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* add cdn image links * changeset --------- Co-authored-by: Elephant Lumps <celestial_vault@Elephants-MacBook-Pro.local>
167 lines
4.9 KiB
Plaintext
167 lines
4.9 KiB
Plaintext
---
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title: "Configuring MCP Servers"
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---
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## Global MCP Server Inclusion Mode
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Utilizing MCP servers will increase your token usage. Cline offers the ability to restrict or disable MCP server functionality as desired.
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1. Click the "MCP Servers" icon in the top navigation bar of the Cline extension.
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2. Select the "Installed" tab, and then Click the "Advanced MCP Settings" link at the bottom of that pane.
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3. Cline will open a new settings window. find `Cline>Mcp:Mode` and make your selection from the dropdown menu.
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<Frame>
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<img
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src="https://storage.googleapis.com/cline_public_images/docs/assets/MCP-settings-edit%20(1).png"
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alt="MCP settings edit"
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/>
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</Frame>
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## Managing Individual MCP Servers
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Each MCP server has its own configuration panel where you can modify settings, manage tools, and control its operation. To access these settings:
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1. Click the "MCP Servers" icon in the top navigation bar of the Cline extension.
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2. Locate the MCP server you want to manage in the list, and open it by clicking on its name.
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<Frame>
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<img
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src="https://storage.googleapis.com/cline_public_images/docs/assets/MCP-settings-individual.png"
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alt="MCP settings individual"
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/>
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</Frame>
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### Deleting a Server
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1. Click the Trash icon next to the MCP server you would like to delete, or the red Delete Server button at the bottom of the MCP server config box.
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**NOTE:** There is no delete confirmation dialog box
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### Restarting a Server
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1. Click the Restart button next to the MCP server you would like to restart, or the gray Restart Server button at the bottom of the MCP server config box.
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### Enabling or Disabling a Server
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1. Click the toggle switch next to the MCP server to enable/disable servers individually.
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### Network Timeout
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To set the maximum time to wait for a response after a tool call to the MCP server:
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1. Click the `Network Timeout` dropdown at the bottom of the individual MCP server's config box and change the time. Default is 1 minute but it can be set between 30 seconds and 1 hour.
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## Editing MCP Settings Files
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Settings for all installed MCP servers are located in the `cline_mcp_settings.json` file:
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1. Click the MCP Servers icon at the top navigation bar of the Cline pane.
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2. Select the "Installed" tab.
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3. Click the "Configure MCP Servers" button at the bottom of the pane.
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The file uses a JSON format with a `mcpServers` object containing named server configurations:
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```json
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{
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"mcpServers": {
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"server1": {
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"command": "python",
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"args": ["/path/to/server.py"],
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"env": {
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"API_KEY": "your_api_key"
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},
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"alwaysAllow": ["tool1", "tool2"],
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"disabled": false
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}
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}
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}
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```
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_Example of MCP Server config in Cline (STDIO Transport)_
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---
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## Understanding Transport Types
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MCP supports two transport types for server communication:
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### STDIO Transport
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Used for local servers running on your machine:
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- Communicates via standard input/output streams
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- Lower latency (no network overhead)
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- Better security (no network exposure)
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- Simpler setup (no HTTP server needed)
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- Runs as a child process on your machine
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For more in-depth information about how STDIO transport works, see [MCP Transport Mechanisms](/mcp/mcp-transport-mechanisms).
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STDIO configuration example:
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```json
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{
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"mcpServers": {
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"local-server": {
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"command": "node",
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"args": ["/path/to/server.js"],
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"env": {
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"API_KEY": "your_api_key"
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},
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"alwaysAllow": ["tool1", "tool2"],
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"disabled": false
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}
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}
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}
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```
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### SSE Transport
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Used for remote servers accessed over HTTP/HTTPS:
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- Communicates via Server-Sent Events protocol
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- Can be hosted on a different machine
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- Supports multiple client connections
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- Requires network access
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- Allows centralized deployment and management
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For more in-depth information about how SSE transport works, see [MCP Transport Mechanisms](/mcp/mcp-transport-mechanisms).
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SSE configuration example:
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```json
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{
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"mcpServers": {
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"remote-server": {
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"url": "https://your-server-url.com/mcp",
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"headers": {
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"Authorization": "Bearer your-token"
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},
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"alwaysAllow": ["tool3"],
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"disabled": false
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}
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}
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}
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```
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---
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## Using MCP Tools in Your Workflow
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After configuring an MCP server, Cline will automatically detect available tools and resources. To use them:
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1. Type your request in Cline's conversation window
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2. Cline will identify when an MCP tool can help with your task
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3. Approve the tool use when prompted (or use auto-approval)
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Example: "Analyze the performance of my API" might use an MCP tool that tests API endpoints.
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## Troubleshooting MCP Servers
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Common issues and solutions:
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- **Server Not Responding:** Check if the server process is running and verify network connectivity
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- **Permission Errors:** Ensure proper API keys and credentials are configured in your `mcp_settings.json` file
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- **Tool Not Available:** Confirm the server is properly implementing the tool and it's not disabled in settings
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- **Slow Performance:** Try adjusting the network timeout value for the specific MCP server
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