Popular MCP Servers for Claude Code Users

Popular MCP Servers for Claude Code

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open-source protocol launched by Anthropic. Adding MCP servers can significantly expand Claude Code's functionality. This article features the most popular and practical MCP servers to help you quickly boost development efficiency.

My Common Configuration:

Add the configuration to the mcpServers section at the bottom of ~/.claude.json

json

"mcpServers": {
    "browser-tools-mcp": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@agentdeskai/[[email protected]](/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection)"]
    },
    "iterm-mcp": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "iterm-mcp"]
    },
    "mcp-server-sqlite": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-sqlite", "/Users/gump/Documents/work/data/mcp-tasks.db"]
    },
    "playwright": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@executeautomation/playwright-mcp-server@latest"]
    },
    "super-shell": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "super-shell-mcp"]
    },
    "sequential-thinking": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking"]
    },
    "context7": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "context7-mcp"]
    },
    "fetch": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-fetch"]
    },
    "chrome-devtools": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "chrome-devtools-mcp"]
    }
  }

🔥 Most Popular MCP Servers (The content below is AI-generated, read selectively)

1. Filesystem - File System Access

Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Use Cases : Let Claude read/write local files, perform code refactoring, batch modifications, etc.

Quick Installation

bash

# Add access to Documents and Desktop
claude mcp add filesystem -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ~/Documents ~/Desktop

# Add entire user directory (use with caution)
claude mcp add filesystem -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ~

Typical Uses

📝 Batch file renaming
🔍 Search and analyze codebases
📊 Generate project reports
🛠️ Automated code refactoring

Notes

Security Notice

Only grant Claude access to necessary directories. Avoid granting access to the entire file system.

2. GitHub - Repository Management

Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Use Cases : Manage GitHub repositories, create PRs, view Issues

Quick Installation

bash

# Install GitHub MCP server first
npm install -g @modelcontextprotocol/server-github

# Add GitHub MCP (requires GitHub Token)
claude mcp add github -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-github

Configure GitHub Token

Visit GitHub Settings > Developer settings > Personal access tokens
Create new token, select permissions: repo, read:org, read:user
Set environment variable:

bash

# macOS/Linux
export GITHUB_TOKEN="ghp_your_token_here"

# Windows PowerShell
$env:GITHUB_TOKEN="ghp_your_token_here"

Typical Uses

📋 View and manage Issues
🔀 Create and review Pull Requests
📝 Update README and documentation
🔍 Search code and commit history

3. PostgreSQL - Database Operations

Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Use Cases : Query and manage PostgreSQL databases

Quick Installation

bash

# Install PostgreSQL MCP server
npm install -g @modelcontextprotocol/server-postgres

# Add PostgreSQL MCP
claude mcp add postgres -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-postgres postgresql://user:password@localhost:5432/dbname

Typical Uses

📊 Data querying and analysis
🔧 Database schema optimization
📝 Generate SQL queries
🔍 Problem diagnosis and performance tuning

Security Recommendations

Best Practices

Use read-only accounts for queries
Avoid direct production environment use
Regularly review database access logs

4. Brave Search - Web Search

Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Use Cases : Real-time web search, get latest data

Quick Installation

bash

# Get Brave Search API Key first
# Visit: https://brave.com/search/api/

# Add Brave Search MCP
claude mcp add brave-search -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-brave-search

Configure API Key

bash

# Set Brave Search API Key
export BRAVE_API_KEY="your_api_key_here"

Typical Uses

🔍 Research latest tech trends
📰 Get real-time news and information
🌐 Find solutions and documentation
💡 Get programming problem answers

5. SQLite - Lightweight Database

Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Use Cases : Local data storage and analysis

Quick Installation

bash

# Add SQLite MCP
claude mcp add sqlite -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-sqlite /path/to/database.db

Typical Uses

📊 Local data analysis
🗄️ Application data management
📝 Data import/export
🔍 Data migration and transformation

6. Memory - Conversation Memory

Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Use Cases : Save important information across sessions

Quick Installation

bash

# Add Memory MCP
claude mcp add memory -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-memory

Typical Uses

📝 Save project context
🎯 Remember user preferences
📊 Track task progress
💡 Build knowledge base

7. Puppeteer - Browser Automation

Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Use Cases : Web scraping, automated testing

Quick Installation

bash

# Install Puppeteer MCP
npm install -g @modelcontextprotocol/server-puppeteer

# Add Puppeteer MCP
claude mcp add puppeteer -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-puppeteer

Typical Uses

🌐 Web content scraping
🧪 Automated testing
📸 Website screenshots
🔍 Data collection

8. Slack - Team Collaboration

Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Use Cases : Send messages, manage channels

