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To connect an MCP server to Cline, open the Cline panel in VS Code, select the MCP Servers (stacked-server) icon, choose Configure → Configure MCP Servers, and add a server under the JSON file’s top-level mcpServers object. Use a command-based entry for a local STDIO server; use a URL, type: streamableHttp, and any required headers for a hosted server. Save the file, enable the entry, and confirm that its tools appear in Cline.
What MCP adds to Cline
Model Context Protocol (MCP) lets Cline use external tools and data sources through MCP servers. A server can expose local scripts, APIs, databases, or hosted services to the agent while you work in VS Code. Cline supports both a local process transport and hosted remote connectivity, so the right configuration depends on where the server runs and how its credentials are managed.
The procedure below targets Cline’s own MCP integration. VS Code’s built-in MCP support uses a different file and schema, so adding a server to VS Code does not by itself prove that Cline has loaded it.
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- Install and open the Cline extension in VS Code.
- Have the server’s launch command and arguments ready if it is local, or its complete endpoint URL and authentication requirements if it is remote.
- For a local server, confirm the required runtime (for example, Node.js) is installed and that the server can start from a terminal.
- For a hosted server, obtain the required token and identify the exact header name and value format.
- Decide which tools, if any, can be approved automatically. Keep
autoApprovelimited to operations you understand.
Open Cline’s MCP settings in VS Code
- Open the Cline panel from the VS Code activity bar.
- Click the MCP Servers icon (the stacked-server icon in Cline’s top toolbar).
- Open the Configure tab.
- Click Configure MCP Servers. Cline opens its MCP settings JSON.
- Add or edit entries beneath the top-level
mcpServersobject, then save the file.
If the server does not appear after saving, return to the MCP Servers panel and check that it is enabled. Restarting the Cline session can also force a fresh connection when a process was changed while it was running.
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Connect a local MCP server with STDIO
Local STDIO means Cline starts a process on the same computer and communicates with it through standard input and output. This is usually the simplest choice for a private script or a server that needs local files, development credentials, or low-latency access.
Minimal local configuration
{
"mcpServers": {
"local-server": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/path/to/server.js"],
"env": {
"API_KEY": "your_api_key"
},
"disabled": false,
"autoApprove": []
}
}
}Replace the command, path, and environment variables with the values documented by your server. Use an absolute path when possible; it avoids failures caused by Cline starting with a different working directory than your shell.
What each property does
commandis the executable Cline launches.argscontains command-line arguments in order.envsupplies environment variables to that process. Put secrets here rather than embedding them in arguments or source files.disabledlets you keep a definition without starting it. Set it tofalseto enable the server.autoApproveis an array of tool names Cline may run without asking you each time. An empty array requires approval.
Check the process outside Cline
Run the same command in a terminal first. Confirm that it starts without an immediate crash and that required environment variables are present. A server that exits immediately, writes protocol data to the wrong stream, or depends on an unavailable working directory will not be discoverable by Cline.
Connect a hosted server with Streamable HTTP
For a remote server, use the endpoint supplied by its operator and declare the transport explicitly. In Cline’s configuration the value is camel case: streamableHttp. The endpoint must be complete, including any required path and trailing slash.
Remote configuration example
{
"mcpServers": {
"github": {
"url": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/",
"type": "streamableHttp",
"disabled": false,
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer <YOUR_GITHUB_PAT>"
},
"autoApprove": []
}
}
}Keep the header spelling and token format required by the service. Do not commit this JSON file if it contains a personal token; use a secret-management approach supported by your environment, or inject the value without checking it into source control.
Why the transport spelling matters
Using streamable-http, changing the capitalization, or omitting type can make Cline fall back to Server-Sent Events (SSE). A server that expects Streamable HTTP may then answer with HTTP 405 Method Not Allowed. When a remote connection returns 405, inspect the type field before changing the URL or token.
