mcp-add

name	mcp-add
description	Add MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers to AI coding clients using npx. Use when the user wants to configure, add, or set up an MCP server for Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf, Continue, Goose, Codex, OpenCode, Gemini CLI, or Copilot CLI.

mcp-add

Add MCP servers to AI coding clients without installation.

Command

npx mcp-add [flags]

Run without flags for interactive mode, or provide all required flags for non-interactive mode.

Flags

Flag	Description
--name, -n	Server name (identifier in config)
--type, -t	Server type: stdio, http, or sse
--command, -c	Command to run (stdio only), e.g., "npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem"
--url, -u	Server URL (http/sse only)
--args, -a	Arguments for stdio command (can repeat)
--env, -e	Environment variables as KEY=value (can repeat)
--headers, -H	HTTP headers as Key: value (can repeat, http/sse only)
--scope, -s	Config scope: global or project
--clients	Target clients (comma-separated or repeated)

Supported Clients

claude desktop claude code copilot cli cursor continue windsurf opencode vscode goose codex gemini

Note: Client names with spaces must be quoted: --clients "claude code"

Examples

Stdio server (filesystem access):

npx mcp-add --name filesystem --type stdio \
  --command "npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /path/to/dir" \
  --scope global --clients "claude code"

Stdio server with separate args:

npx mcp-add --name sqlite --type stdio \
  --command "npx -y @anthropic/mcp-server-sqlite" \
  --args "--db" --args "/path/to/db.sqlite" \
  --scope project --clients cursor,vscode

Remote SSE server:

npx mcp-add --name my-server --type sse \
  --url "http://localhost:3000/sse" \
  --scope global --clients "claude code"

With environment variables:

npx mcp-add --name github --type stdio \
  --command "npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-github" \
  --env "GITHUB_TOKEN=ghp_xxx" \
  --scope global --clients "claude code"

Interactive mode (prompts for all options):

npx mcp-add

Notes

• Project scope creates config in .cursor/, .vscode/, etc. in current directory
• Global scope uses platform-specific config locations
• Claude Desktop only supports global scope
• Command strings are split by whitespace; first part becomes command, rest becomes args