Claude Code can connect to hundreds of external tools and data sources through the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open-source standard for AI-tool integrations. MCP servers give Claude Code access to your tools, databases, and APIs.
What you can do with MCP
With MCP servers connected, you can ask Claude Code to:
Implement features from issue trackers: "Add the feature described in JIRA issue ENG-4521 and create a PR on GitHub."
Analyze monitoring data: "Check Sentry and Statsig to check the usage of the feature described in ENG-4521."
Query databases: "Find emails of 10 random users who used feature ENG-4521, based on our Postgres database."
Integrate designs: "Update our standard email template based on the new Figma designs that were posted in Slack"
Automate workflows: "Create Gmail drafts inviting these 10 users to a feedback session about the new feature."
Popular MCP servers
Here are some commonly used MCP servers you can connect to Claude Code:
Installing MCP servers
MCP servers can be configured in three different ways depending on your needs:
Option 1: Add a remote HTTP server
HTTP servers are the recommended option for connecting to remote MCP servers. This is the most widely supported transport for cloud-based services.
# Basic syntax
claude mcp add --transport http <name><url># Real example: Connect to Notion
claude mcp add --transport http notion https://mcp.notion.com/mcp
# Example with Bearer token
claude mcp add --transport http secure-api https://api.example.com/mcp \
--header"Authorization: Bearer your-token"
Option 2: Add a remote SSE server
# Basic syntax
claude mcp add --transport sse <name><url># Real example: Connect to Asana
claude mcp add --transport sse asana https://mcp.asana.com/sse
# Example with authentication header
claude mcp add --transport sse private-api https://api.company.com/sse \
--header"X-API-Key: your-key-here"
Option 3: Add a local stdio server
Stdio servers run as local processes on your machine. They're ideal for tools that need direct system access or custom scripts.
# Basic syntax
claude mcp add --transport stdio <name><command> [args...]
# Real example: Add Airtable server
claude mcp add --transport stdio airtable --env AIRTABLE_API_KEY=YOUR_KEY \
-- npx -y airtable-mcp-server
Managing your servers
Once configured, you can manage your MCP servers with these commands:
# List all configured servers
claude mcp list
# Get details for a specific server
claude mcp get github
# Remove a server
claude mcp remove github
# (within Claude Code) Check server status
/mcp
Plugin-provided MCP servers
Plugins can bundle MCP servers, automatically providing tools and integrations when the plugin is enabled. Plugin MCP servers work identically to user-configured servers.
How plugin MCP servers work:
Plugins define MCP servers in .mcp.json at the plugin root or inline in plugin.json
When a plugin is enabled, its MCP servers start automatically
MCP servers can be configured at three different scope levels, each serving distinct purposes for managing server accessibility and sharing. Understanding these scopes helps you determine the best way to configure servers for your specific needs.
Local scope
Local-scoped servers represent the default configuration level and are stored in ~/.claude.json under your project's path. These servers remain private to you and are only accessible when working within the current project directory. This scope is ideal for personal development servers, experimental configurations, or servers containing sensitive credentials that shouldn't be shared.
# Add a local-scoped server (default)
claude mcp add --transport http stripe https://mcp.stripe.com
# Explicitly specify local scope
claude mcp add --transport http stripe --scopelocal https://mcp.stripe.com
Project scope
Project-scoped servers enable team collaboration by storing configurations in a .mcp.json file at your project's root directory. This file is designed to be checked into version control, ensuring all team members have access to the same MCP tools and services. When you add a project-scoped server, Claude Code automatically creates or updates this file with the appropriate configuration structure.
# Add a project-scoped server
claude mcp add --transport http paypal --scope project https://mcp.paypal.com/mcp
The resulting .mcp.json file follows a standardized format:
For security reasons, Claude Code prompts for approval before using project-scoped servers from .mcp.json files. If you need to reset these approval choices, use the claude mcp reset-project-choices command.
User scope
User-scoped servers are stored in ~/.claude.json and provide cross-project accessibility, making them available across all projects on your machine while remaining private to your user account. This scope works well for personal utility servers, development tools, or services you frequently use across different projects.
# Add a user server
claude mcp add --transport http hubspot --scope user https://mcp.hubspot.com/anthropic
Choosing the right scope
Select your scope based on:
Local scope: Personal servers, experimental configurations, or sensitive credentials specific to one project
Project scope: Team-shared servers, project-specific tools, or services required for collaboration
User scope: Personal utilities needed across multiple projects, development tools, or frequently-used services
Scope hierarchy and precedence
MCP server configurations follow a clear precedence hierarchy. When servers with the same name exist at multiple scopes, the system resolves conflicts by prioritizing local-scoped servers first, followed by project-scoped servers, and finally user-scoped servers. This design ensures that personal configurations can override shared ones when needed.
