Connect Claude Code to tools via MCP

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:

Use third party MCP servers at your own risk - Anthropic has not verified the correctness or security of all these servers. Make sure you trust MCP servers you are installing. Be especially careful when using MCP servers that could fetch untrusted content, as these can expose you to prompt injection risk.

Development & Testing Tools

Sentry

Monitor errors, debug production issuesCommand

claude mcp add --transport http sentry https://mcp.sentry.dev/mcp

Socket

Security analysis for dependenciesCommand

claude mcp add --transport http socket https://mcp.socket.dev/

Project Management & Documentation

Asana

Interact with your Asana workspace to keep projects on trackCommand

claude mcp add --transport sse asana https://mcp.asana.com/sse

Atlassian

Manage your Jira tickets and Confluence docsCommand

claude mcp add --transport sse atlassian https://mcp.atlassian.com/v1/sse

ClickUp

Task management, project trackingCommand

claude mcp add clickup --env CLICKUP_API_KEY=YOUR_KEY --env CLICKUP_TEAM_ID=YOUR_ID -- npx -y @hauptsache.net/clickup-mcp

Intercom

Access real-time customer conversations, tickets, and user dataCommand

claude mcp add --transport http intercom https://mcp.intercom.com/mcp

Linear

Integrate with Linear's issue tracking and project managementCommand

claude mcp add --transport sse linear https://mcp.linear.app/sse

Notion

Read docs, update pages, manage tasksCommand

claude mcp add --transport http notion https://mcp.notion.com/mcp

Databases & Data Management

Airtable

Read/write records, manage bases and tablesCommand

claude mcp add airtable --env AIRTABLE_API_KEY=YOUR_KEY -- npx -y airtable-mcp-server

Payments & Commerce

PayPal

Integrate PayPal commerce capabilities, payment processing, transaction managementCommand

claude mcp add --transport http paypal https://mcp.paypal.com/mcp

Plaid

Analyze, troubleshoot, and optimize Plaid integrations. Banking data, financial account linkingCommand

claude mcp add --transport sse plaid https://api.dashboard.plaid.com/mcp/sse

Square

Use an agent to build on Square APIs. Payments, inventory, orders, and moreCommand

claude mcp add --transport sse square https://mcp.squareup.com/sse

Stripe

Payment processing, subscription management, and financial transactionsCommand

claude mcp add --transport http stripe https://mcp.stripe.com

Design & Media

Figma

Access designs, export assetsRequires Figma Desktop with Dev Mode MCP ServerCommand

claude mcp add --transport sse figma http://127.0.0.1:3845/sse

invideo

Build video creation capabilities into your applicationsCommand

claude mcp add --transport sse invideo https://mcp.invideo.io/sse

Infrastructure & DevOps

Cloudflare

Build applications, analyze traffic, monitor performance, and manage security settings through CloudflareMultiple services available. See documentation for specific server URLs. Claude Code can use the Cloudflare CLI if installed.

Automation & Integration

Workato

Access any application, workflows or data via Workato, made accessible for AIMCP servers are programmatically generated

Zapier

Connect to nearly 8,000 apps through Zapier's automation platformGenerate a user-specific URL at mcp.zapier.com

Need a specific integration? Find hundreds more MCP servers on GitHub, or build your own using the MCP SDK.

Installing MCP servers

MCP servers can be configured in three different ways depending on your needs:

Option 1: 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 <name> <command> [args...]

# Real example: Add Airtable server
claude mcp add airtable --env AIRTABLE_API_KEY=YOUR_KEY \
  -- npx -y airtable-mcp-server

Option 2: Add a remote SSE server

SSE (Server-Sent Events) servers provide real-time streaming connections. Many cloud services use this for live updates.

# Basic syntax
claude mcp add --transport sse <name> <url>

# Real example: Connect to Linear
claude mcp add --transport sse linear https://mcp.linear.app/sse

# Example with authentication header
claude mcp add --transport sse private-api https://api.company.com/mcp \
  --header "X-API-Key: your-key-here"

Option 3: Add a remote HTTP server

HTTP servers use standard request/response patterns. Most REST APIs and web services use this transport.

