{
 "categories": [
  "platform",
  "enterprise"
 ],
 "deployment": "hybrid",
 "evidence": [
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "homepage",
   "note": "HashiCorp Developer presents Consul as service networking for discovery, service mesh, identity-based authorization, and secure service-to-service encryption across on-prem, hybrid, and multi-cloud.",
   "source": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "deployment",
   "note": "The Consul home describes on-prem, hybrid-cloud, and multi-cloud deployments, with VM and Kubernetes install paths, so the product is hybrid.",
   "source": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "license",
   "note": "Consul 1.17.0 or later is Business Source License 1.1. Licensor is IBM Corp. Change license is MPL 2.0 after four years. That is not OSI open source.",
   "source": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hashicorp/consul/main/LICENSE",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "license",
   "note": "Consul Enterprise requires a license at agent start via CONSUL_LICENSE, CONSUL_LICENSE_PATH, or license_path.",
   "source": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul/docs/enterprise/license",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "platforms",
   "note": "The Consul install page lists macOS, Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, and Solaris packages or binaries. The product also has a web UI.",
   "source": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul/install",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "modalities.api.exists",
   "note": "HashiCorp documents the Consul HTTP API as the primary interface to all Consul functionality.",
   "source": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul/api-docs",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "modalities.api.kinds[0]",
   "note": "The API is documented as a RESTful HTTP API using GET, PUT, and DELETE, with JSON output under the /v1/ prefix.",
   "source": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul/api-docs/api-structure",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "modalities.api.auth[0]",
   "note": "When authentication is enabled, a Consul token is sent as the X-Consul-Token HTTP header. Curl examples use that header.",
   "source": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul/api-docs/api-structure",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "modalities.api.auth[1]",
   "note": "The same Consul token may be sent as Authorization: Bearer under the RFC6750 Bearer scheme.",
   "source": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul/api-docs/api-structure",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "modalities.api.coverage",
   "note": "HashiCorp states the HTTP API is the primary interface to all functionality, with catalog, health, ACL, Connect, KV, operator, snapshot, and related endpoints. Namespace and partition routes are Enterprise.",
   "source": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul/api-docs",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "modalities.sdk.exists",
   "note": "The official consul/api package documents programmatic access to the full Consul API.",
   "source": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hashicorp/consul/main/api/README.md",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "modalities.sdk.languages[0]",
   "note": "The official Go client is imported as github.com/hashicorp/consul/api.",
   "source": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hashicorp/consul/main/api/README.md",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "modalities.mcp.first_party",
   "note": "HashiCorp owns hashicorp/consul-mcp-server. The README documents a first-party Consul MCP Server with stdio and StreamableHTTP, CONSUL_HTTP_TOKEN, and Consul API toolsets.",
   "source": "https://github.com/hashicorp/consul-mcp-server",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "modalities.cli.exists",
   "note": "The consul CLI is a single binary that wraps the HTTP API. Authenticated commands accept -token, -token-file, or CONSUL_HTTP_TOKEN.",
   "source": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul/commands",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "modalities.data_access.export[0]",
   "note": "consul kv export writes a JSON representation of KV pairs for a prefix to stdout.",
   "source": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul/commands/kv/export",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "modalities.data_access.import[0]",
   "note": "consul kv import reads the JSON produced by kv export from a file, stdin, or a literal payload.",
   "source": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul/commands/kv/import",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "modalities.agent_docs.llms_txt",
   "note": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/llms.txt returned HTTP 404 on 2026-09-04.",
   "source": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/llms.txt",
   "tier": "scraped"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "verdict.scores.api",
   "note": "The HTTP API is documented as the primary control plane with ACL-token auth, JSON interchange, and an official Go client. Enterprise-only namespace and partition paths keep it in the broad-production tier rather than 9-10.",
   "source": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul/api-docs",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "verdict.scores.mcp",
