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CodeTracked since May 19, 2026

byterover-cli makes MCP and CLI tool flows provider-free by default

This PR’s primary change is a migration to tool-mode-only execution for byterover query/curate workflows: `brv-query` and curate now run through provider-free MCP envelopes, `brv-curate` is replaced by `brv-curate-html`, and `BRV_*_TOOL_MODE` switches are removed.

byterover-clibrv-querybrv-curate-htmlMCP

What Happened

  • This PR’s primary change is a migration to tool-mode-only execution for byterover query/curate workflows: `brv-query` and curate now run through provider-free MCP envelopes, `brv-curate` is replaced by `brv-curate-html`, and `BRV_*_TOOL_MODE` switches are removed.
  • This PR’s primary change is a migration to tool-mode-only execution for byterover query/curate workflows: `brv-query` and curate now run through provider-free MCP envelopes, `brv-curate` is replaced by `brv-curate-html`, and `BRV_*_TOOL_MODE` switches are removed.
  • 1 evidence item attached for review.

What is Different

Before

Scattered source updates, isolated context, and manual follow-up across multiple feeds.

Now

Removed dependency on an on-request LLM-provider path for core byterover workflows by replacing the old natural-language curate API with a structured `bv-topic` HTML tool envelope, so `brv query` and `brv curate` share one provider-free execution model.

Why Track This

Why It Matters

Teams integrating byterover in CLI or MCP tools can run topic query and curation end-to-end without an LLM provider configured, which simplifies secure or restricted deployments and avoids blocking workflows on provider availability or credentials. The rollout enforces a breaking input contract change: old `brv-curate` clients sending `{context, files, folder}` must move to `brv-curate-html` with `{html, confirmOverwrite?}`, and operators should monitor compatibility failures from legacy integrations and any latent assumptions about markdown writes because new saves are now HTML `<bv-topic>` based.

Impact

Teams integrating byterover in CLI or MCP tools can run topic query and curation end-to-end without an LLM provider configured, which simplifies secure or restricted deployments and avoids blocking workflows on provider availability or credentials. The rollout enforces a breaking input contract change: old `brv-curate` clients sending `{context, files, folder}` must move to `brv-curate-html` with `{html, confirmOverwrite?}`, and operators should monitor compatibility failures from legacy integrations and any latent assumptions about markdown writes because new saves are now HTML `<bv-topic>` based.

What To Watch Next

  • Watch whether byterover-cli becomes a repeated pattern.
  • Track follow-up changes around Model Context Protocol.
  • Compare future signals against this evidence trail.
  • Re-check risk flags: mcp_clients_still_using_legacy_curate_input, integration_breakage_from_brv-curate_api_breaking_change.
Open Topic TimelineOpen Technical EventOpen Original Sourcemcp_clients_still_using_legacy_curate_input / integration_breakage_from_brv-curate_api_breaking_change / legacy_md_authoring_compatibility_assumptions / html_schema_validation_regressions

Supporting Evidence

GITHUB PULL REQUESTHigh Trust

campfirein/byterover-cli PR #663: Proj/byterover tool mode

Tool mode is the default; `BRV_*_TOOL_MODE` env vars are removed and MCP `brv-query` / `brv-curate-html` now use the same tool-mode envelope path.