BetterCallClaude MCP Server Setup

When this command is invoked, perform the following diagnostic and transport management workflow.

Step 1: Check Health Endpoint

Run this command via Bash to check the HTTP MCP service:

curl -sf https://mcp.bettercallclaude.ch/health

If the health check succeeds, the HTTP service is online. If it fails, note the error for the status table.

Step 2: Probe MCP Servers

Check connectivity for each of the 7 MCP servers using a two-stage non-blocking approach:

Stage A — Check tool availability (non-blocking)

Look at your currently available tools. For each server, check whether its tools appear in your tool list:

Server	Tools to look for
entscheidsuche	`search_decisions`, `get_decision_details`, etc.
bge-search	`search_bge`, `get_bge_decision`, etc.
legal-citations	`validate_citation`, `format_citation`, etc.
fedlex-sparql	`search_legislation`, `get_article`, etc.
onlinekommentar	`search_commentaries`, `get_commentary`, etc.
swiss-caselaw	`search_decisions`, `find_citations`, `find_appeal_chain`, etc.
ollama	`ollama_check_status`, `ollama_list_models`, etc.

If a server's tools do not appear in your available tool list, mark it as [ ] Not connected immediately and move on — do not attempt to call any of its tools.

Stage B — Lightweight call (only for servers confirmed available in Stage A)

For each server whose tools ARE available, make one lightweight call to confirm it responds:

Server	Lightweight test
entscheidsuche	`search_decisions` with a minimal query
bge-search	`search_bge` with a minimal query
legal-citations	`validate_citation` with a simple citation
fedlex-sparql	`search_legislation` with a minimal query
onlinekommentar	`search_commentaries` with a minimal query
swiss-caselaw	`search_decisions` with a minimal query
ollama	`ollama_check_status`

If a tool call does not respond promptly, mark that server as [ ] Timeout and continue — do not wait or retry.

Step 3: Display Status Table

For each server, determine the transport type by checking the server configuration in mcp.json.

Output the following formatted status report, replacing status indicators and transport types based on Steps 1-2:

==============================================
  BetterCallClaude MCP Server Status
==============================================

  Server                    Status              Transport
  ------                    ------              ---------
  entscheidsuche            [x] Connected       HTTP
  bge-search                [x] Connected       HTTP
  legal-citations           [x] Connected       HTTP
  fedlex-sparql             [x] Connected       HTTP
  onlinekommentar           [x] Connected       HTTP
  swiss-caselaw             [x] Connected       SSE
  ollama                    [x] Connected       Local

  HTTP Service: https://mcp.bettercallclaude.ch
  Health: OK / Unreachable
  Connected: X/7 servers
==============================================

Mark each server as [x] Connected, [ ] Not connected, or [ ] Timeout based on Step 2 results. Show HTTP or Local in the Transport column.

Step 4: Provide Guidance Based on Results

If all 7 servers are connected:

All 7 MCP servers are operational. No action needed.
BetterCallClaude is running at full capability.

If HTTP servers are not connected but health check passed:

The HTTP service is online but the servers are not registering. Suggest:

The HTTP service is healthy but servers are not connecting.
Try restarting Claude Code or Cowork to reload the plugin configuration.
If the issue persists, run: /mcp to check registered servers.

If servers show `[ ] Timeout`:

The server is registered (tools appear in your tool list) but is not responding to calls. Suggest:

One or more servers are registered but not responding.
This may indicate a temporary service issue or network timeout.

Try:
1. Restart your Claude Code or Cowork session
2. Re-run /bettercallclaude:setup to check again
3. If the HTTP service health check failed, the service may be temporarily unavailable

If health check failed:

The HTTP MCP service at mcp.bettercallclaude.ch is not reachable.

Possible causes:
- No internet connection
- DNS resolution failure (try: nslookup mcp.bettercallclaude.ch)
- Firewall blocking HTTPS on port 443
- Service temporarily unavailable (check again in a few minutes)

If ollama is not connected:

The ollama server runs locally and does not depend on the HTTP service. Suggest:

The ollama privacy classifier is not connected.
This server requires the plugin's bundled files. Try:
1. Restart Claude Code or Cowork
2. Verify the plugin is installed: claude plugin list
3. Check that Node.js 18+ is available: node --version

Step 5: Backend Error Diagnostics

If a server connects but returns errors during use, consult this diagnostic guide:

Error Pattern	Likely Cause	Resolution
HTTP 429 or "rate limited"	Too many requests (limit: 60 req/min per IP)	Wait a moment and retry. Reduce request frequency.
SPARQL endpoint timeout or HTTP 5xx from fedlex-sparql	Fedlex service (`fedlex.data.admin.ch`) is temporarily unavailable	Retry later. The server has built-in retry logic (3 attempts, 2s delay). This is an external service issue.
"ECONNREFUSED" or "ENOTFOUND" in local mode	Server cannot reach the external API	Check internet connection. Verify DNS resolution for the relevant domain.
Connection works but no search results	Server is healthy but the query returned no matches	Try broader search terms or different parameters.

Notes

MCP servers are required for live database access (court decisions, legislation, citation verification)
Without MCP servers, BetterCallClaude operates in reduced mode using built-in Swiss law knowledge
Reduced mode cannot search live databases, verify citation existence, or access current legislation
All servers are self-contained and require no API keys or external accounts
The HTTP service is rate-limited to 60 requests per minute per IP address
The ollama privacy classifier always runs locally to keep sensitive data on your machine

User Query

$ARGUMENTS

setup