Connecting Claude to Tools

Point Claude at an MCP server and it can use the tools and data that server exposes.

Once you have an MCP server (built yourself or provided by a service), you connect Claude to it and Claude can use whatever the server offers.

What connecting looks like

  • You tell Claude which MCP server(s) to use.
  • Claude discovers the tools that server exposes.
  • Claude calls those tools during a conversation, just like function calling.

Where MCP fits your app

MCP is a great fit when you want Claude to work with common services (source control, project trackers, databases) without writing a fresh integration for each one. For app-specific logic, plain tool use is often simpler.

Example

Example · json
{
  "connect_claude_to_mcp": {
    "1_declare_server": { "type": "url", "name": "github", "url": "https://example/mcp" },
    "2_claude_discovers": ["list_issues", "create_pull_request", "..."],
    "3_claude_uses_them": "during the conversation, like tool use"
  }
}

When to use it

  • Point Claude Code at a Postgres MCP server so it can query your schema and generate accurate migration scripts.
  • Connect Claude to a Slack MCP server so it can read channel messages and post replies from a task automation.
  • Wire a filesystem MCP server to Claude so it can read project files and generate documentation autonomously.

More examples

Add an MCP server to Claude Code config

Uses the claude mcp add command to register a local MCP server with Claude Code.

Example · bash
# In your project's .claude/settings.json
# or run:
claude mcp add my-db-server -- node ./mcp-servers/db/index.js

# Claude Code will restart and discover the new tools

Use a community MCP server (GitHub)

Registers the official GitHub MCP server using npx so Claude can read PRs, issues, and repos.

Example · json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
      "env": { "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "ghp_..." }
    }
  }
}

Verify Claude sees the MCP tools

The /tools command inside Claude Code confirms which MCP tools are available before using them.

Example · bash
# Inside a Claude Code session:
claude
> /tools
# Claude lists all discovered MCP tools:
# - github:list_pull_requests
# - github:create_issue
# - my-db-server:query_users

Related

claude mcp what isclaude tools connect

Discussion

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