Claude Desktop MCP: setup guide

Claude Desktop supports local MCP servers that run on the user's machine and are configured in a JSON settings file. Servers are added by declaring a command in the configuration; the desktop app spawns the local server and exposes its tools to the assistant.

MCP servers are added to the Claude Desktop configuration — on macOS a settings JSON file in the application's config directory. The file declares named servers, each with a command and arguments.

You add a server by placing an entry in the config with the command that launches it (for example, a package runner or a binary path). After editing, restart Claude Desktop and grant the tools permission when prompted.