Update the Readme by datancoffee · Pull Request #204 · tower/tower-cli

datancoffee · 2026-02-20T20:35:11Z

Split old README into Overview, Advanced Installation Options, and Contributor Setup.
The Nix and Devenv setup is a little advanced to be on the main README, so, moved to a separate file and linked.
Added Features, Use Cases, Demos, Quickstarts to README

coderabbitai · 2026-02-20T20:35:23Z

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DEVELOPMENT.md

README.md

bradhe

I think it looks good! Let's ship it. Also a reminder that we need to document the dbt stuff in docs.tower.dev.

jo-sm

I only had a read through the readme.md file, and while I think moving some of the things like how to develop into their own doc are fine, I would highly suggest to remove any Tower marketing sounding stuff from the readme (e.g. "what Tower gives you"). When I look at readmes for tools, while I accept a little bit of non-dev fluff from a tool that's created/maintained by a SaaS company, it's a huge turn off to be sold the product when I just want to know how to use your tool, since I've likely already looked at your website and have a general understanding of the product/tool and just want to use it.

README.md

INSTALL-AND-REFERENCE.md

DEVELOPMENT.md

README.md

socksy · 2026-02-23T11:28:54Z

README.md


-##### Claude Code
+## How It Works

-Add the Tower MCP server to Claude Code using SSE transport:
-
-```bash
-claude mcp add tower http://127.0.0.1:34567/sse --transport sse
 ```
-
-Or with the JSON configuration directly:
-
-```json
-{
-  "mcpServers": {
-    "tower": {
-      "url": "http://127.0.0.1:34567/sse",
-      "transport": "sse"
-    }
-  }
-}
+┌────────────┐     ┌─────┐     ┌──────────────────────┐     ┌────────┐     ┌───────────┐
+│ Developer  │ ──► │ CLI │ ──► │ Tower Control Plane  │ ──► │ Runner │ ──► │ Lakehouse │
+└────────────┘     └─────┘     └──────────────────────┘     └────────┘     └───────────┘
 ```

-For custom ports, adjust the URL accordingly (e.g., `http://127.0.0.1:8080/sse`).
-
-##### Cursor
-
-[![Install MCP Server](https://cursor.com/deeplink/mcp-install-dark.svg)](https://cursor.com/install-mcp?name=tower&config=eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vMTI3LjAuMC4xOjM0NTY3L3NzZSJ9)
+With an AI coding assistant (e.g. Claude, Cursor), the flow goes through the Tower MCP server:

-If that doesn't work, try opening the following link in your browser or in your terminal with `open` on macOS, or `xdg-open` on Linux: 
 ```
-cursor://anysphere.cursor-deeplink/mcp/install?name=tower&config=eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vMTI3LjAuMC4xOjM0NTY3L3NzZSJ9
+┌────────────┐     ┌────────┐     ┌──────────────────┐     ┌──────────────────────┐
+│ Developer  │ ──► │ Claude │ ──► │ MCP (Tower CLI)  │ ──► │ Tower Control Plane  │ ──► ...
+└────────────┘     └────────┘     └──────────────────┘     └──────────────────────┘
 ```

-Or manually, add this to your Cursor MCP settings (`mcp.json`):
+- **Apps** - Python + `requirements.txt` + **Towerfile** (entrypoint, source). Any Python; no SDK required.
+- **Deploy** - `tower deploy` builds, uploads, stores encrypted. Tower cannot read your code.
+- **Secrets** - `tower secrets`; env vars in runner only (AES-256).
+- **Runtime** - Runner pulls app/config, decrypts, runs in sandboxed Python. Same model locally and in cloud.

-```json
-{
-  "mcpServers": {
-    "tower": {
-      "url": "http://127.0.0.1:34567/sse"
-    }
-  }
-}
-```
+[How Tower works](https://docs.tower.dev/docs/architecture/how-tower-works).

-##### VS Code
+---


Don't really understand what this section is trying to communicate. I'd recommend removing it completely.

