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Run claude mcp add in your terminal, give the server a name, and tell Claude Code how the server runs. A local server is started with a command; a remote server is reached by URL. The arguments differ between those two cases, so no single template fits every server. After adding it, confirm it with claude mcp list.
For a simple local server that needs no credentials, the process takes about two minutes. That figure is an editorial estimate, not a measured setup time. Servers that need API keys, OAuth sign-in, or team sharing take longer.
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What the server gives Claude Code
MCP, the Model Context Protocol, is an open standard. Anthropic describes it as “an open protocol that standardizes how applications provide context to LLMs” (Anthropic, “Model Context Protocol (MCP)”). In practice, an MCP server exposes tools or data that Claude Code can use during a session. Adding a server is what makes that connection available to Claude Code.
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What you need before you run the command
- Claude Code installed and launchable from your terminal.
- The server’s type: a local program you start with a command, or a remote endpoint with a URL. The server’s own documentation normally states this.
- Any credentials the publisher requires, such as an API key, a header value, or an OAuth sign-in.
- A decision about scope (covered below). If you do not choose one, the default is private to your current project.
The three command forms
Anthropic’s MCP guide documents three forms. Pick the one that matches how the server runs.
#1 Best Overall
| Server type | Command form | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Local stdio | claude mcp add <name> <command> [args...] |
A program that runs on your machine, often started with npx |
| Remote HTTP | claude mcp add --transport http <name> <url> |
A hosted server reached over HTTP |
| Remote SSE | claude mcp add --transport sse <name> <url> |
A hosted server that uses the SSE transport |
Add a local stdio server
- Find the start command in the server’s documentation. Many are published as npm packages and launched with
npx. - Run the add command, with the Claude Code options before
--and the server command after it:claude mcp add my-local-server -- npx -y some-mcp-package - Run
claude mcp list. The new name should appear in the output.
Why the -- separator matters
Everything before -- is read by Claude Code. Everything after it is the server’s command and its own arguments. If you place a server flag before the separator, Claude Code will read it as one of its own options. Put the server’s flags after --.
Passing an API key
Pass a key as an environment variable, placed before the separator:
claude mcp add my-local-server --env API_KEY=YOUR_KEY -- npx -y some-mcp-packageThe variable name depends on the server. Avoid typing a real secret into a command that you might share, paste into a team chat, or commit into a project file. Shell history keeps the commands you type, so store the value where your team’s secret handling expects it and reference it from there.
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Remote HTTP
- Get the server’s current endpoint URL from its publisher. Do not reuse a URL from an old tutorial.
- Run the add command with the HTTP transport:
claude mcp add --transport http my-service https://example.com/mcp - Run
claude mcp listto confirm the entry. The URL above is a syntax illustration, not a working endpoint.
Servers that require headers
The guide documents a --header option for remote servers that need one. Use the header name and value the publisher specifies, and keep the actual token out of shared files:
claude mcp add --transport http my-service https://example.com/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN"Servers that use OAuth
For a service that requires OAuth, add the server first, then type /mcp inside a Claude Code session. The /mcp command is also the place to manage remote authentication for servers already configured.
Choose a scope
Scope controls where the configuration is stored and who receives it. Set it when you add the server; the option is listed in the CLI reference, and you can confirm its exact spelling with claude mcp add --help.
Rank #4
| Scope | Use when | Who gets it | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
local |
The server is private to one project, or holds credentials you do not want to share | Only you, in the current project | This is the default scope |
project |
The team needs one shared server configuration | Anyone who works in the repository, through .mcp.json |
Claude Code asks for approval before using a project-scoped server |
user |
You want a personal utility available in every project | You, across all of your projects | Nothing is stored in the repository |
If the same server name is defined in more than one scope, the precedence is local, then project, then user.
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claude mcp listshows every configured server.claude mcp get <name>shows the details of one server, which is useful for checking the URL or command that was saved.claude mcp remove <name>deletes the entry. Runclaude mcp listagain to confirm it is gone.
Troubleshooting
- The server starts with the wrong options. Move the server’s flags after
--, and move Claude Code options such as--envbefore it. - A local
npxcommand fails on native Windows. The guide notes that, outside WSL, localnpxcommands may need acmd /cwrapper. A form that usually works isclaude mcp add my-local-server -- cmd /c npx -y some-mcp-package. Confirm against the server’s own Windows instructions. - A remote server asks you to sign in but nothing happens. Open
/mcpinside Claude Code and start the authentication from there. - A project server does not load. Check whether Claude Code is waiting for your approval. Project-scoped servers need it before first use.
- The command is rejected as an unknown option. The public guide does not state which Claude Code release its commands apply to. Run
claude mcp add --helpon your installed version and compare it with the CLI reference.
Security before you connect a third-party server
Anthropic states that third-party MCP servers are used at your own risk and that it has not verified the correctness or security of every server. Its guide also flags prompt-injection risk when a server can retrieve untrusted content, such as web pages or support tickets, because that content can carry instructions aimed at the model.
Quick Recap
- Install servers only from publishers you trust, and read the permissions or tools each one exposes.
- Start with a
localscope for a new server, then move it toprojectonce you have tested it. - Keep API keys and tokens out of checked-in
.mcp.jsonfiles and out of shared commands.
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