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shadcn CLI 3.0 and MCP Server

shadcn CLI 3.0 and MCP Server

One command line to add UI components to your project

Website ui.shadcn.com
Overview

What it is

Beautifully designed components that you can copy and paste into your apps.

Intent

I need it when

Maintain consistent component imports and aliases across monorepo projects

shadcn CLI 3.0 supports package.json#imports and target aliases, allowing monorepo setups to use private import paths and install components under configured directories. This ensures consistent import patterns across workspace packages.

Integrate UI component management into AI coding workflows and LLM-based development

The MCP Server enables AI agents and language models to interact with shadcn/ui registries, allowing automated component discovery, installation, and code generation. This bridges UI component management with AI-assisted development tools.

Access and customize pre-built UI blocks and component examples for common patterns

shadcn/ui provides blocks, charts, and community-maintained components through the registry directory. Developers can browse, install, and customize these patterns for common use cases like forms, dashboards, and authentication flows.

Distribute custom components and UI patterns across multiple projects or teams

The shadcn CLI 3.0 supports running custom registries to distribute components, hooks, and configuration files. Registry authors can organize and validate source registries, enabling teams to share standardized UI patterns across projects without vendor dependency.

Build a custom design system quickly without starting from scratch

shadcn/ui provides a foundation of beautifully designed, customizable components that developers can extend and build upon. The CLI scaffolds projects with preset configurations, allowing teams to establish a consistent design system rapidly while maintaining full control over the code.

Drop

Not a fit when

  • User needs proprietary, closed-source UI components with vendor lock-in
  • Project requires commercial support contracts or SLAs from a vendor
  • Team lacks JavaScript/TypeScript expertise to customize and extend components
  • Organization prohibits use of open-source software for compliance reasons
  • User needs pre-built, fully-styled enterprise design systems without customization
Commercials

Pricing

Free and open source