Claude Desktop

Anthropic's Claude with Model Context Protocol support. Excellent for conversational workflows, analysis, and exploration.

Welcome to the guide for using Claude Desktop with MCP servers! This document shows you how to connect Claude Desktop to Model Context Protocol servers, enabling powerful AI-assisted workflows.

Overview

Claude Desktop is Anthropic’s native desktop application that supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP), allowing Claude to interact with external systems. This integration provides:

• MCP Server Access: Connect to custom MCP tools and resources
• Conversational Workflows: Natural back-and-forth for complex tasks
• Tool Integration: Use specialized tools through MCP protocol
• Data Exploration: Query and analyze data using natural language

Part 1: Installation

Step 1: Get Claude Desktop

1. Download Claude Desktop

   • Visit claude.ai/download
   • Choose your operating system (macOS or Windows)
   • Download and install the application

2. Sign In

   • Launch Claude Desktop
   • Sign in with your Anthropic account
   • Claude Pro subscription recommended for heavy usage

3. Verify Installation

   • Open Claude Desktop
   • Test with a simple query: “Hello, what can you help me with?”

Part 2: Configuring MCP Servers

Locate Configuration File

macOS:

~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Windows:

%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Configure Your MCP Server

Edit the configuration file:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "my-mcp-server": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/your/mcp-server/build/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

For HTTP-based MCP servers:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "my-http-server": {
      "url": "http://localhost:3000/mcp",
      "transport": "http"
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop

After saving the configuration:

1. Completely quit Claude Desktop (Cmd+Q on Mac, Alt+F4 on Windows)
2. Restart the application
3. Claude will connect to your configured MCP servers on startup

Part 3: Using Claude with MCP Servers

Verify Connection

Ask Claude about available tools:

“What tools do you have access to?”

Claude should list the tools from your connected MCP servers.

Example Workflows

Data Exploration:

“Can you query the database and show me the top 10 customers by revenue?”

Code Generation:

“Help me write a Python function that processes this data using the available tools”

Documentation:

“Explain how the authentication system works in this codebase”

Best Practices

1. Be Specific: Clearly describe what you want Claude to do
2. Reference Tools: Mention specific tool names when you know them
3. Iterate: Start with simple requests, then refine
4. Review Output: Always verify Claude’s responses and generated code

Part 4: Troubleshooting

MCP Server Not Connecting

Symptoms: No tools available, connection errors

Solutions:

• Verify MCP server is running (curl http://localhost:3000/health)
• Check configuration file path is correct
• Review server logs for connection attempts
• Restart Claude Desktop completely

Tools Not Working

Symptoms: Claude can see tools but can’t execute them

Solutions:

• Check MCP server logs for errors
• Verify authentication/API keys are correct
• Ensure server has proper permissions
• Test tools directly with MCP client

Configuration Not Loading

Symptoms: Changes to config file don’t take effect

Solutions:

• Verify JSON syntax is valid (use a JSON validator)
• Check file path is exactly correct for your OS
• Completely quit and restart Claude Desktop (not just close window)
• Check Claude Desktop logs for errors

Part 5: Advanced Configuration

Environment Variables

Pass environment variables to your MCP server:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "production-server": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["server.js"],
      "env": {
        "NODE_ENV": "production",
        "API_KEY": "${API_KEY}",
        "DATABASE_URL": "${DATABASE_URL}"
      }
    }
  }
}

Multiple Servers

Connect to multiple MCP servers simultaneously:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "database-server": {
      "url": "http://localhost:3000/mcp"
    },
    "file-server": {
      "url": "http://localhost:3001/mcp"
    },
    "api-server": {
      "url": "http://localhost:3002/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Claude will have access to tools from all servers!

Comparison: Claude Desktop vs Cursor

Next Steps

• Build an MCP server: MCP Server Template
• Try Cursor too: Cursor Setup Guide
• Join the community: GitHub Discussions

For questions or issues, visit GitHub Issues.