Add MCP servers to Claude Code

Claude Code takes servers from the claude mcp add command or from a .mcp.json file at the repository root.

macOS

~/.claude.json

Windows

~/.claude.json

Linux

~/.claude.json

Project file

.mcp.json

Top-level key

mcpServers

Format

json

OAuth for remote servers

●Yes

Example config

This example adds GitHub's hosted server and Playwright as a local server, in the shape this client expects.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/"
    },
    "playwright": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@playwright/mcp@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

claude mcp add --transport http --scope project github https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/
claude mcp add --scope project playwright -- npx @playwright/mcp@latest

Notes and quirks

• Local scope, the default, and user scope are stored in ~/.claude.json; project scope lives in .mcp.json.
• Every entry with a url also needs a type such as http; a url on its own is an error.
• Values in the file expand ${VAR} and ${VAR:-default}.
• Run /mcp in a session to sign in to OAuth servers. For pre-registered OAuth apps, pass --client-id, --client-secret and --callback-port.

Build a Claude Code config →

Other clients