To connect a local Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, configure your host application to launch the server as a local stdio process. Supply the executable, arguments, and—only when needed—environment variables, working directory, and access-limiting arguments. Then restart or start the entry in the client and verify its status and logs. Claude Desktop and VS Code use different configuration schemas, so never copy one client’s JSON into the other unchanged.
What a local MCP connection actually does
An MCP client does not normally “discover” a program merely because it is installed. Your desktop client or editor starts the server process and communicates with it over standard input and output (stdio). The configuration tells the host:
- Which executable to run (for example, a runtime or package-manager command).
- Which arguments to pass.
- Which environment variables or environment file to load.
- Which working directory to use.
- What files, network resources, or other permissions the process can reach.
The server publisher’s installation instructions are authoritative for the command and arguments. The examples below show the shape of a configuration without inventing a package name.
Before you add the server
- Install every runtime, package manager, and dependency required by the server.
- Run the server’s documented command in a terminal once, if its documentation provides a manual test.
- Record the full executable path if the command works in your shell but may not be on the graphical client’s PATH.
- Decide which directories, credentials, and network access the server truly needs.
- Review the server’s source or publisher before launching it. A local MCP server is executable code running with your operating-system user’s permissions, not an isolated sandbox.
Connect a local MCP server in Claude Desktop
Open the configuration editor
- Open Claude Desktop.
- Open Settings, select Developer, and choose Edit Config.
- On macOS, the documented file is
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json. On Windows, it is%APPDATA%Claudeclaude_desktop_config.json.
The MCP project’s Claude example uses a top-level mcpServers object. Add your server under a friendly key, preserving valid JSON:
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{
"mcpServers": {
"example": {
"command": "your-command",
"args": ["your-server-arguments"]
}
}
}Replace only the command and arguments documented by that server. Claude’s example does not use VS Code’s type property; adding fields from another client’s schema can prevent startup.
Limit filesystem examples to required folders
In the MCP guide’s filesystem example, directory arguments define which paths the example server is intended to expose. Pass only the folders needed for the task, such as a project directory rather than an entire home folder. The server can perform operations available to the user account that launches it.
Save, fully restart, and verify
- Save the JSON file.
- Completely quit Claude Desktop, not merely close a window, and start it again so the entry is loaded.
- Open the chat Connectors picker or return to Developer settings.
- Confirm the server is connected and inspect its tools.
- If it is missing or marked failed, open the available logs before changing multiple settings.
Use a desktop extension when available
Claude Desktop also documents a managed extension route: open Settings > Extensions to browse or install an extension, or use the advanced option for a custom .mcpb extension. This can be simpler than hand-editing JSON when the server is distributed in that format. Availability and labels can change between Claude Desktop releases.
Connect a local MCP server in VS Code
Choose workspace or user scope
VS Code supports adding a server through its MCP server interface or by editing a workspace file at .vscode/mcp.json. It also supports user-profile configuration for a server you want available across projects. Workspace scope keeps a project’s setup with that project; user scope avoids repeating a personal setup.
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Add a stdio entry
VS Code’s configuration reference uses a top-level servers object and identifies a local process with type: "stdio":
{
"servers": {
"example": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "your-command",
"args": ["your-server-arguments"]
}
}
}The command must be on the system PATH visible to VS Code or specified with an absolute path. args is an array; keep each argument as its own JSON string instead of composing one shell command line.
Supply environment, working directory, and secrets carefully
The VS Code reference documents optional env, envFile, and cwd settings. Use cwd when the server expects to resolve files relative to a project. Use envFile or the client’s secret-input mechanism for credentials rather than committing tokens to a shared .vscode/mcp.json. Keep an env block limited to non-sensitive values that genuinely belong in the configuration.
Start and inspect the entry
- Open the MCP server interface in VS Code.
- Add the entry through the interface or save the appropriate workspace/user configuration.
- Use the interface’s start or restart control.
- Check the server status and output/log view.
- Call a simple tool only after the process reports a healthy connection.
VS Code also describes network connections, but a network transport is appropriate only when both the selected client and server document support it. For a program running on your computer, stdio is the usual local route.
