awesome mcp tools

How to Install and Configure an MCP Server (Step-by-Step)

April 3, 2026 mcp installation guide tutorial

MCP servers are surprisingly easy to install. Most take under a minute to set up. This guide covers the three main installation methods and how to configure servers for popular AI clients.

Prerequisites

You need at least one of these installed:

  • Node.js 18+ — for servers installed via npx (most common)
  • Python 3.10+ — for pip-based servers
  • Go 1.21+ — for Go-based servers
  • Docker — for containerized servers

Method 1: npx (Recommended)

The easiest way. npx downloads and runs the server automatically.

# Example: install the filesystem server
npx @anthropic-ai/mcp-server-filesystem /path/to/allowed/directory

No global install needed. npx fetches the latest version each time.

Popular npx servers

| Server | Command | |--------|---------| | Filesystem | npx @anthropic-ai/mcp-server-filesystem | | PostgreSQL | npx mcp-server-postgres | | Playwright | npx @anthropic-ai/mcp-server-playwright | | GitHub | npx mcp-server-github | | Brave Search | npx @anthropic-ai/mcp-server-brave-search |

Method 2: pip

For Python-based servers:

pip install mcp-server-postgres
# Then run it:
mcp-server-postgres --connection-string "postgresql://user:pass@localhost/db"

Use pipx for isolated installations:

pipx install mcp-server-postgres

Method 3: Docker

Some servers provide Docker images:

docker run -p 3000:3000 ghcr.io/some-org/mcp-server-example

Configuring Claude Desktop

Claude Desktop reads MCP server configuration from a JSON file.

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@anthropic-ai/mcp-server-filesystem",
        "/Users/you/projects"
      ]
    },
    "postgres": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-server-postgres",
        "--connection-string",
        "postgresql://localhost/mydb"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop after editing. Your servers will appear in the tools menu.

Configuring Cursor

Cursor uses a .cursor/mcp.json file in your project root:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@anthropic-ai/mcp-server-filesystem", "."]
    }
  }
}

Configuring Claude Code

Claude Code uses a .mcp.json file in your project root or ~/.claude/mcp.json globally:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "postgres": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["mcp-server-postgres"],
      "env": {
        "DATABASE_URL": "postgresql://localhost/mydb"
      }
    }
  }
}

Environment Variables

Many servers need API keys or connection strings. Pass them through env:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "brave-search": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@anthropic-ai/mcp-server-brave-search"],
      "env": {
        "BRAVE_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Troubleshooting

Server not showing up?

  • Check that Node.js/Python is in your PATH
  • Restart the AI client after config changes
  • Check the client's logs for errors

Permission denied?

  • Filesystem servers need explicit path access
  • Database servers need valid connection strings
  • API servers need valid keys

Server crashes on start?

  • Run the command manually in terminal to see errors
  • Check that required dependencies are installed
  • Verify the server version is compatible with your client

Next Steps

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