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How to Add MCP to Claude Code

Adding MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers to Claude Code extends its capabilities with external tools, APIs, and resources. I add MCP servers to give Claude access to web search, documentation, and specialized services during development.

Quick Steps to Add MCP​

Step 1: Create Configuration File

# Navigate to your home directory
cd ~

# Create or edit the Claude configuration
nano .claude.json

Step 2: Add MCP Server Configuration

{
  "projects": {
    "/your/project/path": {
      "mcpServers": {
        "brave-search": {
          "command": "npx",
          "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-brave-search"]
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Step 3: Restart Claude Code

# Exit current session
exit

# Start Claude Code again
claude --continue

That's it! Claude now has access to the MCP server capabilities.

Web Search Access - Add Brave Search for real-time information:

"brave-search": {
  "command": "npx",
  "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-brave-search"]
}

Documentation Access - Add Context7 for up-to-date API references:

"context7": {
  "command": "npx",
  "args": ["-y", "context7-mcp"]
}

File System Access - Add filesystem MCP for broader file operations:

"filesystem": {
  "command": "npx",
  "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/path/to/allowed/directory"]
}

Verify MCP is Working​

Test the connection - Ask Claude to use the new capability:

"Search for the latest React 19 features"

See Also: MCP Server Setup|What is MCP|Context7 MCP|Brave Search MCP|Configuration Guide

Start Simple

Add one MCP server at a time to test functionality. I recommend starting with Brave Search since it provides immediate, visible benefits for development workflows.

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