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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchTo connect a local Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, configure your MCP client to launch the server as a local stdio process. Supply the executable, its arguments, and—only when required—the working directory and environment. Then restart or refresh the client, confirm the server appears as connected, and inspect its logs if it fails. Claude Desktop and VS Code use different configuration files and JSON schemas, so never copy one client’s entry unchanged into the other.
What a local MCP connection actually does
A local connection is normally a client-side launch definition. The desktop application or editor starts your server process and communicates with it over standard input and standard output. The client therefore needs to know:
- Which executable to run, either from the system
PATHor by absolute path. - Which arguments to pass to that executable.
- Which environment variables, environment file, and working directory the process needs.
- Which files, folders, network resources, or other permissions the server should receive.
The server’s publisher supplies the real package name and command. The examples below deliberately use placeholders rather than inventing an installation command.
The instructions here reflect the Claude Desktop and VS Code documentation available on September 29, 2026. Menu names and supported options can change, so check the current documentation for the client you are using.
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Choose the host client and configuration route
| Host | Local configuration | Top-level key | How to start or verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Desktop | Settings > Developer > Edit Config; macOS uses ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json, and Windows uses %APPDATA%Claudeclaude_desktop_config.json. |
mcpServers |
Completely quit and reopen Claude Desktop. View servers and tools in the Connectors picker or Developer settings, then inspect connection logs. |
| VS Code | Add a server from the MCP server interface, or edit workspace .vscode/mcp.json. A user-profile configuration is also supported. |
servers |
Use the MCP server interface to start or restart the entry and open its output or log view. |
Claude Desktop’s schema and VS Code’s schema are not interchangeable. Claude’s documented example does not use VS Code’s type property, while VS Code’s local-process reference uses type: "stdio".
How to add a local MCP server to Claude Desktop
1. Open the correct configuration editor
- Open Claude Desktop.
- Choose Settings, select Developer, and choose Edit Config.
- Confirm that the file is the one for your operating system:
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.jsonon macOS or%APPDATA%Claudeclaude_desktop_config.jsonon Windows.
2. Add the server under mcpServers
A Claude Desktop entry identifies a friendly server name, a command, and optional arguments. Use the command and arguments documented by the server publisher:
{
"mcpServers": {
"example": {
"command": "your-command",
"args": ["your-server-arguments"]
}
}
}Replace your-command and the argument values with the real installation instructions. Do not add VS Code’s servers wrapper or assume that a type field belongs in this Claude example.
3. Limit arguments and filesystem access
In the MCP project’s filesystem example, directory arguments define which paths the example server can expose. Pass only directories appropriate to the task. A server launched with your account can use the tools and permissions available to that account; a local process is not automatically sandboxed.
4. Restart and verify
- Save the JSON file.
- Completely quit Claude Desktop, not just the chat window, and launch it again so the configuration is reloaded.
- Open the chat Connectors picker or Developer settings.
- Confirm that the server is connected and that its expected tools are listed.
- If it is missing or disconnected, open the connection logs before changing the configuration.
Optional managed installation
Claude Desktop also documents a desktop-extension route. You can browse or install an extension from Settings > Extensions, or use its advanced settings to install a custom .mcpb extension. This route is specific to Claude Desktop and depends on how the server is distributed; use it only when the publisher provides an extension package.
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How to add a local MCP server to VS Code
1. Decide between workspace and user scope
Use .vscode/mcp.json when the server belongs to one project and should be shared with that project’s setup. Use the user-profile configuration when you want the server available across your workspaces. Treat workspace files as shareable: do not put private tokens in them unless you are using the client’s documented secret-input mechanism.
2. Add the server from the interface or configuration file
VS Code can add and manage servers through its MCP server interface. You can also create or edit .vscode/mcp.json. A minimal local-process definition has this shape:
{
"servers": {
"example": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "your-command",
"args": ["your-server-arguments"]
}
}
}The command must be available on the system PATH seen by VS Code, or you must provide its full executable path. The args array is optional and is passed to the command in order.
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VS Code’s configuration reference documents optional env, envFile, and cwd properties. Add them only when the server requires them:
{
"servers": {
"example": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "/full/path/to/your-command",
"args": ["your-server-arguments"],
"cwd": "/path/to/project",
"envFile": "${workspaceFolder}/.env.local"
}
}
}Keep secrets out of a committed workspace file. If the server needs a token, use the client’s supported secret mechanism or a protected environment file and ensure that file is excluded from source control.
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4. Start and inspect the server
- Save the workspace or user configuration.
- Open VS Code’s MCP server interface.