Suggested change

##### Claude Code

## How It Works

Add the Tower MCP server to Claude Code using SSE transport:

```bash

claude mcp add tower http://127.0.0.1:34567/sse --transport sse

```

Or with the JSON configuration directly:

```json

{

"mcpServers": {

"tower": {

"url": "http://127.0.0.1:34567/sse",

"transport": "sse"

}

}

}

┌────────────┐ ┌─────┐ ┌──────────────────────┐ ┌────────┐ ┌───────────┐

│ Developer │ ──► │ CLI │ ──► │ Tower Control Plane │ ──► │ Runner │ ──► │ Lakehouse │

└────────────┘ └─────┘ └──────────────────────┘ └────────┘ └───────────┘

```

For custom ports, adjust the URL accordingly (e.g., `http://127.0.0.1:8080/sse`).

##### Cursor

[![Install MCP Server](https://cursor.com/deeplink/mcp-install-dark.svg)](https://cursor.com/install-mcp?name=tower&config=eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vMTI3LjAuMC4xOjM0NTY3L3NzZSJ9)

With an AI coding assistant (e.g. Claude, Cursor), the flow goes through the Tower MCP server:

If that doesn't work, try opening the following link in your browser or in your terminal with `open` on macOS, or `xdg-open` on Linux:

```

cursor://anysphere.cursor-deeplink/mcp/install?name=tower&config=eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vMTI3LjAuMC4xOjM0NTY3L3NzZSJ9

┌────────────┐ ┌────────┐ ┌──────────────────┐ ┌──────────────────────┐

│ Developer │ ──► │ Claude │ ──► │ MCP (Tower CLI) │ ──► │ Tower Control Plane │ ──► ...

└────────────┘ └────────┘ └──────────────────┘ └──────────────────────┘

```

Or manually, add this to your Cursor MCP settings (`mcp.json`):

- **Apps** - Python + `requirements.txt` + **Towerfile** (entrypoint, source). Any Python; no SDK required.

- **Deploy** - `tower deploy` builds, uploads, stores encrypted. Tower cannot read your code.

- **Secrets** - `tower secrets`; env vars in runner only (AES-256).

- **Runtime** - Runner pulls app/config, decrypts, runs in sandboxed Python. Same model locally and in cloud.

```json

{

"mcpServers": {

"tower": {

"url": "http://127.0.0.1:34567/sse"

}

}

}

```

[How Tower works](https://docs.tower.dev/docs/architecture/how-tower-works).

##### VS Code

---

socksy · 2026-02-23T11:29:37Z

README.md

+- [x] Code-first orchestration
+- [x] Observability
+- [x] Self-hosted runners
+- [x] Interactive apps
+- [ ] Organizations
+- [ ] RBAC
+- [ ] Iceberg ingestion


Not sure why this is relevant to someone looking at the readme of the CLI?

socksy · 2026-02-23T11:30:22Z

README.md

-If you need to get the latest OpenAPI SDK, you can run
-`./scripts/generate-python-api-client.sh`.
+- **License:** [MIT](LICENSE).
+- Actively maintained; issues responded to promptly.


Suggested change

- Actively maintained; issues responded to promptly.

This is a show, don't tell kinda thing ;)

socksy · 2026-02-23T11:30:34Z

README.md

-## Testing
-We use pytest to run tests. Copy `pytest.ini.template` to `pytest.ini` and 
-replace the values of environment variables 
+[Full install options and optional features →](INSTALL-AND-REFERENCE.md)


Suggested change

[Full install options and optional features →](INSTALL-AND-REFERENCE.md)

[Full installation options and optional features →](INSTALL-AND-REFERENCE.md)

Co-authored-by: Ben Lovell <ben@tower.dev>

datancoffee added 2 commits February 20, 2026 21:15

Updated Readme for Tower CLI

9d98183

Added an MCP guide

ff31ffd

datancoffee requested review from bradhe, sammuti and socksy February 20, 2026 20:35

datancoffee changed the title ~~Feature/tow 1575 cli improve the tower cli readme~~ Update the Readme Feb 20, 2026

datancoffee added 2 commits February 21, 2026 16:44

Restored dbt section under optional

c5a5a20

Added pointer to full MCP docs for users of other AI assistants

b9578e0

bradhe reviewed Feb 21, 2026

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Addressing Brad's comments

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bradhe approved these changes Feb 22, 2026

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jo-sm reviewed Feb 23, 2026

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sammuti approved these changes Feb 23, 2026

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Update INSTALL-AND-REFERENCE.md

3411fb0

Co-authored-by: Ben Lovell <ben@tower.dev>

	[Full install options and optional features →](INSTALL-AND-REFERENCE.md)
	[Full installation options and optional features →](INSTALL-AND-REFERENCE.md)

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