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There is no single MCP configuration you can paste into every client. Each product has its own setup surface (CLI, settings UI, TOML, JSON or JSONC), and the steps below only apply to the surface named in each section. “Claude” here means Claude Code, the command-line tool that uses claude mcp. Claude web and desktop have separate setup paths that are not covered here. Likewise, ChatGPT desktop, ChatGPT web and Codex are different surfaces. Steps reflect vendor documentation checked on 2026-10-05, so menu labels may have moved since.
What to know about your server first
Before touching any client, confirm these four things with whoever runs the server:
- Transport. A local stdio server is a command your machine launches. A remote Streamable HTTP server is a URL. SSE is an older remote transport; use it only where a client’s current guide confirms it (Cursor’s documentation excerpt lists it alongside stdio and Streamable HTTP).
- The exact command or URL, including arguments.
- Environment variables the server needs.
- Authentication: none, an API key or header, or OAuth. What is required depends on both the server and the client.
| Client | Setup surface | Local stdio | Remote Streamable HTTP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Code | CLI (claude mcp) |
Yes | Yes (--transport http) |
| ChatGPT desktop | Settings UI | Yes (STDIO) | Yes |
| ChatGPT web | Plugins in Developer mode | No local config | Server URL via plugin |
| Codex | CLI, settings, or TOML | Yes | Yes (bearer token or OAuth) |
| Cursor | JSON files | Yes | Yes |
| OpenCode (v2 docs) | CLI or config | Yes | Yes |
Claude Code
Add a remote server
claude mcp add --transport http <name> <url>Replace <name> with a label you choose and <url> with the server’s endpoint.
Add a local stdio server
Use the stdio form in Anthropic’s current “Connect Claude Code to tools via MCP” guide. It places your server’s launch command after a -- separator, which keeps the command’s own flags from being read as Claude Code flags.
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Choose a scope
Claude Code lets you register a server for just the current project or more broadly for your user account. Choose project-level when the server only makes sense for one codebase, and user-level when you want it everywhere. Check the guide for the current flag names before scripting this.
Verify and authenticate
Run /mcp inside a Claude Code session, or the documented list command from your shell, to see connection status. If the server requires authentication, complete it from that same /mcp view.
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ChatGPT desktop
- Open Settings → MCP servers → Add server.
- Enter a name.
- Choose STDIO (then supply the command) or Streamable HTTP (then supply the URL).
- Save, then restart the app.
- If the server uses OAuth, authenticate when prompted. Use
/mcpto inspect connected servers.
ChatGPT web
Hosted ChatGPT cannot launch local commands and does not read local Codex config files. It uses remote MCP-backed tools supplied through plugins. Per OpenAI’s setup guide:
- Open Settings → Security and login and enable Developer mode.
- Go to Plugins and select the plus button.
- Connect your server URL in developer mode.
- Test it in a chat and in deep research.
Workspace or admin policies can limit which plugins and tools appear, so a missing option in a managed workspace may be a policy matter rather than a mistake on your part. A stdio-only server must be hosted remotely, or fronted by a proxy, before web ChatGPT can use it. Review how any proxy handles your data first.
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Codex
CLI
codex mcp add <server-name> -- <stdio-server-command>
codex mcp list
codex mcp login <server-name>The first command registers a local stdio server, the second verifies it, and the third starts OAuth for servers that need it. Codex also documents bearer-token and OAuth support for Streamable HTTP servers.
TOML
The default file is ~/.codex/config.toml. Trusted projects can use .codex/config.toml. You can also configure servers in the desktop or IDE settings.
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One configuration, several Codex clients
The ChatGPT desktop app, Codex CLI and the IDE extension share MCP configuration on the same Codex host. A server added in one is not something you need to add again in the others. The sharing is per host, so a second machine needs its own setup.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Cursor
Cursor reads JSON configuration from two places:
.cursor/mcp.jsonin a project, for that project only.~/.cursor/mcp.jsonglobally.
The file holds entries for command-based (stdio) servers and for remote servers identified by URL. Cursor’s guide excerpt lists stdio, SSE and Streamable HTTP support. Cursor’s documentation has been reorganised, so confirm field names and the settings UI labels on its current MCP page. Do not paste Codex TOML or OpenCode JSONC into these files.
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OpenCode
These steps follow the OpenCode v2 MCP guide; configuration conventions can change between versions.
opencode mcp add <name> -- <command> # local stdio
opencode mcp add <name> --url <absolute-url> # remote Streamable HTTP
opencode mcp listAuthenticate a remote server
Remote OAuth is on by default unless you explicitly disable it. Either run /mcps, select the server and authorize in the browser, or run:
opencode mcp auth <name>OpenCode’s documentation describes PKCE, token refresh and dynamic client registration where the server offers it. Those depend on the server’s implementation, so they are not guaranteed for every endpoint.
Keep secrets out of config
Supply keys through environment variables rather than writing them into project configuration that may be committed.
If it doesn’t connect
- Wrong transport. A URL entered as stdio, or a command entered as HTTP, is the commonest mismatch. Match the transport to what the server operator gave you.
- No restart. ChatGPT desktop needs a restart after saving.
- Auth not completed. Run the client’s login step (
codex mcp login,opencode mcp auth, or/mcp). - Web versus local. If it works in Codex but not in ChatGPT web, that is expected: web does not read local config.
- Missing environment variables. A local server launched by a client may not inherit your shell’s variables.
Trust the server before you use its tools
A “connected” status confirms that the transport works. It does not mean every tool is authorized or safe to run. OpenAI’s guide states: “Custom MCP servers are not developed or verified by OpenAI, and are third-party services that are subject to their own terms and conditions.”
Quick Recap
- Verify the server’s identity and URL.
- Review its data practices and permissions.
- Prefer official servers hosted by the service provider where they exist.
- Start with read-only tools when possible.
- Keep API keys and credentials out of shared config files and repositories.
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