- Start or restart the new entry using the control provided by your VS Code version.
- Open the server’s output or log view.
- Check that the expected tools or resources are available; a visible configuration entry alone does not prove that the process started successfully.
Command, argument, and transport details
Use the server’s official launch command
Do not guess whether a server should be started with a package runner, a Python module, a compiled binary, or another launcher. Copy the publisher’s command exactly, then translate its arguments into the client’s array format. If the command works in a terminal but not in the client, use an absolute executable path and verify the runtime is installed for the same operating-system user that launches the client.
Understand stdio versus network connections
Stdio is the usual local-process method documented for these clients: the host starts the executable and exchanges protocol messages through its standard streams. VS Code also documents network connections, but a network transport works only when both the client and the server support the same transport and authentication method. Do not change a stdio server to a network URL without instructions from its publisher.
Keep access as narrow as practical
For a filesystem server, pass the smallest set of directories that satisfies the job. For any server, review environment variables, working directory, command-line flags, and inherited operating-system permissions before enabling it.
Why a local MCP server is not connecting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The process never starts. | The command is misspelled, unavailable to the client, or dependent on a missing runtime. | Run the publisher’s command in a terminal, check the installed runtime, then use an absolute executable path in the client configuration. |
| The server entry is present but disconnected. | The client has not reloaded the file, or the process exited during startup. | Fully restart Claude Desktop, or restart the entry from VS Code’s MCP interface. Read the client’s logs for the first startup error. |
| Arguments or directories fail. | Invalid JSON, incorrect quoting, a nonexistent path, or a path inaccessible to the client user. | Validate commas and quotation marks, escape Windows backslashes correctly, and confirm every path exists and is readable by the launching account. |
| A server works in a shell but not in the client. | The GUI process has a different PATH, working directory, or environment. |
Set cwd, env, or envFile where supported, and replace a bare command with its full path. |
| Windows configuration references the wrong location. | Environment-variable expansion for APPDATA may fail in a particular Claude Desktop setup. |
Follow the Claude MCP guide’s targeted workaround by placing the explicitly expanded APPDATA value in the configuration when that documented case applies; do not treat it as a universal requirement. |
| The server appears, but a tool is absent. | The server and client combination does not expose that capability, or the server failed after partial startup. | Check the server’s own documentation and inspect the client log; the configured name alone does not determine available tools or resources. |
| Unexpected files or actions are exposed. | The server received broader paths, environment values, or permissions than intended. | Stop it, review the publisher, executable, arguments, environment, and permissions, then relaunch with a reduced scope. |
Security checks before you enable a local server
VS Code warns that a local MCP server can run arbitrary code on your computer. Review the publisher and configuration before starting it. Examine the executable or package source, every argument, environment variable, working directory, and requested directory. For filesystem tools, grant only folders you are comfortable exposing to that process. Use a separate operating-system account or other isolation only if your organization’s policy and the server’s documentation support it; do not assume that running locally provides a security boundary.
Reliability, performance, and operating cost
Startup and reliability
A stdio server is tied to the host client’s lifecycle. A client restart, a crashed process, or an expired environment can interrupt the connection. Keep the launch command deterministic, avoid relying on an interactive shell profile, and use the client’s logs to identify the first failure rather than repeatedly editing unrelated fields.
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Performance
Startup time depends on the executable, runtime, package manager, and any initialization work performed by the server. A full path avoids command lookup ambiguity; a fixed cwd avoids project-discovery surprises. Large directory scopes or expensive startup scans can also slow the first tool call, so configure only what the task needs.
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Cost
The local connection itself has no MCP service charge described in these setup instructions. You remain responsible for any software, hosted API, model, network, or infrastructure costs incurred by the server you launch. Review those terms separately in the server publisher’s documentation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I configure the same MCP server in both Claude Desktop and VS Code?
Yes, each host can have its own launch entry, but each client normally starts its own process. Confirm that the server supports multiple simultaneous instances and that both configurations use the publisher’s documented command and permissions.
Should I put an MCP server in workspace configuration or user configuration?
Choose workspace scope when the server is specific to one project and user scope when you need it across projects. Treat workspace files as shareable and keep credentials in the client’s secret facility or a protected environment file.
Does a local MCP server have to use stdio?
No. Stdio is the common local process route documented for Claude Desktop and VS Code. A network transport is appropriate only when the selected client and server explicitly support the same transport and authentication scheme.
The Bottom Line
Use the configuration schema for your actual host, launch the server with the publisher’s exact command, grant the narrowest practical access, and verify the process in the client’s status view and logs.
Quick Recap
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