> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.stigg.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# CLI vs MCP server

Both the [CLI](/api-and-sdks/cli) and the [MCP server](/api-and-sdks/mcp-server) give you programmatic access to Stigg, but they're optimized for different workflows.

|                          | CLI                                | MCP server                                                 |
| ------------------------ | ---------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Best for**             | Scripts, CI/CD, terminal workflows | AI-assisted development in coding assistants               |
| **How you interact**     | Shell commands with flags          | Natural language prompts                                   |
| **Requires**             | Terminal access                    | An AI client that supports MCP (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.) |
| **Deterministic?**       | Yes — you write exact commands     | No — the agent decides which calls to make                 |
| **Good for automation?** | Yes — scriptable and pipe-friendly | No — not designed for unattended automation                |

**Use the CLI when** you want direct, predictable control: scripting, CI/CD pipelines, one-off admin tasks, or any situation where you need to know exactly what API call will be made.

**Use the MCP server when** you're already working inside an AI coding assistant and want to describe what you need in plain English — for example, "show me all customers on the Pro plan who haven't used any API calls this month."


## Related topics

- [CLI](/api-and-sdks/cli.md)
- [MCP Server](/api-and-sdks/mcp-server.md)
- [AI Terminal](/api-and-sdks/ai-terminal.md)
- [Agent Skills](/api-and-sdks/agent-skills.md)
- [Get started with AI](/documentation/getting-started/get-started-with-ai.md)