Claude Code MCP

Claude Code MCP

MCP is the Model Context Protocol, an open standard that lets Claude Code use tools, files, and prompts from other programs. A program that offers them is an MCP server. For example, claude mcp add --transport http notion https://mcp.notion.com/mcp adds a server over HTTP.

Marks

Mark	Meaning
✅	A page of the Claude Code docs names it.
🔍	Only the Claude Code bundle names it. No docs page does.
⚠️	The docs and the bundle differ. The row says how.
🧪	It works only behind a flag, a plan, or a server-side switch. The row says which.
❌	It is removed or does nothing in 2.1.303.

Sub-Pages

Page	Content
Claude Code MCP Config	Server options for each transport, env var expansion, scope precedence
Claude Code MCP Settings	Settings keys, policy lists, approval, managed-mcp.json, flags
Claude Code MCP CLI	Each claude mcp subcommand and flag, the /mcp command
Claude Code MCP Runtime	Tool names, permissions, resources, prompts, elicitation, channels, limits, tool search
Claude Code MCP Auth	OAuth, headersHelper, XAA, claude.ai connectors
Claude Code MCP Env Vars	Every MCP env var

Transports

Mark	Item	What It Does	How It Works	Where It Can Be Used	Source
✅	stdio	Runs a local process	Default when type is absent. Needs command. Claude Code sets CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR in the process env	Every scope, plugins, agent files	Connect Claude Code to Tools via MCP, Control MCP Server Access for Your Organization
✅	http	Remote server over streamable HTTP	The recommended remote transport. streamable-http is an alias. Supports OAuth and headers	Every scope, plugins, agent files	Connect Claude Code to Tools via MCP, Control MCP Server Access for Your Organization
✅	sse	Remote server over SSE	Deprecated. --transport http tries HTTP first and falls back to SSE (2.1.265 and later)	Every scope, plugins, agent files	Connect Claude Code to Tools via MCP, Control MCP Server Access for Your Organization
✅	ws	Remote server over WebSocket	Header-only auth. No OAuth. claude mcp add --transport does not accept it. First connect is not retried	.mcp.json, add-json, plugins, agent files	Connect Claude Code to Tools via MCP
✅	sdk	In-process server of an SDK host	Only an SDK host can register it. Claude Code skips it in .mcp.json and settings	SDK mcpServers, mcp_set_servers	Connect Claude Code to Tools via MCP, Control MCP Server Access for Your Organization
🔍	sse-ide	Server of an IDE extension over SSE	Has ideName and ideRunningInWindows. The idle timeout does not apply	IDE integration	Bundle: server schema sse-ide
🔍	ws-ide	Server of an IDE extension over WebSocket	Has ideName, authToken, and ideRunningInWindows	IDE integration	Bundle: server schema ws-ide
🔍	claudeai-proxy	A claude.ai connector through the MCP proxy	A config file cannot declare it. Claude Code reports type "claudeai-proxy" is used only by claude.ai connectors	Scope claudeai	Bundle: server schema claudeai-proxy

Scopes

Mark	Item	What It Does	How It Works	Where It Can Be Used	Source
✅	local	Private server for one project	Default scope. Stored in ~/.claude.json under projects["<path>"].mcpServers	claude mcp add	Connect Claude Code to Tools via MCP, CLI Reference
✅	project	Server shared with the team	Stored in .mcp.json at the project root. Needs approval in interactive sessions	claude mcp add --scope project	Connect Claude Code to Tools via MCP, CLI Reference
✅	user	Server for all your projects	Stored in ~/.claude.json under mcpServers	claude mcp add --scope user	Connect Claude Code to Tools via MCP, CLI Reference
✅	Plugin	Servers that a plugin bundles	Named plugin:<plugin>:<server>. Tools are mcp__plugin_<plugin>_<server>__<tool>	.mcp.json in the plugin root or mcpServers in plugin.json	MCP docs, Plugin-provided MCP servers
✅	claude.ai connectors	Servers added in claude.ai	Fetched at start for a claude.ai login. Lowest precedence	/mcp, scope claudeai	MCP docs, Use MCP servers from claude.ai
✅	managed	Servers that the organization provides	managedMcpServers setting or managed-mcp.json. Ranks above all other sources (2.1.259 and later)	Managed settings	Connect Claude Code to Tools via MCP
🔍	dynamic	Servers passed at run time	The bundle uses it for --mcp-config and for the remote copy from CLAUDE_CODE_REMOTE_MCP_CONFIG	--mcp-config, SDK	Bundle: scope list
🔍	enterprise, agent	Other scope names in the bundle list	The scope list is local, user, project, dynamic, enterprise, claudeai, managed, agent	Unknown	Bundle: scope list

See Also

• Connect Claude Code to Tools via MCP is the docs page.
• Settings: MCP and Channels lists the same settings keys from the settings side.
• Env Vars lists every env var.