Where is claude_desktop_config.json located on Mac and Windows?

On macOS it is at ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json. On Windows it is at %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json. The fastest way to open it is Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config, which creates the file if it does not exist yet.

What is the difference between mcpServers and servers in MCP config?

They are the same object under a different top-level key. Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor and Windsurf wrap your servers in "mcpServers". VS Code wraps the identical block in "servers" inside .vscode/mcp.json. Paste the wrong key and that client silently ignores every server. This tool emits the correct key per client.

How do I add environment variables to an MCP server config?

Add an "env" object to the server entry, with string keys and string values, e.g. "env": { "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "ghp_xxx" }. Values must be strings even if they look numeric — write "3000", not 3000. Fill in the Environment variables rows above and the env block is generated for you.

How do I configure a remote (HTTP/SSE) MCP server vs a local stdio one?

A local server runs a process: use command, args and optional env. A remote server is reached over the network: switch Transport to Remote (HTTP) and give a url (and optional headers) instead of a command. The streamable-HTTP shape is { "url": "https://…/mcp" }, with no command field.

Why are all my MCP servers not loading after editing the config?

Almost always invalid JSON. A single trailing comma, a missing quote, or a comment (JSON allows none) makes the whole file fail to parse, so every server disappears with no error. Paste your block into the validity badge above — if it says Valid, the JSON is sound. Then fully restart the client so it re-reads the file.

Does this tool send my API keys or tokens anywhere?

No. Everything is assembled in your browser with plain string operations and JSON.stringify. Nothing you type into env values or headers is uploaded, logged, or sent to any server. You can disconnect from the internet after the page loads and it still works.

Can I configure more than one server at once?

Yes. Use Add another server for each one. All rows are merged into a single config object keyed by server name, so the output is the complete block you can paste in one go. Duplicate names are flagged because the later one would overwrite the earlier.

Which MCP clients does this support?

Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code and Windsurf. Pick any combination of targets and you get one ready-to-paste block per client, each with the correct top-level key and the exact file path for macOS, Windows and Linux.

Developer · MCP

MCP Config Generator

Build a valid Model Context Protocol config for Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code and Windsurf from one form. Correctly keyed, JSON-valid, with the exact file path for each client. Runs in your browser — keys never leave the page.

By Induwara Ashinsana— Executive Director, Ryzera TechnologiesUpdated Jun 28, 2026

Build your MCP configstdio & HTTP

Schema verified

Server 1

Server name

Transport

Command

Arguments

One argument per line. A single line is split on spaces.

Environment variables

Target clients

VS Code uses the servers key; every other client uses mcpServers.

Claude Desktopclaude_desktop_config.jsonkey: mcpServers

Valid · 1 server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Edit via Settings → Developer → Edit Config, then fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop. Linux path applies to community builds.

Cursormcp.jsonkey: mcpServers

Valid · 1 server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Use ~/.cursor/mcp.json for all projects, or .cursor/mcp.json inside a project for a project-only server.

Where to save it

Client	Config file path (macOS)
Claude Desktop	~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Cursor	~/.cursor/mcp.json (or {project}/.cursor/mcp.json)

Common mistakes that break every server

A trailing comma after the last entry — JSON has no comments and no trailing commas. One stray comma disables every server with no error message.
env values must be strings: write "3000", not 3000.
Use absolute paths for local servers — relative paths resolve against the client's working directory, not your project.

Generated entirely in your browser — nothing you type is uploaded.

How it works

An MCP config file is small but unforgiving. It is plain JSON — no comments, no trailing commas — and a single syntax slip makes the whole file fail to parse, so every server vanishes with no error message. On top of that, each client expects a slightly different file, in a different location, under a different top-level key. This tool builds the block for you so none of that is done by hand.

The generation is deterministic serialization, not calculation. For each server you add, the tool assembles one object:

Local (stdio): { command, args, env } — args is your argument list (one per line), env is a map of string values. args and env are omitted when empty.
Remote (HTTP): { url, headers } — the streamable-HTTP shape. headers is omitted when empty.

Every server you add is merged into one map, keyed by server name. That map is then wrapped under the client-specific top-level key. Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor and Windsurf use mcpServers; VS Code is the one outlier and uses servers in .vscode/mcp.json. Pasting the wrong key into a client is the most common reason a config looks right but loads nothing.

Finally the object is rendered with JSON.stringify(config, null, 2) and checked twice: the validity badge re-parses the output with JSON.parse, and an independent schema check confirms the right top-level key, that each server has a command or a url, and that all env and header values are strings. The key, file-path and shape rules come straight from the official MCP spec and each client's own docs (cited below), last verified on 2026-06-28.

Worked examples

Local filesystem server — Claude Desktop

Name: filesystem
Transport: Local (stdio)
Command: npx
Args: -y / @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem / /Users/me/projects
Target: Claude Desktop

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem",
        "/Users/me/projects"
      ]
    }
  }
}

args optional members included; env omitted because it is empty. Save to ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json.

Same server — VS Code (note the key)

Identical inputs, Target: VS Code

{
  "servers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem",
        "/Users/me/projects"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Only the top-level key changes: servers instead of mcpServers. Save to .vscode/mcp.json in the workspace.

Server with an API key in env — Cursor

Name: github
Command: npx
Args: -y / @modelcontextprotocol/server-github
Env: GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN = ghp_xxx

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
      "env": {
        "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "ghp_xxx"
      }
    }
  }
}

The env value is a string, per the spec. Cursor uses mcpServers, in ~/.cursor/mcp.json.

Remote HTTP server

Name: linear
Transport: Remote (HTTP)
URL: https://mcp.linear.app/mcp

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "linear": {
      "url": "https://mcp.linear.app/mcp"
    }
  }
}

A streamable-HTTP server uses url and has no command field.

Frequently asked questions

Sources & references

The config keys, file paths and server-object shape on this page were last cross-checked against the official MCP spec and each client's docs on 2026-06-28. The format is a documented schema; this page is reviewed whenever a client changes its config layout.

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Comments & feedback

Spotted a bug or want an improvement? Tell us — our team reviews every comment, and good ideas get built. Comments are public and anonymous.

Found a bug, edge case, or want another client supported?

Email me at [email protected] — most fixes ship within 24 hours.