# MCP server health signals that actually matter

Archived repos, deprecated packages, dead remotes — fact-based signals.

## Useful signals
- **Repository archived or gone** — maintenance risk is no longer theoretical.
- **npm deprecated** — upstream told you not to depend on it.
- **No push for a long time** — may be fine for stable tools; pair with remote liveness for hosted products.
- **Live remote handshake** — the hosted product still answers (including auth challenges).

## Misleading alone
- Star count without identity
- A polished README on a look-alike domain
- “Verified” without reading what it verifies

## Where we show them
Lookup table + API card fields. Methodology: [methodology](/methodology).