Reference Configurations for Claude Desktop MCP

What is Reference Configurations for Claude Desktop MCP?

This resource provides reference JSON configurations for connecting Claude Desktop to MCP servers across different environments, including Jetbrains IDEs on Windows, Docker containers on the Windows host or WSL, and uvx‑packaged servers in WSL. It is intended for Claude Desktop users who need practical, copy‑and‑paste setup examples for these common integration scenarios.

How to use Reference Configurations for Claude Desktop MCP?

Copy the relevant JSON snippet into your Claude Desktop configuration file. For Jetbrains, first install the MCP Server plugin, enable external connections in the IDE, and ensure the port matches. For Docker or WSL setups, adjust paths, tokens, and mount points as shown. After adding the configuration, restart Claude Desktop to apply the changes.

Key features of Reference Configurations for Claude Desktop MCP

• Jetbrains IDE integration via npx on Windows
• Dockerized MCP server on Windows host
• Dockerized MCP server running inside WSL
• uvx‑packaged MCP server accessed through WSL
• Environment variable support for tokens and ports
• Practical tips for handling changing ports in Jetbrains

Use cases of Reference Configurations for Claude Desktop MCP

• Connect Claude Desktop to Jetbrains IDEs for code‑aware MCP interactions
• Run the GitHub MCP server in a Docker container on Windows
• Access the filesystem MCP server from a Docker container hosted in WSL
• Use a git MCP server packaged with uvx, running via WSL

FAQ from Reference Configurations for Claude Desktop MCP

What dependencies are needed for the Jetbrains configuration?

Node.js and npx must be installed on Windows, and the MCP Server plugin must be enabled in the Jetbrains IDE. External connections must be allowed in the IDE’s debugger settings.

How do I handle the changing port in Jetbrains?

Jetbrains changes the IDE port on every launch. Instead of updating the Claude config each time (which requires restarting the app), update the Jetbrains IDE port to match the port already set in your Claude configuration.

What environment variables are required for the GitHub MCP server?

The GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN environment variable must be set. In the provided Docker example, the token is passed via -e and referenced in the env block of the config.

How do I connect to a Dockerized MCP server running in WSL?

Use wsl.exe as the command and pass the full docker run command as arguments. For example, the filesystem server uses a bind mount from the WSL filesystem into the container.

What is needed for the uvx‑packaged server in WSL?

You need uvx and a shell inside WSL. The config uses wsl.exe bash -c to invoke uvx with the full path to the binary, along with the appropriate repository path for the git MCP server.