MCP Server Setup

Model Context Protocol (MCP) lets tools run as separate servers that Claude connects to at runtime. Each server exposes one or more capabilities (e.g., filesystem access, running shell commands, browser automation). You register a server with Claude, and Claude starts it with your specified command when needed.

[!Important] Install Node.js 18+ ⮞ node -v

Install Claude Code ⮞ npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Official Docs You May Want:

Build MCP Server | Build MCP Client | Server Examples | Popular MCP servers

Community Docs You May Want:

Adding soon..

# Add file system access (most commonly used)
claude mcp add filesystem -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ~/Documents ~/Desktop

# Verify if successful
claude mcp list

Additional Methods:

# Basic syntax
claude mcp add <name> <command> [parameters...]

# Actual example: Add local file system access
claude mcp add my-filesystem -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ~/Documents

# Example with environment variables
claude mcp add api-server -e API_KEY=your-key-here -- /path/to/server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/Users/username/Documents"],
      "env": {}
    },
    "github": {
      "type": "stdio", 
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
      "env": {
        "GITHUB_TOKEN": "your-github-token"
      }
    }
  }
}

# Add project-level MCP server
claude mcp add shared-tools -s project -- npx -y @your-team/mcp-tools

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "shared-tools": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@your-team/mcp-tools"],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

MCP Server Scope Detailed

Understanding scope is crucial to avoid "server not found" errors:

1. Local Scope (Default)

• Only available in current directory
• Configuration stored in the projects section of ~/.claude.json
• Suitable for: Personal project-specific tools

2. User Scope (Global)

• Available in all projects
• Added using -s user flag
• Suitable for: Common tools like file systems, database clients

3. Project Scope (Team shared)

• Shared through .mcp.json file
• Added using -s project flag
• Suitable for: Team-shared project-specific tools

Practical MCP Server Recommendations

Here's the most worthwhile MCP server list to install:

1. File System Access

claude mcp add filesystem -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ~/Documents ~/Projects ~/Desktop

Use: Let Claude directly read and write files, modify code

2. GitHub Integration

claude mcp add github -s user -e GITHUB_TOKEN=your-token -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-github

Use: Manage issues, PRs, code reviews

3. Web Browser Control

claude mcp add puppeteer -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-puppeteer

Use: Automated web operations, crawling, testing

4. Database Connection (PostgreSQL)

claude mcp add postgres -s user -e DATABASE_URL=your-db-url -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-postgres

Use: Directly query and manipulate databases

5. Fetch Tool (API Calls)

claude mcp add fetch -s user -- npx -y @kazuph/mcp-fetch

Use: Call various REST APIs

6. Search Engine

claude mcp add search -s user -e BRAVE_API_KEY=your-key -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-brave-search

Use: Search for latest information

7. Slack Integration

claude mcp add slack -s user -e SLACK_TOKEN=your-token -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-slack

Use: Send messages, manage channels

8. Time Management

claude mcp add time -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-time

Use: Time zone conversion, date calculation

9. Memory Storage

claude mcp add memory -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-memory

Use: Save information across conversations

10. Sequential Thinking (Thought Chain)

claude mcp add thinking -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking

Use: Step-by-step thinking for complex problems

Common Errors and Solutions

Error 1: Tool Name Validation Failed

API Error 400: "tools.11.custom.name: String should match pattern '^[a-zA-Z0-9_-]{1,64}$'"

Solution:

• Ensure server name only contains letters, numbers, underscores and hyphens
• Name length should not exceed 64 characters
• Don't use special characters or spaces

Error 2: MCP Server Not Found

MCP server 'my-server' not found

Solution:

1. Check if scope settings are correct
2. Run claude mcp list to confirm server has been added
3. Ensure you're in the correct directory (for local scope)
4. Restart Claude Code

Error 3: Protocol Version Error

"protocolVersion": "Required"

Solution: This is a known bug in Claude Code, temporary solutions:

1. Use wrapper scripts
2. Ensure MCP server returns correct protocol version
3. Update to latest version of Claude Code

Error 4: Windows Path Issues

Error: Cannot find module 'C:UsersusernameDocuments'

Solution: Windows paths need to use forward slashes or double backslashes:

# Wrong
claude mcp add fs -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem C:\Users\username\Documents

# Correct
claude mcp add fs -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem C:/Users/username/Documents
# or
claude mcp add fs -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem C:\\Users\\username\\Documents

Error 5: Permission Issues

Permission denied

Solution:

1. macOS/Linux: Use sudo (not recommended) or modify file permissions
2. Windows: Run as administrator
3. Best method: Install MCP servers in user directory

Debugging Techniques

When encountering problems, these debugging methods can help you quickly locate issues:

1. Enable Debug Mode

claude --mcp-debug

2. View MCP Status

In Claude Code, enter:

/mcp

3. View Log Files

macOS/Linux:

tail -f ~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp*.log

Windows:

type "%APPDATA%\Claude\logs\mcp*.log"

4. Manually Test Server

# Directly run server command to see if there's output
npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ~/Documents

Special Notes for International Users

1. Non-English Path Issues

Avoid using non-English characters in paths:

# Avoid
claude mcp add fs -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ~/文档

# Recommended
claude mcp add fs -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ~/Documents

2. Proxy Configuration

If you're using a proxy:

# Set npm proxy
npm config set proxy http://your-proxy:port
npm config set https-proxy http://your-proxy:port

# Then add MCP server
claude mcp add ...

3. Mirror Sources

Use mirror sources to accelerate downloads:

# Temporary use
claude mcp add fs -- npx -y --registry=https://registry.npmjs.org @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ~/Documents

# Or permanent setting
npm config set registry https://registry.npmjs.org

Best Practice Recommendations

1. Add as needed: Don't add too many MCP servers at once, it will affect performance
2. Regular cleanup: Use claude mcp remove <name> to delete unused servers
3. Security first: Only add trusted MCP servers, especially those requiring network access
4. Backup configuration: Regularly backup ~/.claude.json file
5. Team collaboration: Use project scope to share common configurations

Advanced Techniques

1. Create Custom MCP Server

If existing MCP servers can't meet your needs, you can create your own:

// my-mcp-server.js
import { Server } from '@modelcontextprotocol/sdk';

const server = new Server({
  name: 'my-custom-server',
  version: '1.0.0',
});

server.setRequestHandler('tools/list', async () => {
  return {
    tools: [{
      name: 'my_custom_tool',
      description: 'Custom tool',
      inputSchema: {
        type: 'object',
        properties: {
          input: { type: 'string' }
        }
      }
    }]
  };
});

server.start();

2. Batch Configuration Script

Create a script to configure all common MCP servers at once:

#!/bin/bash
# setup-mcp.sh

echo "Configuring common MCP servers..."

# File system
claude mcp add filesystem -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ~/Documents ~/Projects

# GitHub
read -p "Enter GitHub Token: " github_token
claude mcp add github -s user -e GITHUB_TOKEN=$github_token -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-github

# Other servers...

echo "MCP servers configured successfully!"