# rpk cloud mcp stdio

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.redpanda.com/llms.txt). Component-specific: [cloud-data-platform-full.txt](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform-full.txt)

---
title: rpk cloud mcp stdio
latest-operator-version: v26.2.1
latest-console-tag: v3.10.0
latest-connect-version: 4.105.0
latest-redpanda-tag: v26.2.1
docname: rpk/rpk-cloud/rpk-cloud-mcp-stdio
page-component-name: cloud-data-platform
page-version: master
page-component-version: master
page-component-title: Cloud
page-relative-src-path: rpk/rpk-cloud/rpk-cloud-mcp-stdio.adoc
page-edit-url: https://github.com/redpanda-data/cloud-docs/edit/main/modules/reference/pages/rpk/rpk-cloud/rpk-cloud-mcp-stdio.adoc
description: Communicate with the local MCP server for Redpanda Cloud using the stdio protocol. This command provides a direct stdio interface for communicating with the local MCP server for Redpanda Cloud.
page-git-created-date: "2025-09-08"
page-git-modified-date: "2026-08-11"
---

<!-- Source: https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/reference/rpk/rpk-cloud/rpk-cloud-mcp-stdio.md -->

Communicate with the local MCP server for Redpanda Cloud using the stdio protocol.

This command provides a direct stdio interface for communicating with the local MCP server for Redpanda Cloud. The local MCP server runs on your machine and provides tools for managing your Redpanda Cloud account and clusters. It’s typically used as the transport mechanism when your MCP client is configured to use `rpk` as the stdio server process.

Most users should use [`rpk cloud mcp install`](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/reference/rpk/rpk-cloud/rpk-cloud-mcp-install/) instead, which automatically configures your MCP client.

## [](#examples)Examples

This section provides examples of how to use `rpk cloud mcp stdio`.

Start the local MCP server for Redpanda Cloud using the stdio protocol:

```bash
rpk cloud mcp stdio
```

## [](#usage)Usage

```bash
rpk cloud mcp stdio [flags]
```

## [](#flags)Flags

| Value | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| --allow-delete | bool | Allow delete RPCs. Off by default. |

## [](#global-flags)Global flags

| Value | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| --config | string | Redpanda or rpk config file; default search paths are ~/.config/rpk/rpk.yaml, $PWD/redpanda.yaml, and /etc/redpanda/redpanda.yaml. |
| -X, --config-opt | stringArray | Override rpk configuration settings; -X help for detail or -X list for terser detail. |
| --ignore-profile | bool | Ignore rpk.yaml and redpanda.yaml; use default settings. |
| --profile | string | rpk profile to use. |
| -v, --verbose | bool | Enable verbose logging. |

## [](#suggested-reading)Suggested reading

-   [rpk cloud mcp install](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/reference/rpk/rpk-cloud/rpk-cloud-mcp-install/)

-   [Redpanda Cloud Management MCP Server](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/develop/cloud-mcp/overview/)