Local STDIO or remote HTTP?
| Consideration | Local STDIO | Remote Streamable HTTP |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | On the machine running VS Code | On a hosted server reachable over the network |
| Credentials | Environment variables and local credential stores | Request headers, commonly an authorization token |
| Sharing | Each developer runs and maintains a copy | One service can serve multiple machines, subject to its access policy |
| Process ownership | You install, start, update, and secure the process | The service operator owns deployment; you own endpoint and credential configuration |
| Troubleshooting focus | Executable path, runtime, permissions, environment, process logs | URL path, transport type, TLS/network access, headers, server status |
Verify that Cline discovered the tools
- Save the MCP JSON.
- In the Cline MCP Servers panel, confirm the server is enabled and shows as connected.
- Start a Cline task that should use one of the server’s tools. Ask Cline to list or describe available tools before requesting a consequential action.
- Approve the call and check the returned result for the expected data.
If no tools are listed, first verify the command or URL, then authentication, then the server’s own logs. For a slow service, increase Cline’s MCP timeout as recommended in its troubleshooting settings. A timeout is not evidence that the tool is unavailable; it can mean that initialization or a first API request is taking longer than the default.
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Cline configuration versus VS Code MCP configuration
Cline manages its servers through the Cline MCP panel and a JSON file using mcpServers. VS Code’s native MCP configuration uses .vscode/mcp.json in a workspace or a user-profile file with a top-level servers object. VS Code also supports a portable .mcp.json with mcpServers for Agent Host interoperability.
These are separate configuration surfaces. If your target is Cline, add the entry through Cline’s MCP Servers panel. A server visible to VS Code’s native agent features is not automatically loaded by Cline.
Manage servers from the Cline CLI
Cline’s CLI includes an mcp wizard for listing, adding, editing, enabling, disabling, and deleting servers. For non-interactive inspection, use:
cline config mcp
cline config mcp --jsonUse the wizard when you need to change several properties without hand-editing JSON; use the JSON view when you need to review the exact transport, headers, disabled state, or approval list.
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- Install MCP servers only from publishers and repositories you trust.
- Treat a local MCP server as executable code. VS Code warns that such a server can run arbitrary code on your machine.
- Keep API keys in environment variables or an appropriate secret store, and avoid committing them to a workspace.
- Leave
autoApproveempty until you understand a server’s tools. Automatically approve only narrowly scoped, low-risk operations. - Review tool calls before approval, especially those that write files, send requests, modify databases, or access private data.
- Use separate development credentials with the smallest practical permissions.
Common failures and precise fixes
The server is missing from Cline
Cause: The entry was added to VS Code’s native MCP file rather than Cline’s configuration, or the JSON is malformed.
Fix: Open the Cline MCP Servers icon and use Configure MCP Servers. Check commas, braces, and the top-level mcpServers key, then save and reopen the panel.
HTTP 405 from a remote server
Cause: Cline selected SSE because type is missing or misspelled.
Fix: Set "type": "streamableHttp" exactly, verify the complete endpoint, and reconnect.
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Authentication fails
Cause: The token is absent, expired, has the wrong prefix, or is sent under the wrong header.
Fix: Compare the headers object with the service’s current instructions. Test the credential through the service’s supported client, rotate exposed tokens, and do not paste secrets into chat logs.
A local server starts and immediately stops
Cause: Wrong executable path, missing runtime, unavailable file, or an exception during startup.
Fix: Run the exact command and args in a terminal, use absolute paths, inspect stderr, and add required values to env.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the same MCP JSON for Cline and VS Code’s native agent?
No. Cline reads its own configuration through the Cline MCP Servers panel. VS Code native MCP uses different files and, in its workspace form, a top-level servers object.
What should I check first when a hosted server returns 405?
Check that the entry contains the exact camel-case transport value "type": "streamableHttp". A missing or differently spelled value can trigger an SSE fallback.
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Yes. "autoApprove": [] is the cautious default: Cline asks before each tool call until you deliberately approve specific tools.
Where can I inspect Cline MCP servers without opening the JSON editor?
Use the Cline CLI commands cline config mcp or cline config mcp --json to list the configured servers.
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