MCP Configuration

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) lets Claude Code connect to external tools and data sources through lightweight servers. The team runs a standard set of MCP servers to extend what Claude can do during a session.

What is MCP

MCP servers expose tools (actions Claude can call) and resources (data Claude can read). They run as local processes or remote endpoints and communicate with Claude Code over stdio or HTTP.

Recommended servers

Server	Purpose	Install
`@anthropic/mcp-filesystem`	Read and write files with permissions	`npm i -g @anthropic/mcp-filesystem`
`@anthropic/mcp-github`	Interact with GitHub repos, PRs, issues	`npm i -g @anthropic/mcp-github`
`@anthropic/mcp-fetch`	Make HTTP requests	`npm i -g @anthropic/mcp-fetch`
`@anthropic/mcp-memory`	Persistent key-value memory	`npm i -g @anthropic/mcp-memory`

Configuration file

MCP servers are declared in .claude/mcp.json at the project root or ~/.claude/mcp.json for global configuration.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@anthropic/mcp-filesystem", "--root", "."]
    },
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@anthropic/mcp-github"],
      "env": {
        "GITHUB_TOKEN": "${GITHUB_TOKEN}"
      }
    },
    "fetch": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@anthropic/mcp-fetch"]
    }
  }
}

Environment variables

Some servers need credentials passed through environment variables. Store tokens in your shell profile or .envrc (never commit them) and reference them with ${VAR} syntax in the config.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix
Server does not start	Missing Node.js or npx	Ensure Node 18+ is installed
"Permission denied" errors	Filesystem server root too narrow	Widen the `--root` path
GitHub tools fail	Invalid or expired token	Regenerate `GITHUB_TOKEN`
Slow responses	Server process crashed silently	Restart Claude Code session

Tips

Start with the filesystem and GitHub servers — they cover most workflows.
Add servers incrementally; each one increases startup time slightly.
Use project-level config (.claude/mcp.json) so the setup is shared across the team.