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fix(client): Support specifying windowsHide for STDIO servers #1104

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fix(client): Support specifying windowsHide for STDIO servers #1104

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fc1b5c5
fix(client): Accept windowsHide in STDIO transport
erran Nov 12, 2025
98f7842
Merge branch 'main' into erran/support-windows-hide-outside-of-electron
erran Nov 20, 2025
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161 changes: 161 additions & 0 deletions src/client/cross-spawn.test.ts
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -150,4 +150,165 @@ describe('StdioClientTransport using cross-spawn', () => {
// verify message is sent correctly
expect(mockProcess.stdin.write).toHaveBeenCalled();
});

describe('windowsHide parameter', () => {
const originalPlatform = process.platform;

afterEach(() => {
// restore original platform
Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', {
value: originalPlatform,
writable: true
});
});

test('should use explicit windowsHide=true when provided', async () => {
const transport = new StdioClientTransport({
command: 'test-command',
windowsHide: true
});

await transport.start();

// verify windowsHide is set to true
expect(mockSpawn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
'test-command',
[],
expect.objectContaining({
windowsHide: true
})
);
});

test('should use explicit windowsHide=false when provided', async () => {
const transport = new StdioClientTransport({
command: 'test-command',
windowsHide: false
});

await transport.start();

// verify windowsHide is set to false
expect(mockSpawn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
'test-command',
[],
expect.objectContaining({
windowsHide: false
})
);
});

test('should default to true on Windows in Electron environment when windowsHide not specified', async () => {
// mock windows platform and electron environment
Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', {
value: 'win32',
writable: true
});
Object.defineProperty(process, 'type', {
value: 'renderer',
configurable: true
});

const transport = new StdioClientTransport({
command: 'test-command'
});

await transport.start();

// verify windowsHide defaults to true
expect(mockSpawn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
'test-command',
[],
expect.objectContaining({
windowsHide: true
})
);

// cleanup
// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
delete (process as any).type;
});

test('should default to false on Windows in non-Electron environment when windowsHide not specified', async () => {
// mock windows platform without electron
Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', {
value: 'win32',
writable: true
});

// remove this property used to detect isElectron
// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
delete (process as any).type;

const transport = new StdioClientTransport({
command: 'test-command'
});

await transport.start();

// verify windowsHide defaults to false
expect(mockSpawn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
'test-command',
[],
expect.objectContaining({
windowsHide: false
})
);
});

test('should default to false on non-Windows platforms when windowsHide not specified', async () => {
// mock non-windows platform
Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', {
value: 'darwin',
writable: true
});

const transport = new StdioClientTransport({
command: 'test-command'
});

await transport.start();

// verify windowsHide defaults to false
expect(mockSpawn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
'test-command',
[],
expect.objectContaining({
windowsHide: false
})
);
});

test('should override default behavior when windowsHide is explicitly set on Windows', async () => {
// mock windows platform and electron environment
Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', {
value: 'win32',
writable: true
});
Object.defineProperty(process, 'type', {
value: 'renderer',
configurable: true
});

const transport = new StdioClientTransport({
command: 'test-command',
windowsHide: false
});

await transport.start();

// verify explicit false overrides default true
expect(mockSpawn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
'test-command',
[],
expect.objectContaining({
windowsHide: false
})
);

// remove the mock electron property.
// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
delete (process as any).type;
});
});
});
11 changes: 9 additions & 2 deletions src/client/stdio.ts
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -37,6 +37,13 @@ export type StdioServerParameters = {
* If not specified, the current working directory will be inherited.
*/
cwd?: string;

/**
* Whether to hide Windows Terminal when spawning the process.
*
* If not specified, the result of isElectron() will be used.
*/
windowsHide?: boolean;
};

/**
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -127,7 +134,7 @@ export class StdioClientTransport implements Transport {
stdio: ['pipe', 'pipe', this._serverParams.stderr ?? 'inherit'],
shell: false,
signal: this._abortController.signal,
windowsHide: process.platform === 'win32' && isElectron(),
windowsHide: this._serverParams.windowsHide ?? isElectron(),
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@erran erran Nov 12, 2025 •
edited
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Honestly I was debating whether hard coding true here or removing the electron check was sufficient due to how it’ll behave on non-Windows systems but I didn’t get around to testing different platforms since I’m usually developing on Mac or Linux so validating the changes in windows took most of my day.

I decided against true or win32 platform check as the following code could break someone else’s assumptions in a way I’m not thinking of right now (although in my experience the terminal window for each stdio MCP server is always blank).

Suggested change
windowsHide: this._serverParams.windowsHide ?? isElectron(),
windowsHide: process.platform === 'win32',

cwd: this._serverParams.cwd
});

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -232,5 +239,5 @@ export class StdioClientTransport implements Transport {
}

function isElectron() {
return 'type' in process;
return process.platform === 'win32' && 'type' in process;
}
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