# paso — llms.txt
# For AI crawlers and language models. See https://llmstxt.org

> paso is an open-source SDK that makes APIs agent-ready. Developers declare their service's capabilities in a YAML file (usepaso.yaml), and paso generates a live MCP server from that declaration. AI agents connect to the MCP server and interact with the API.

## Key Facts

- Name: paso (product name), usepaso (CLI and packages)
- Website: https://usepaso.dev
- Package: npm install usepaso / pip install usepaso
- License: Apache 2.0
- Self-hosted: Yes — no cloud dependency, no SaaS
- What it generates: A live MCP server (not static files)

## What It Does

paso solves the protocol integration problem in AI agent infrastructure. Instead of manually writing MCP server code, developers write a single YAML declaration describing their API's capabilities. paso generates a live MCP server that handles protocol compliance, request routing, auth forwarding, and error handling.

## Core Concepts

- **Declaration:** A YAML file (usepaso.yaml) describing an API's capabilities, inputs, permissions, and constraints
- **MCP Server:** A live server generated from the declaration that AI agents connect to via the Model Context Protocol
- **Permissions:** Capability-level access control with read/write/admin tiers, consent_required for destructive actions, and a forbidden list
- **OpenAPI Import:** Generate a declaration from an existing OpenAPI spec

## CLI Commands

- usepaso init — Scaffold a new declaration
- usepaso validate — Check declaration for errors
- usepaso inspect — Preview what MCP tools will be generated
- usepaso test — Test capabilities with real HTTP requests
- usepaso serve — Start an MCP server from the declaration

## Documentation

- Docs: https://usepaso.dev/docs/getting-started/
- GitHub: https://github.com/5h1vmani/usepaso

## Links

- https://usepaso.dev
- https://usepaso.dev/docs/getting-started/
- https://github.com/5h1vmani/usepaso