# 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"

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

Tips:

Use the --scope flag to specify where the configuration is stored:
- local (default): Available only to you in the current project (was called project in older versions)
- project: Shared with everyone in the project via .mcp.json file
- user: Available to you across all projects (was called global in older versions)
Set environment variables with --env flags (e.g., --env KEY=value)
Configure MCP server startup timeout using the MCP_TIMEOUT environment variable (e.g., MCP_TIMEOUT=10000 claude sets a 10-second timeout)
Use /mcp to authenticate with remote servers that require OAuth 2.0 authentication

Windows Users: On native Windows (not WSL), local MCP servers that use npx require the cmd /c wrapper to ensure proper execution.

# This creates command="cmd" which Windows can execute
claude mcp add my-server -- cmd /c npx -y @some/package

Without the cmd /c wrapper, you’ll encounter “Connection closed” errors because Windows cannot directly execute npx.

MCP installation scopes

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 your project-specific user settings. 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 my-private-server /path/to/server

# Explicitly specify local scope
claude mcp add my-private-server --scope local /path/to/server

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 shared-server --scope project /path/to/server

The resulting .mcp.json file follows a standardized format:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "shared-server": {
      "command": "/path/to/server",
      "args": [],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

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 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 my-user-server --scope user /path/to/server

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:

command - The server executable path
args - Command-line arguments
env - Environment variables passed to the server
url - For SSE/HTTP server types
headers - For SSE/HTTP server authentication

Example with variable expansion:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "api-server": {
      "type": "sse",
      "url": "${API_BASE_URL:-https://api.example.com}/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer ${API_KEY}"
      }
    }
  }
}

If a required environment variable is not set and has no default value, Claude Code will fail to parse the config.

Practical examples

Example: Monitor errors with Sentry

# 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?"

Authenticate with remote MCP servers

Many cloud-based MCP servers require authentication. Claude Code supports OAuth 2.0 for secure connections.

Add the server that requires authentication

For example:

claude mcp add --transport http sentry https://mcp.sentry.dev/mcp

Use the /mcp command within Claude Code

In Claude code, use the command:

> /mcp

Then follow the steps in your browser to login.

Tips:

Authentication tokens are stored securely and refreshed automatically
Use “Clear authentication” in the /mcp menu to revoke access
If your browser doesn’t open automatically, copy the provided URL
OAuth authentication works with both SSE and HTTP transports

Add MCP servers from JSON configuration

If you have a JSON configuration for an MCP server, you can add it directly:

Add an MCP server from JSON

# Basic syntax
claude mcp add-json <name> '<json>'

# Example: Adding a stdio server with JSON configuration
claude mcp add-json weather-api '{"type":"stdio","command":"/path/to/weather-cli","args":["--api-key","abc123"],"env":{"CACHE_DIR":"/tmp"}}'

Verify the server was added

claude mcp get weather-api

Tips:

Make sure the JSON is properly escaped in your shell
The JSON must conform to the MCP server configuration schema
You can use --scope global to add the server to your global configuration instead of the project-specific one

Import MCP servers from Claude Desktop

If you’ve already configured MCP servers in Claude Desktop, you can import them:

Import servers from Claude Desktop

# Basic syntax 
claude mcp add-from-claude-desktop

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.

Verify the servers were imported

claude mcp list

Tips:

This feature only works on macOS and Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)
It reads the Claude Desktop configuration file from its standard location on those platforms
Use the --scope global flag to add servers to your global configuration
Imported servers will have the same names as in Claude Desktop
If servers with the same names already exist, they will get a numerical suffix (e.g., server_1)

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:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "claude-code": {
      "command": "claude",
      "args": ["mcp", "serve"],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

Tips:

The server provides access to Claude’s tools like View, Edit, LS, etc.
In Claude Desktop, try asking Claude to read files in a directory, make edits, and more.
Note that this MCP server is simply exposing Claude Code’s tools to your MCP client, so your own client is responsible for implementing user confirmation for individual tool calls.

