MCP Setup

Configure Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers to extend Claude Code's capabilities with external tools like web search, file system access, and GitHub integration.

Overview

MCP servers provide additional tools that Claude Code agents can use. This skill helps you configure popular MCP servers using the claude mcp add command-line interface.

Step 1: Choose a Setup Path

Use AskUserQuestion with one question at a time and no more than 3 options per question. Recent Claude Code builds reject larger option payloads as invalid tool parameters, so keep the MCP selection flow staged.

Step 1.1: First menu

Question: "What kind of MCP setup would you like?"

Options:

1. Recommended starter setup - Fast path for the most common OMC MCP additions
2. Individual popular server - Pick one built-in server from a short follow-up menu
3. Custom server - Add your own stdio or HTTP MCP server

Step 1.2: If the user chooses "Recommended starter setup"

Ask a follow-up AskUserQuestion:

Question: "Which recommended MCP bundle should I configure?"

Options:

1. Context7 only (Recommended) - Zero-config docs/context server
2. Context7 + Exa - Docs/context plus enhanced web search
3. Full recommended bundle - Context7, Exa, Filesystem, and GitHub

Map that choice to the server list you will configure.

Step 1.3: If the user chooses "Individual popular server"

Ask a follow-up AskUserQuestion:

Question: "Which server should I configure first?"

Options:

1. Context7 (Recommended) - Documentation and code context from popular libraries
2. Exa Web Search - Enhanced web search (replaces built-in websearch)
3. More server choices - Filesystem, GitHub, or the full recommended bundle

If the user chooses More server choices, ask one more AskUserQuestion:

Question: "Which additional MCP option do you want?"

Options:

1. Filesystem (Recommended) - Extended file system access with additional capabilities
2. GitHub - GitHub API integration for issues, PRs, and repository management
3. Full recommended bundle - Configure Context7, Exa, Filesystem, and GitHub together

Step 1.4: If the user chooses "Custom server"

Skip directly to the Custom MCP Server section below.

Step 2: Gather Required Information

For Context7:

No API key required. Ready to use immediately.

For Exa Web Search:

Ask for API key:

Do you have an Exa API key?
- Get one at: https://exa.ai
- Enter your API key, or type 'skip' to configure later

For Filesystem:

Ask for allowed directories:

Which directories should the filesystem MCP have access to?
Default: Current working directory
Enter comma-separated paths, or press Enter for default

For GitHub:

Ask for token:

Do you have a GitHub Personal Access Token?
- Create one at: https://github.com/settings/tokens
- Recommended scopes: repo, read:org
- Enter your token, or type 'skip' to configure later

Step 3: Add MCP Servers Using CLI

Use the claude mcp add command to configure each MCP server. The CLI automatically handles settings.json updates and merging.

Context7 Configuration:

bash
claude mcp add context7 -- npx -y @upstash/context7-mcp

Exa Web Search Configuration:

bash
claude mcp add -e EXA_API_KEY=<user-provided-key> exa -- npx -y exa-mcp-server

Filesystem Configuration:

bash
claude mcp add filesystem -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem <allowed-directories>

GitHub Configuration:

Option 1: Docker (local)

bash
claude mcp add -e GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN=<user-provided-token> github -- docker run -i --rm -e GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server

Option 2: HTTP (remote)

bash
claude mcp add --transport http github https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/

> Note: Docker option requires Docker installed. HTTP option is simpler but may have different capabilities.

Step 4: Verify Installation

After configuration, verify the MCP servers are properly set up:

bash
# List configured MCP servers
claude mcp list

This will display all configured MCP servers and their status.

Step 5: Show Completion Message

MCP Server Configuration Complete!

CONFIGURED SERVERS:
[List the servers that were configured]

NEXT STEPS:
1. Restart Claude Code for changes to take effect
2. The configured MCP tools will be available to all agents
3. Run `claude mcp list` to verify configuration

USAGE TIPS:
- Context7: Ask about library documentation (e.g., "How do I use React hooks?")
- Exa: Use for web searches (e.g., "Search the web for latest TypeScript features")
- Filesystem: Extended file operations beyond the working directory
- GitHub: Interact with GitHub repos, issues, and PRs

TROUBLESHOOTING:
- If MCP servers don't appear, run `claude mcp list` to check status
- Ensure you have Node.js 18+ installed for npx-based servers
- For GitHub Docker option, ensure Docker is installed and running
- Run /oh-my-claudecode:omc-doctor to diagnose issues

MANAGING MCP SERVERS:
- Add more servers: /oh-my-claudecode:mcp-setup or `claude mcp add ...`
- List servers: `claude mcp list`
- Remove a server: `claude mcp remove <server-name>`

Custom MCP Server

If user selects "Custom":

Ask for:

1. Server name (identifier)
2. Transport type: stdio (default) or http
3. For stdio: Command and arguments (e.g., npx my-mcp-server)
4. For http: URL (e.g., https://example.com/mcp)
5. Environment variables (optional, key=value pairs)
6. HTTP headers (optional, for http transport only)

Then construct and run the appropriate claude mcp add command:

For stdio servers:

bash
# Without environment variables
claude mcp add <server-name> -- <command> [args...]

# With environment variables
claude mcp add -e KEY1=value1 -e KEY2=value2 <server-name> -- <command> [args...]

For HTTP servers:

bash
# Basic HTTP server
claude mcp add --transport http <server-name> <url>

# HTTP server with headers
claude mcp add --transport http --header "Authorization: Bearer <token>" <server-name> <url>

Company-context convention

If the custom server is meant to provide organization-specific reference material to OMC workflows, prefer a single tool named get_company_context that returns markdown via { context: string }.

Example local registration:

bash
claude mcp add company-context -- node examples/vendor-mcp-server/server.mjs

Then point OMC at the full tool name in .claude/omc.jsonc or ~/.config/claude-omc/config.jsonc:

jsonc
{
  "companyContext": {
    "tool": "mcp__company-context__get_company_context",
    "onError": "warn"
  }
}

This remains advisory prompt context, not runtime enforcement.

Common Issues

MCP Server Not Loading

• Ensure Node.js 18+ is installed
• Check that npx is available in PATH
• Run claude mcp list to verify server status
• Check server logs for errors

API Key Issues

• Exa: Verify key at https://dashboard.exa.ai
• GitHub: Ensure token has required scopes (repo, read:org)
• Re-run claude mcp add with correct credentials if needed

Agents Still Using Built-in Tools

• Restart Claude Code after configuration
• The built-in websearch will be deprioritized when exa is configured
• Run claude mcp list to confirm servers are active

Removing or Updating a Server

• Remove: claude mcp remove <server-name>
• Update: Remove the old server, then add it again with new configuration