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How to choose a configuration route
| Decision | Claude Desktop | VS Code |
|---|---|---|
| Primary local schema | mcpServers; command and args in the Claude configuration file |
servers; local entries normally include type: "stdio" |
| Typical location | Developer settings, then the platform-specific Claude JSON file | Workspace .vscode/mcp.json or user-profile configuration |
| Lifecycle controls | Quit and relaunch; status and logs in Connectors or Developer settings | MCP interface start/restart controls and output/log views |
| Managed installation | Desktop extensions, including custom .mcpb files when available |
Install and manage through the MCP interface or configuration |
| Best scope for project-only access | Restrict server arguments to required directories | Use workspace configuration and a project-specific cwd or environment |
Security and access boundaries
Microsoft’s VS Code documentation warns that local MCP servers can run arbitrary code. Treat a server like any other executable you install:
- Verify the publisher and inspect the source or package.
- Read every argument before granting it.
- Expose the smallest directory set that satisfies the task.
- Do not place API keys in a workspace file that will be shared or committed.
- Check the operating-system account, network access, and inherited permissions used by the client.
- Stop and remove the entry if its behavior or requested access is unexpected.
Troubleshooting: why your local MCP server is not connecting
The process never starts
Cause: The executable is misspelled, unavailable to the GUI process, or a required runtime is missing. Fix: run the documented command in a terminal, then use an absolute executable path in the client configuration and verify the runtime/package manager installation.
The entry is present but disappears after editing
Cause: Invalid JSON, the wrong top-level key, or a schema copied from another client. Fix: validate commas, quotes, and braces; use mcpServers for Claude Desktop and servers with the documented stdio fields for VS Code.
Windows paths or variables fail
Cause: Backslashes were not escaped, a directory does not exist, or the client cannot expand an environment variable. Fix: write Windows backslashes as \ in JSON, confirm the path is readable by the client user, and follow Claude’s targeted guidance to expand APPDATA explicitly if that variable is not resolving.
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Arguments or directories are rejected
Cause: An argument is in the wrong position, contains an unquoted space, or points to an inaccessible location. Fix: compare each argument with the server publisher’s instructions, keep one argument per array item, and test with the smallest existing directory.
The server connects, but a tool is missing
Cause: The server and client expose different capabilities, or the server failed during initialization. Fix: inspect the client and server logs, read the server’s capability documentation, and confirm that the installed version supports the expected tool or resource.
Changes have no effect
Cause: The host has not reloaded its configuration. Fix: fully restart Claude Desktop; in VS Code, use the MCP interface’s restart control or reload the window when prompted.
Access is broader than intended
Cause: A filesystem server was given a home directory, broad environment, or powerful credentials. Fix: stop it, remove unnecessary arguments and variables, reduce directory scope, and restart only after reviewing the resulting permissions.
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Operational notes for dependable connections
- Use deterministic paths: absolute executable and project paths reduce differences between a terminal shell and a GUI-launched process.
- Keep startup lightweight: avoid loading unnecessary tools or scanning broad directories during initialization.
- Separate configuration by scope: user settings suit personal utilities; workspace settings make project requirements reviewable.
- Read logs before retrying: repeated restarts can hide the original parse or permission error.
- Review changes after upgrades: client menus, configuration fields, and server capabilities can change; check the current documentation for your installed release.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the same MCP JSON in Claude Desktop and VS Code?
No. Claude Desktop’s documented local configuration uses mcpServers, while VS Code uses servers and a stdio type. Adapt the command and arguments to the host’s schema.
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Does a local MCP server run in a sandbox?
Not by default. It runs as a local process with the permissions of the account that launched it, so directory, credential, and network access must be reviewed.
Should I choose workspace or user configuration in VS Code?
Choose workspace scope for a project-specific server that teammates can review, and user scope for a personal server you want available across projects.
What should I do if the client shows a server but no tools?
Check both client and server logs, then verify the server’s documented capabilities and installed version. A configured entry does not guarantee successful initialization or a particular tool set.
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