Connect an MCP Server to Claude Desktop and Cursor

Steps

步骤

1. Install the server's dependencies

   In the unzipped folder run npm install (TypeScript) or create a venv and pip install -r requirements.txt (Python).

2. Test it outside the host

   Run npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector npm start (or python server.py) and call a tool once.

3. Write the mcpServers entry with absolute paths

   Point command at the project's tsx binary or venv Python and pass the absolute path to src/index.ts or server.py.

4. Add it to the host config

   Claude Desktop: Settings, Developer, Edit Config (claude_desktop_config.json). Cursor: ~/.cursor/mcp.json or .cursor/mcp.json in a project.

5. Restart the host and call a tool

   Fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop, or reload in Cursor, then ask for something that needs your tool.

Don't have a server yet? Generate one with MCP Server Generator in TypeScript or Python; the examples below use its default weather-helper project.

Config that works in both hosts

两个主机通用的配置

Replace /Users/you/mcp/weather-helper with your folder. Get it with pwd (macOS/Linux) or cd (Windows) inside the project.

TypeScript project (after npm install)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "weather-helper": {
      "command": "/Users/you/mcp/weather-helper/node_modules/.bin/tsx",
      "args": ["/Users/you/mcp/weather-helper/src/index.ts"]
    }
  }
}

Python project (after creating .venv and pip install)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "weather-helper": {
      "command": "/Users/you/mcp/weather-helper/.venv/bin/python",
      "args": ["/Users/you/mcp/weather-helper/server.py"]
    }
  }
}

On Windows use node_modules\.bin\tsx.cmd and .venv\Scripts\python.exe, and write each \ as \\ inside JSON strings. Pointing at the venv's Python matters: a bare "python" may resolve to a system interpreter that does not have mcp installed.

Alternatives in the generated README

README 里的其他写法

The README in every generated ZIP uses the absolute-path configs above (no cwd, which some Claude Desktop builds ignore) and adds one alternative per language:

TypeScript, compiled (after npm run build)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "weather-helper": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/Users/you/mcp/weather-helper/dist/index.js"]
    }
  }
}

Python with uv (no manual venv; uv installs mcp from pyproject.toml on first run)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "weather-helper": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": ["run", "--directory", "/Users/you/mcp/weather-helper", "server.py"]
    }
  }
}

If the host can't find node or uv, replace them with absolute paths from which node / which uv.

Claude Desktop specifics

Claude Desktop 要点

• File: macOS ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json, Windows %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json. Settings → Developer → Edit Config opens it.
• Restart: quit the app completely (not just the window) so it re-reads the file.
• Logs: macOS ~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp*.log, Windows %APPDATA%\Claude\logs. A server's stderr ends up here, including the generator's “running on stdio” line.

Cursor specifics

Cursor 要点

• Global: ~/.cursor/mcp.json makes the server available in every project.
• Per project: .cursor/mcp.json in the repo root; commit it only if the paths make sense for teammates.
• Status: the MCP section of Cursor Settings lists each server, whether it started, and its tools. Toggle it off and on after editing the file.

Troubleshooting

常见问题排查

FAQ

常见问题