Quick Installation

bash

# Need Slack Bot Token
# Visit: https://api.slack.com/apps

# Add Slack MCP
claude mcp add slack -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-slack

Configuration

bash

export SLACK_BOT_TOKEN="xoxb-your-token"
export SLACK_TEAM_ID="T01234567"

Typical Uses

💬 Send notifications and reminders
📊 Generate team reports
🔔 Event monitoring alerts
📝 Workflow automation

9. Google Drive - Cloud Storage

Rating : ⭐⭐⭐ Use Cases : Access and manage Google Drive files

Quick Installation

bash

# Need Google OAuth credentials
# Visit: https://console.cloud.google.com

# Add Google Drive MCP
claude mcp add gdrive -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-gdrive

Typical Uses

📁 Document management
📊 Data analysis
🔄 File synchronization
📝 Collaborative editing

10. Git - Version Control

Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Use Cases : Git repository operations

Quick Installation

bash

# Add Git MCP
claude mcp add git -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-git /path/to/repo

Typical Uses

📝 Commit code changes
🌿 Branch management
🔀 Merge and conflict resolution
📊 View commit history

🎯 Categorized by Use Case

Developer Essentials

Filesystem - File operations
Git - Version control
GitHub - Code hosting
PostgreSQL/SQLite - Database management

Data Analysis

SQLite - Local data analysis
PostgreSQL - Database queries
Puppeteer - Web data scraping
Google Drive - Cloud data access

Content Creation

Filesystem - File management
Memory - Knowledge accumulation
Brave Search - Information research
Google Drive - Document collaboration

Team Collaboration

Slack - Team communication
GitHub - Code collaboration
Memory - Shared knowledge base
Git - Version management

🚀 Quick Start Guide

Step 1: Install Node.js

Most MCP servers require Node.js:

bash

# Check if installed
node --version
npm --version

# If not, visit https://nodejs.org to download and install

Step 2: Choose Your MCPs

Select 2-3 most needed MCP servers from the list above based on your use case.

Step 3: Install One by One

bash

# Example: Install filesystem and Git support
claude mcp add filesystem -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ~/Documents
claude mcp add git -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-git ~/projects

Step 4: Verify Installation

bash

# View installed MCPs
claude mcp list

# Test functionality
claude "Help me list all files in the Documents directory"

🔧 Common Issues

Q1: MCP server installation failed?

A: Common causes and solutions:

Node.js not installed : Install Node.js 18 or higher
Insufficient permissions : Use sudo or administrator privileges
Network issues : Configure npm mirror
Path errors : Check if file path exists

Q2: How to uninstall MCP servers?

bash

# List all MCPs
claude mcp list

# Remove specific MCP
claude mcp remove <mcp-name>

Q3: MCP server using too much memory?

A: You can:

Keep only frequently used MCPs
Restart Claude Code
Check MCP server logs

Q4: How to update MCP servers?

bash

# Remove old version first
claude mcp remove <mcp-name>

# Reinstall latest version
claude mcp add <mcp-name> -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-<name>

Q5: Are MCPs safe?

A: Security recommendations:

✅ Only install MCPs from official or trusted sources
✅ Follow principle of least privilege
✅ Regularly review installed MCPs
❌ Don't randomly grant full file system access

🌟 Recommended MCP Combinations

Combo 1: Full-Stack Developer

bash

claude mcp add filesystem -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ~/projects
claude mcp add git -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-git ~/projects
claude mcp add github -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-github
claude mcp add postgres -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-postgres postgresql://localhost/mydb

Combo 2: Data Analyst

bash

claude mcp add filesystem -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ~/data
claude mcp add sqlite -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-sqlite ~/data/analysis.db
claude mcp add puppeteer -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-puppeteer

Combo 3: Content Creator

bash

claude mcp add filesystem -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem ~/Documents
claude mcp add memory -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-memory
claude mcp add brave-search -s user -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-brave-search

📊 MCP Performance Comparison

MCP Server	Startup Speed	Memory Usage	Stability	Rating
Filesystem	⚡⚡⚡	Low	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Must-have
Git	⚡⚡⚡	Low	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Must-have
GitHub	⚡⚡	Medium	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Recommended
PostgreSQL	⚡⚡	Medium	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Recommended
SQLite	⚡⚡⚡	Low	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Recommended
Puppeteer	⚡	High	⭐⭐⭐	As needed
Memory	⚡⚡⚡	Low	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Recommended
Brave Search	⚡⚡	Low	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Recommended

Claude Code MCP Server Complete Guide - Detailed configuration and debugging guide
Serena MCP Integration Guide - Specific MCP usage tutorials
MCP Official Repository - Latest MCP server list
MCP Awesome List - Community-recommended MCP servers

🎉 Summary

MCP servers are a powerful extension mechanism for Claude Code. With proper use, you can:

✅ 10x efficiency boost - Automate repetitive tasks
✅ Expand capabilities - Integrate various tools and services
✅ Customized experience - Freely combine based on needs
✅ Continuous evolution - Community constantly contributes new MCPs

Beginners are recommended to start with Filesystem and Memory , then gradually explore other powerful MCP servers.

