Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsTo connect an MCP server to Claude Code, run claude mcp add with a name you choose, followed by either the launch command for a local server or the URL of a remote one. For most servers that is a single line. The exact arguments depend on how the server runs, whether it needs credentials, and which scope you want it stored in, so start by identifying the server’s transport.
Choose the form that matches how the server runs
Anthropic’s Claude Code MCP documentation gives three basic forms. Pick the one that matches the server’s publisher instructions.
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| Transport | Command shape | Typical situation |
|---|---|---|
| Local stdio | claude mcp add <name> <command> [args...] |
The server runs as a process on your machine, often started with npx |
| Remote HTTP | claude mcp add --transport http <name> <url> |
The server is hosted and reached at an HTTP endpoint |
| Remote SSE | claude mcp add --transport sse <name> <url> |
The server is hosted and uses the SSE transport |
Add the server in four steps
- Identify the transport. If the publisher gives you a command to run, it is a local stdio server. If it gives you a URL, it is remote, and the publisher’s instructions will say whether it is HTTP or SSE.
- Run the matching form. For a local server, put Claude Code options such as
--envbefore a--separator, and put the server’s command and its own arguments after it. The separator stops Claude Code from reading the server’s flags as its own. - Handle authentication. Remote servers that require headers can be configured with the
--headeroption; check the guide for the exact value format. For a server that uses OAuth, start the sign-in from the/mcpcommand inside Claude Code. - Confirm it was added. Run
claude mcp list, orclaude mcp get <name>to see one entry in detail.
Local server example
A local server with no credentials needs only its name and launch command:
claude mcp add my-local-server -- npx -y some-mcp-packageIf the server needs an API key, pass it with --env before the separator:
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claude mcp add my-local-server --env API_KEY=YOUR_KEY -- npx -y some-mcp-packageThe package name and the variable name depend on the server. Commands typed on the command line can end up in your shell history, so if that matters to you, keep the real key out of shared notes and check whether the server can read it from a setting you already manage on your machine.
Remote server example
claude mcp add --transport http my-service https://example.com/mcpThis is a syntax illustration, not a working endpoint. Replace the name and URL with the values from the server publisher’s current documentation, and follow their authentication steps.
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Choose a scope
Scope decides who can use the server and where its configuration is stored.
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|---|---|---|---|
local (default) |
The server is project-specific or uses credentials you do not want to share | You, in the current project only | Not shared with the team |
project |
The whole team should use the same server setup | Anyone who works in the project | Saved in .mcp.json; Claude Code may ask for approval before using project-scope servers |
user |
You want a personal utility available everywhere you work | You, across all your projects | Stored for your user account, not in the repository |
If the same server name is defined at more than one scope, the order of precedence is local, then project, then user. Use distinct names when you want two configurations to coexist.
Verify, inspect and remove
claude mcp listshows the configured servers.claude mcp get <name>shows one server’s details, which is the quickest way to check that a URL or command was stored as you typed it.claude mcp remove <name>deletes the entry.- Inside Claude Code,
/mcpmanages remote authentication.
Troubleshooting
- The server behaves as if it received the wrong flags. Check the position of
--. Options for Claude Code belong before it, and the server’s own flags belong after it. - A local npx server fails on native Windows. Anthropic’s documentation notes that local
npxcommands may need acmd /cwrapper on native Windows. This does not apply to WSL. Place the wrapper after the separator and confirm the exact form in the guide. - A remote server asks for sign-in or returns an authorization error. Open
/mcpinside Claude Code for OAuth, or confirm that the required header is present if the publisher uses header-based credentials. - The server you expected is not the one that runs. Check for a same-name entry at a higher-precedence scope, using
claude mcp list.
Security before you connect
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. It specifically warns about prompt injection: a server that can retrieve untrusted content, such as web pages, tickets or messages, can pass instructions to the model that you did not write. Before adding a server, confirm who publishes it, read what it can access, and be cautious with servers that combine broad permissions with content from outside your control. Keep credentials out of project files that are committed to a shared repository.
What MCP is
MCP is the Model Context Protocol. Anthropic’s overview describes it this way: “MCP is an open protocol that standardizes how applications provide context to LLMs.” That standard is why one client can connect to many different servers, but it does not guarantee that any given server is safe or well maintained.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is and is not established
- Setup time. The title’s “2 minutes” is an editorial estimate. Anthropic’s documentation does not publish a measured setup time. The add step itself is one command once you have the launch command or URL; credentials, sign-in and approvals take extra time.
- Version and date. The publication date of Anthropic’s Claude Code MCP guide and the Claude Code release it describes could not be confirmed when this article was written. Flag names and syntax can change between releases, so check
claude --helpand the current guide before you rely on a specific option. - Per-server details. Package names, environment variable names, header formats and OAuth steps are set by each server’s publisher, not by Claude Code.
For most servers, the working sequence is: confirm the transport, run the matching claude mcp add form, choose the scope, then check the result with claude mcp list.
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