools (require OPENLANE_ALLOW_DELETE=true or --allow-delete):

Tool	Description
`openlane_control_delete`	Delete a control by ID
`openlane_mapped_control_delete`	Delete a control mapping by ID
`openlane_evidence_delete`	Delete evidence by ID
`openlane_policy_delete`	Delete a policy by ID
`openlane_risk_delete`	Delete a risk by ID
`openlane_task_delete`	Delete a task by ID
`openlane_workflow_delete`	Delete a workflow definition by ID (`confirm` required)

See docs/tools.md for full details. With all modes enabled there are 77 tools (44 read, 27 write, 6 delete).

Enriched get tools return bounded relationship summaries (count + items) so agents can answer program, vendor, control, and finding questions without chaining dozens of shallow calls.

List responses are paginated (items, next_cursor, has_more, total_count). Default page size is 20; maximum is 50.

There is no dedicated control search GraphQL operation in the current Openlane Go client. openlane_controls_search uses official ControlWhereInput contains-filters.

File contents and presigned download URLs are not returned from read tools. Write tools accept optional base64-encoded files[] on evidence create/update (default max 10 MiB decoded per file).

Linking evidence to controls

openlane_evidence_create accepts optional control_ids; openlane_evidence_update supports add_control_ids / remove_control_ids. Only org-owned controls (owner_id set) may be linked — system catalog copies are rejected (core#1647). Use openlane_controls_search with linkable_only: true to list linkable controls. Program-imported controls may still show source: FRAMEWORK when owner_id is set.

openlane_control_update accepts owner_id and delegate_id as user id, email, name, or group id; user identifiers resolve to managed personal groups (Openlane controlOwnerID / delegateID). Read responses include control_owner and delegate objects with resolved user_email — do not use openlane_user_get on group ids. See docs/openlane-assignee-ids.md (user vs group vs org; what is fixed globally vs controls-only).

For large files[] base64 uploads, prefer a direct MCP client or automation script that passes the payload machine-to-machine. Agent loops that copy content_base64 between tool calls may truncate or corrupt the data.

HTTP transport

By default the server uses stdio. For local HTTP testing:

export OPENLANE_MCP_TRANSPORT=http
export OPENLANE_MCP_HTTP_ADDR=127.0.0.1:8090
openlane-mcp serve

The default bind is loopback only (127.0.0.1:8090). Do not use 0.0.0.0 or bare :port addresses unless you understand the exposure.

HTTP mode has no built-in authentication. Do not expose it directly to the public internet. Anyone who can reach the endpoint can use the server's Openlane token. For remote or shared-network deployment, place a trusted authentication reverse proxy (or equivalent private network controls) in front of the server. See docs/security.md.

Increase OPENLANE_MCP_HTTP_MAX_BODY_BYTES when uploading large evidence files over HTTP.

MCP Registry

Published to the MCP Registry as io.github.GregDog/mcp-server-theopenlane on each tagged release. The OCI package is ghcr.io/gregdog/mcp-server-theopenlane.

Development

make test
make build
./bin/openlane-mcp version

See docs/development.md.

Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md. To add or extend an MCP tool, see docs/adding-tools.md.

Issues labeled good first issue or help wanted are a good place to start.

Licence

Apache License 2.0. See LICENSE.

Openlane names are used only to describe compatibility. Do not copy Openlane logos or imply official endorsement.

Add this server

Host a copy with our keys and logs.

Server facts

Tools

Questions

How do I install Openlane MCP Server?

Does Openlane MCP Server need an API key?

What transport does Openlane MCP Server use?

When was Openlane MCP Server last checked?

Documentation

Openlane MCP Server

Overview

Features

Quick Start

Installation

From source

GitHub Releases

Docker

Client configuration

Cursor (stdio, recommended)

Cursor (HTTP)

Claude Desktop

Security

Tool coverage

Linking evidence to controls

HTTP transport

MCP Registry

Development

Contributing

Licence