Installation¶

This guide covers all methods of installing UCAI on your system.

Requirements¶

Python 3.10+ - Required
pip or pipx - Python package installer

Checking Python Version¶

python --version
# or
python3 --version

You should see Python 3.10.x or higher.

Installation Methods¶

Using pip (Recommended)¶

The simplest way to install abi-to-mcp:

pip install abi-to-mcp

This installs the package and the abi-to-mcp command globally.

Using pipx (Isolated)¶

If you want to keep abi-to-mcp isolated from other Python packages:

# Install pipx first if you don't have it
pip install pipx
pipx ensurepath

# Install abi-to-mcp
pipx install abi-to-mcp

This creates an isolated environment specifically for abi-to-mcp.

From Source (Development)¶

For contributors or those who want the latest unreleased features:

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/nirholas/UCAI.git
cd UCAI

# Create a virtual environment (recommended)
python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: .venv\Scripts\activate

# Install in editable mode with development dependencies
pip install -e ".[dev]"

Verifying Installation¶

After installation, verify that abi-to-mcp is working:

abi-to-mcp --version

You should see output like:

abi-to-mcp version 1.0.0

Try the help command to see all available options:

abi-to-mcp --help

API Keys (Optional but Recommended)¶

Etherscan API Key¶

When fetching ABIs from block explorers, having an API key gives you:

Higher rate limits (5 requests/second vs 1 request/5 seconds)
More reliable fetching
Access to additional contract metadata

Get free API keys from:

Explorer	Get Key
Etherscan	etherscan.io/apis
Polygonscan	polygonscan.com/apis
Arbiscan	arbiscan.io/apis
Basescan	basescan.org/apis

Set the key as an environment variable:

Linux/macOSWindows (PowerShell)Windows (CMD)

export ETHERSCAN_API_KEY=your-key-here

# Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc for persistence
echo 'export ETHERSCAN_API_KEY=your-key-here' >> ~/.bashrc

$env:ETHERSCAN_API_KEY = "your-key-here"

# For persistence, add to your PowerShell profile

set ETHERSCAN_API_KEY=your-key-here

# For persistence, use System Properties > Environment Variables

RPC Endpoints¶

Generated servers need an RPC endpoint to connect to the blockchain. Free options include:

Provider	Networks	Limits
LlamaNodes	Many	Generous free tier
Alchemy	Many	300M compute units/month
Infura	Many	100K requests/day
QuickNode	Many	Limited free tier

Public RPC endpoints (rate-limited but no signup required):

Network	Public RPC
Ethereum	`https://eth.llamarpc.com`
Polygon	`https://polygon-rpc.com`
Arbitrum	`https://arb1.arbitrum.io/rpc`
Optimism	`https://mainnet.optimism.io`
Base	`https://mainnet.base.org`

Troubleshooting¶

Command Not Found¶

If abi-to-mcp is not found after installation:

Check your PATH: Ensure Python's bin directory is in your PATH
```
python -m abi_to_mcp --version
```
Restart your terminal: Some shells need to be restarted to pick up new commands
Check installation location:
```
pip show abi-to-mcp
```

Permission Errors¶

If you get permission errors during installation:

# Use --user flag
pip install --user abi-to-mcp

# Or use a virtual environment (recommended)
python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
pip install abi-to-mcp

SSL Certificate Errors¶

If you encounter SSL errors:

pip install --trusted-host pypi.org --trusted-host files.pythonhosted.org abi-to-mcp

Updating¶

To update to the latest version:

pip install --upgrade abi-to-mcp

Uninstalling¶

To remove abi-to-mcp:

pip uninstall abi-to-mcp

Next Steps¶

Now that you have abi-to-mcp installed, continue to the Quickstart to generate your first MCP server.