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

# Introduction

> AI-powered SDLC governance for your AI assistant

**nablr** *(pronounced like "enabler")* is an MCP server that connects to your AI assistant and enforces quality gates across your entire software delivery lifecycle.

It ships 19 expert AI personas — product manager, architect, developer, tester, security owner, and more — each loaded with rules, standards, and escalation protocols. Free tier includes 40+ local code scanners and workflow tools.

## The problem it solves

AI assistants accelerate typing, not engineering.

| What they promised | What actually happens   |
| ------------------ | ----------------------- |
| Ship faster        | More code, same bugs    |
| Higher quality     | AI-generated tech debt  |
| Reduce costs       | Increased rework cycles |

nablr is the orchestration layer that fixes this — quality enforcement, workflow context, and persistent state that AI assistants lack by default.

| Metric                | Without nablr      | With nablr                 |
| --------------------- | ------------------ | -------------------------- |
| Rework rate           | \~30% of dev time  | First-pass quality         |
| Review cycles         | 2.5 iterations avg | Single iteration           |
| Defect escape to prod | 15% of features    | Pre-development validation |
| Onboarding time       | 3–6 months         | Instant via CODE\_MAP      |

## When to use nablr

Reach for nablr when:

* **AI code ships defects** — you use Cursor, Copilot, or Claude but can't trust what merges
* **Requirements aren't buildable** — stories get written but QA finds gaps after development
* **Incidents recur** — same root causes keep appearing with different symptoms
* **Codebase is unknown** — inherited system, no docs, no safe entry point for change
* **Migrations stall** — platform rewrites start without a complete map and discover unknowns mid-flight
* **Governance is required** — SOC2, ISO 27001, or internal audit trails needed for AI-assisted development

Not the right fit if your team doesn't use an AI coding assistant — nablr augments the assistant, it doesn't replace it.

## How it works

nablr runs as a local MCP server alongside your AI assistant. When you invoke a persona, nablr injects the relevant rules, standards, and context directly into the conversation.

```
Your AI assistant (Cursor / Claude Desktop / Windsurf)
        ↕  MCP (stdio)
      nablr
        ↕  license server (paid tier only)
   nablr-api
```

No proxy. No telemetry. Your code never leaves your machine.

## Free vs paid

| Capability                                           | Free | Pro |
| ---------------------------------------------------- | ---- | --- |
| 40+ code scanners                                    | ✅    | ✅   |
| Workflow orchestration tools                         | ✅    | ✅   |
| Codebase mapping                                     | ✅    | ✅   |
| 19 expert persona prompts                            | —    | ✅   |
| 34 rule files (backend, frontend, testing, security) | —    | ✅   |
| Language + framework configs                         | —    | ✅   |
| Trial (14 days, full Pro)                            | ✅    | —   |

## Compatible clients

nablr uses **stdio** transport and works with any MCP-compatible client:

* Cursor
* Claude Desktop
* Windsurf

<Note>Gemini and GitHub Copilot do not currently support MCP.</Note>