Need Help? Join Claude Code Carpool Community for professional technical support and more MCP usage tips!

Popular MCP Servers for Claude Code Users ​ ​

My Common Configuration: ​ ​

🔥 Most Popular MCP Servers (The content below is AI-generated, read selectively) ​ ​

1. Filesystem - File System Access ​ ​

Quick Installation ​ ​

Typical Uses ​ ​

Notes ​ ​

2. GitHub - Repository Management ​ ​

Quick Installation ​ ​

Configure GitHub Token ​ ​

Typical Uses ​ ​

3. PostgreSQL - Database Operations ​ ​

Quick Installation ​ ​

Typical Uses ​ ​

Security Recommendations ​ ​

4. Brave Search - Web Search ​ ​

Quick Installation ​ ​

Configure API Key ​ ​

Typical Uses ​ ​

5. SQLite - Lightweight Database ​ ​

Quick Installation ​ ​

Typical Uses ​ ​

6. Memory - Conversation Memory ​ ​

Quick Installation ​ ​

Typical Uses ​ ​

7. Puppeteer - Browser Automation ​ ​

Quick Installation ​ ​

Typical Uses ​ ​

8. Slack - Team Collaboration ​ ​

Quick Installation ​ ​

Configuration ​ ​

Typical Uses ​ ​

9. Google Drive - Cloud Storage ​ ​

Quick Installation ​ ​

Typical Uses ​ ​

10. Git - Version Control ​ ​

Quick Installation ​ ​

Typical Uses ​ ​

🎯 Categorized by Use Case ​ ​

Developer Essentials ​ ​

Data Analysis ​ ​

Content Creation ​ ​

Team Collaboration ​ ​

🚀 Quick Start Guide ​ ​

Step 1: Install Node.js ​ ​

Step 2: Choose Your MCPs ​ ​

Step 3: Install One by One ​ ​

Step 4: Verify Installation ​ ​

🔧 Common Issues ​ ​

Q1: MCP server installation failed? ​ ​

Q2: How to uninstall MCP servers? ​ ​

Q3: MCP server using too much memory? ​ ​

Q4: How to update MCP servers? ​ ​

Q5: Are MCPs safe? ​ ​

🌟 Recommended MCP Combinations ​ ​

Combo 1: Full-Stack Developer ​ ​

Combo 2: Data Analyst ​ ​

Combo 3: Content Creator ​ ​

📊 MCP Performance Comparison ​ ​

🔗 Related Resources ​ ​

🎉 Summary ​ ​

Popular MCP Servers for Claude Code Users

My Common Configuration:

🔥 Most Popular MCP Servers (The content below is AI-generated, read selectively)

1. Filesystem - File System Access

Quick Installation

Typical Uses

Notes

2. GitHub - Repository Management

Quick Installation

Configure GitHub Token

Typical Uses

3. PostgreSQL - Database Operations

Quick Installation

Typical Uses

Security Recommendations

4. Brave Search - Web Search

Quick Installation

Configure API Key

Typical Uses

5. SQLite - Lightweight Database

Quick Installation

Typical Uses

6. Memory - Conversation Memory

Quick Installation

Typical Uses

7. Puppeteer - Browser Automation

Quick Installation

Typical Uses

8. Slack - Team Collaboration

Quick Installation

Configuration

Typical Uses

9. Google Drive - Cloud Storage

Quick Installation

Typical Uses

10. Git - Version Control

Quick Installation

Typical Uses

🎯 Categorized by Use Case

Developer Essentials

Data Analysis

Content Creation

Team Collaboration

🚀 Quick Start Guide

Step 1: Install Node.js

Step 2: Choose Your MCPs

Step 3: Install One by One

Step 4: Verify Installation

🔧 Common Issues

Q1: MCP server installation failed?

Q2: How to uninstall MCP servers?

Q3: MCP server using too much memory?

Q4: How to update MCP servers?

Q5: Are MCPs safe?

🌟 Recommended MCP Combinations

Combo 1: Full-Stack Developer

Combo 2: Data Analyst

Combo 3: Content Creator

📊 MCP Performance Comparison

🔗 Related Resources

🎉 Summary