   "note": "The official server has useful catalog, KV, ACL, Connect, and operator toolsets over stdio and StreamableHTTP. HashiCorp limits it to local use on trusted networks and marks namespace tools Enterprise-only.",
   "source": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hashicorp/consul-mcp-server/main/README.md",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "verdict.scores.cli",
   "note": "The official CLI wraps the HTTP API, accepts CONSUL_HTTP_TOKEN or -token, reads stdin, and documents -format=json on commands such as version. Not every API endpoint has a dedicated command.",
   "source": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul/commands",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[0].url",
   "note": "Opened hashicorp/consul-mcp-server. Not archived. Latest push 2026-08-31. Business Source License 1.1. README documents stdio and StreamableHTTP, CONSUL_HTTP_TOKEN, and the toolset table.",
   "source": "https://github.com/hashicorp/consul-mcp-server",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[1].url",
   "note": "Opened and verified as the current Consul HTTP API overview, including catalog, ACL, Connect, KV, and operator endpoint groups.",
   "source": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul/api-docs",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[2].url",
   "note": "Opened and verified as the current Consul CLI usage page, including CONSUL_HTTP_TOKEN and the command index.",
   "source": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul/commands",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[3].url",
   "note": "Opened the Namespace HTTP API page. It is marked Consul Enterprise 1.7.0 and later, with X-Consul-Token examples.",
   "source": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul/api-docs/namespaces",
   "tier": "declared"
  }
 ],
 "freshness": {
  "last_verified": "2026-09-04",
  "volatility": "high",
  "watch": [
   {
    "type": "repo",
    "url": "https://github.com/hashicorp/consul-mcp-server"
   },
   {
    "type": "docs",
    "url": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul/api-docs"
   },
   {
    "type": "docs",
    "url": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul/commands"
   },
   {
    "type": "docs",
    "url": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul/api-docs/namespaces"
   }
  ]
 },
 "homepage": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul",
 "id": "hashicorp-consul",
 "license": "commercial",
 "modalities": {
  "agent_docs": {
   "llms_txt": false
  },
  "api": {
   "auth": [
    "consul-acl-token",
    "bearer"
   ],
   "coverage": "full",
   "docs": "https://developer.hashicorp.com/consul/api-docs",
   "exists": true,
   "kinds": [
    "rest"
   ]
  },
  "cli": {
   "exists": true
  },
  "computer_use": {
   "issues": [],
   "viability": "unknown"
  },
  "data_access": {
   "export": [
    "json"
   ],
   "import": [
    "json"
   ]
  },
  "extensibility": {
   "scripting": [],
   "webhooks": "unknown"
  },
  "integrations": {
   "make": "unknown",
   "n8n": "unknown",
   "power_automate": "unknown",
   "zapier": "unknown"
  },
  "mcp": {
   "first_party": true,
   "third_party": [],
   "verdict": "official"
  },
  "rpa": {
   "drivability": "unknown",
   "notes": "No repeatable UI probe was run. The Consul HTTP API, official consul CLI, and Consul MCP Server cover catalog, KV, ACL, and mesh work without browser control.\n",
   "ui_stack": [
    "web-dom"
   ],
   "vendor_support": []
  },
  "sdk": {
   "exists": true,
   "languages": [
    "go"
   ],
   "official": true
  }
 },
 "name": "HashiCorp Consul",
 "platforms": [
  "windows",
  "macos",
  "linux",
  "web"
 ],
 "related": {
  "alternatives": [
   "hashicorp-terraform",
   "hashicorp-vault"
  ],
  "our_products": []
 },
 "schema_version": 1,
 "score_version": 1,
 "status": "active",
 "vendor": "HashiCorp",
 "verdict": {
  "best_path": "api",
  "scores": {
   "api": 8,
   "cli": 8,
   "computer_use": null,
   "integrations": null,
   "mcp": 7,
   "overall": 8,
   "rpa": null
  },
  "summary": "HashiCorp Consul is automatable today through its HTTP API. This record is Consul service discovery, KV, Connect mesh, ACL, and operator surfaces, including self-hosted agents and the first-party Consul MCP Server. It is not Terraform and not Vault. HashiCorp documents the HTTP API as a RESTful interface and the main interface to Consul. Routes are prefixed with /v1/. When ACLs are enabled, callers send a Consul token as X-Consul-Token or as Authorization: Bearer. JSON request and response bodies are the documented interchange. The official Go client is github.com/hashicorp/consul/api. The consul CLI is a single binary that wraps the same API, with CONSUL_HTTP_TOKEN or -token, stdin input, and -format=json on documented commands such as version. The first-party Consul MCP Server (hashicorp/consul-mcp-server) speaks stdio and StreamableHTTP, authenticates to Consul with CONSUL_HTTP_TOKEN, and exposes catalog, agent, health, kv, acl, connect, operator, session, status, peering, config, discovery, query, namespaces, and identity toolsets. HashiCorp says that server is intended for local use on trusted networks. Namespace tools and CONSUL_NAMESPACE are Consul Enterprise. Consul 1.17.0 and later is Business Source License 1.1. Consul Enterprise uses separate license keys. iPaaS connectors were not opened. Computer-use viability is unassessed. API and CLI both score 8. API is the best path because HashiCorp states the HTTP API is the primary interface and the CLI itself consumes it. MCP scores 7 because it is a maintained official server with useful coverage, constrained to local or trusted networks.\n"
 }
}