Claude Code is Anthropic's CLI-based agentic coding tool that runs in the terminal and can autonomously read, write, and execute code. It supports MCP servers through a format nearly identical to Claude Desktop — an mcpServers root key with the same stdio and remote server structure. The main difference is that remote servers use a type field instead of transport to specify the connection protocol. Claude Code supports both project-level config at .mcp.json (checked into source control alongside your code) and a global user config at ~/.claude.json for servers available across all projects. The getmcp CLI auto-detects Claude Code if the ~/.claude directory exists and handles the minor format differences automatically.
Quick Install with getmcp
The fastest way to install MCP servers in Claude Code is with the getmcp CLI:
•Node.js 18 or higher for running npx-based servers
•Python 3.10+ if installing Python-based servers
Popular Servers for Claude Code
Troubleshooting
▸Server not loading after adding config: Claude Code reads .mcp.json on each session start. Exit the current session and start a new one with `claude` to pick up changes.
▸Project config vs global config: If .mcp.json exists in the current directory, it is used for project-scoped servers. The global ~/.claude.json holds user-wide servers. Both are active simultaneously.
▸type field for remote servers: Claude Code uses type (not transport) to identify the remote protocol. Valid values are http, streamable-http, and sse. The getmcp CLI writes the correct field automatically.
▸Permission prompts on first use: Claude Code may prompt you to confirm allowing a new MCP server tool. This is a one-time security prompt per server per project.