Environment variable expansion in .mcp.json
Claude Code supports environment variable expansion in .mcp.json files, allowing teams to share configurations while maintaining flexibility for machine-specific paths and sensitive values like API keys.
Supported syntax:
${VAR} - Expands to the value of environment variable VAR
${VAR:-default} - Expands to VAR if set, otherwise uses default
Expansion locations:
Environment variables can be expanded in:
If a required environment variable is not set and has no default value, Claude Code will fail to parse the config.
Practical examples
{/* ### Example: Automate browser testing with Playwright
# 1. Add the Playwright MCP server
claude mcp add --transport stdio playwright -- npx -y @playwright/mcp@latest
# 2. Write and run browser tests>"Test if the login flow works with test@example.com">"Take a screenshot of the checkout page on mobile">"Verify that the search feature returns results"
``` */}
### Example: Monitor errors with Sentry
```bash theme={null}
# 1. Add the Sentry MCP server
claude mcp add --transport http sentry https://mcp.sentry.dev/mcp
# 2. Use /mcp to authenticate with your Sentry account> /mcp
# 3. Debug production issues>"What are the most common errors in the last 24 hours?">"Show me the stack trace for error ID abc123">"Which deployment introduced these new errors?"
Example: Connect to GitHub for code reviews
# 1. Add the GitHub MCP server
claude mcp add --transport http github https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/
# 2. In Claude Code, authenticate if needed> /mcp
# Select "Authenticate" for GitHub# 3. Now you can ask Claude to work with GitHub>"Review PR #456 and suggest improvements">"Create a new issue for the bug we just found">"Show me all open PRs assigned to me"
Example: Query your PostgreSQL database
# 1. Add the database server with your connection string
claude mcp add --transport stdio db -- npx -y @bytebase/dbhub \
--dsn"postgresql://readonly:pass@prod.db.com:5432/analytics"# 2. Query your database naturally>"What's our total revenue this month?">"Show me the schema for the orders table">"Find customers who haven't made a purchase in 90 days"
Authenticate with remote MCP servers
Many cloud-based MCP servers require authentication. Claude Code supports OAuth 2.0 for secure connections.
1
Add the server that requires authentication
For example:
claude mcp add --transport http sentry https://mcp.sentry.dev/mcp
2
Use the /mcp command within Claude Code
In Claude code, use the command:
> /mcp
Then follow the steps in your browser to login.
Add MCP servers from JSON configuration
If you have a JSON configuration for an MCP server, you can add it directly:
1
Add an MCP server from JSON
# Basic syntax
claude mcp add-json<name>'<json>'# Example: Adding an HTTP server with JSON configuration
claude mcp add-json weather-api'{"type":"http","url":"https://api.weather.com/mcp","headers":{"Authorization":"Bearer token"}}'# Example: Adding a stdio server with JSON configuration
claude mcp add-jsonlocal-weather'{"type":"stdio","command":"/path/to/weather-cli","args":["--api-key","abc123"],"env":{"CACHE_DIR":"/tmp"}}'
2
Verify the server was added
claude mcp get weather-api
Import MCP servers from Claude Desktop
If you've already configured MCP servers in Claude Desktop, you can import them:
1
Import servers from Claude Desktop
# Basic syntax
claude mcp add-from-claude-desktop
2
Select which servers to import
After running the command, you'll see an interactive dialog that allows you to select which servers you want to import.
3
Verify the servers were imported
claude mcp list
Use Claude Code as an MCP server
You can use Claude Code itself as an MCP server that other applications can connect to:
# Start Claude as a stdio MCP server
claude mcp serve
You can use this in Claude Desktop by adding this configuration to claude_desktop_config.json:
When MCP tools produce large outputs, Claude Code helps manage the token usage to prevent overwhelming your conversation context:
Output warning threshold: Claude Code displays a warning when any MCP tool output exceeds 10,000 tokens
Configurable limit: You can adjust the maximum allowed MCP output tokens using the MAX_MCP_OUTPUT_TOKENS environment variable
Default limit: The default maximum is 25,000 tokens
To increase the limit for tools that produce large outputs:
# Set a higher limit for MCP tool outputsexport MAX_MCP_OUTPUT_TOKENS=50000
claude
This is particularly useful when working with MCP servers that:
Query large datasets or databases
Generate detailed reports or documentation
Process extensive log files or debugging information
Use MCP resources
MCP servers can expose resources that you can reference using @ mentions, similar to how you reference files.