Use MCP resources

MCP servers can expose resources that you can reference using @ mentions, similar to how you reference files.

Reference MCP resources

List available resources

Type @ in your prompt to see available resources from all connected MCP servers. Resources appear alongside files in the autocomplete menu.

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

Multiple resource references

You can reference multiple resources in a single prompt:

> Compare @postgres:schema://users with @docs:file://database/user-model

Tips:

Resources are automatically fetched and included as attachments when referenced
Resource paths are fuzzy-searchable in the @ mention autocomplete
Claude Code automatically provides tools to list and read MCP resources when servers support them
Resources can contain any type of content that the MCP server provides (text, JSON, structured data, etc.)

Use MCP prompts as slash commands

MCP servers can expose prompts that become available as slash commands in Claude Code.

Execute MCP prompts

Discover available prompts

Type / to see all available commands, including those from MCP servers. MCP prompts appear with the format /mcp__servername__promptname.

Execute a prompt without arguments

> /mcp__github__list_prs

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

Tips:

MCP prompts are dynamically discovered from connected servers
Arguments are parsed based on the prompt’s defined parameters
Prompt results are injected directly into the conversation
Server and prompt names are normalized (spaces become underscores)

Getting started

Build with Claude Code

Deployment

Administration

Configuration

Reference

Resources

Connect Claude Code to tools via MCP

What you can do with MCP

Popular MCP servers

Development & Testing Tools

Project Management & Documentation

Databases & Data Management

Payments & Commerce

Design & Media

Infrastructure & DevOps

Automation & Integration

Installing MCP servers

Option 1: Add a local stdio server

Option 2: Add a remote SSE server

Option 3: Add a remote HTTP server

Managing your servers

MCP installation scopes

Local scope

Project scope

User scope

Choosing the right scope

Scope hierarchy and precedence

Environment variable expansion in `.mcp.json`

Practical examples

Example: Monitor errors with Sentry

Authenticate with remote MCP servers

Add MCP servers from JSON configuration

Import MCP servers from Claude Desktop

Use Claude Code as an MCP server

Use MCP resources

Reference MCP resources

Use MCP prompts as slash commands

Execute MCP prompts

Getting started

Build with Claude Code

Deployment

Administration

Configuration

Reference

Resources

​What you can do with MCP

​Popular MCP servers

Development & Testing Tools

Project Management & Documentation

Databases & Data Management

Payments & Commerce

Design & Media

Infrastructure & DevOps

Automation & Integration

​Installing MCP servers

​Option 1: Add a local stdio server

​Option 2: Add a remote SSE server

​Option 3: Add a remote HTTP server

​Managing your servers

​MCP installation scopes

​Local scope

​Project scope

​User scope

​Choosing the right scope

​Scope hierarchy and precedence

​Environment variable expansion in .mcp.json

​Practical examples

​Example: Monitor errors with Sentry

​Authenticate with remote MCP servers

​Add MCP servers from JSON configuration

​Import MCP servers from Claude Desktop

​Use Claude Code as an MCP server

​Use MCP resources

​Reference MCP resources

​Use MCP prompts as slash commands

​Execute MCP prompts

What you can do with MCP

Popular MCP servers

Installing MCP servers

Option 1: Add a local stdio server

Option 2: Add a remote SSE server

Option 3: Add a remote HTTP server

Managing your servers

MCP installation scopes

Local scope

Project scope

User scope

Choosing the right scope

Scope hierarchy and precedence

Environment variable expansion in `.mcp.json`

Practical examples

Example: Monitor errors with Sentry

Authenticate with remote MCP servers

Add MCP servers from JSON configuration

Import MCP servers from Claude Desktop

Use Claude Code as an MCP server

Use MCP resources

Reference MCP resources

Use MCP prompts as slash commands

Execute MCP prompts