Reference MCP resources
1
List available resources
Type @ in your prompt to see available resources from all connected MCP servers. Resources appear alongside files in the autocomplete menu.
2
Reference a specific resource
Use the format @server:protocol://resource/path to reference a resource:
> Can you analyze @github:issue://123 and suggest a fix?
> Please review the API documentation at @docs:file://api/authentication
3
Multiple resource references
You can reference multiple resources in a single prompt:
> Compare @postgres:schema://users with @docs:file://database/user-model
Use MCP prompts as slash commands
MCP servers can expose prompts that become available as slash commands in Claude Code.
Execute MCP prompts
1
Discover available prompts
Type / to see all available commands, including those from MCP servers. MCP prompts appear with the format /mcp__servername__promptname.
2
Execute a prompt without arguments
> /mcp__github__list_prs
3
Execute a prompt with arguments
Many prompts accept arguments. Pass them space-separated after the command:
> /mcp__github__pr_review 456
> /mcp__jira__create_issue "Bug in login flow" high
Enterprise MCP configuration
For organizations that need centralized control over MCP servers, Claude Code supports enterprise-managed MCP configurations. This allows IT administrators to:
Control which MCP servers employees can access: Deploy a standardized set of approved MCP servers across the organization
Prevent unauthorized MCP servers: Optionally restrict users from adding their own MCP servers
Disable MCP entirely: Remove MCP functionality completely if needed
Setting up enterprise MCP configuration
System administrators can deploy an enterprise MCP configuration file alongside the managed settings file. See settings files for the managed-mcp.json file locations on each platform.
The managed-mcp.json file uses the same format as a standard .mcp.json file:
Restricting MCP servers with allowlists and denylists
In addition to providing enterprise-managed servers, administrators can control which MCP servers users are allowed to configure using allowedMcpServers and deniedMcpServers in the managed settings file:
Restriction options
Each entry in the allowlist or denylist can restrict servers in two ways:
By server name (serverName): Matches the configured name of the server
By command (serverCommand): Matches the exact command and arguments used to start stdio servers
Important: Each entry must have eitherserverNameorserverCommand, not both.
Example configuration
{"allowedMcpServers": [
// Allow by server name
{"serverName": "github"},
{"serverName": "sentry"},
// Allow by exact command (for stdio servers)
{"serverCommand": ["npx", "-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem"]},
{"serverCommand": ["python", "/usr/local/bin/approved-server.py"]}],
"deniedMcpServers": [
// Block by server name
{"serverName": "dangerous-server"},
// Block by exact command (for stdio servers)
{"serverCommand": ["npx", "-y", "unapproved-package"]}]}
How command-based restrictions work
Exact matching:
Command arrays must match exactly - both the command and all arguments in the correct order
Example: ["npx", "-y", "server"] will NOT match ["npx", "server"] or ["npx", "-y", "server", "--flag"]
Stdio server behavior:
When the allowlist contains anyserverCommand entries, stdio servers must match one of those commands
Stdio servers cannot pass by name alone when command restrictions are present
This ensures administrators can enforce which commands are allowed to run
Non-stdio server behavior:
Remote servers (HTTP, SSE, WebSocket) always match by name only
Command restrictions do not apply to remote servers
List of entries: Users can only configure servers that match by name or command
Denylist behavior (deniedMcpServers)
undefined (default): No servers are blocked
Empty array []: No servers are blocked
List of entries: Specified servers are explicitly blocked across all scopes
Important notes
These restrictions apply to all scopes: user, project, local, and even enterprise servers from managed-mcp.json
Denylist takes absolute precedence: If a server matches a denylist entry (by name or command), it will be blocked even if it's on the allowlist
Name-based and command-based restrictions work together: a server passes if it matches either a name entry or a command entry (unless blocked by denylist)
3> Learn how to connect Claude Code to your tools with the Model Context Protocol.3> Learn how to connect Claude Code to your tools with the Model Context Protocol.
5Claude Code can connect to hundreds of external tools and data sources through the [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/introduction), an open-source standard for AI-tool integrations. MCP servers give Claude Code access to your tools, databases, and APIs.206Claude Code can connect to hundreds of external tools and data sources through the [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/introduction), an open-source standard for AI-tool integrations. MCP servers give Claude Code access to your tools, databases, and APIs.
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7## What you can do with MCP208## What you can do with MCP