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You set up a custom MCP server to let your client connect to local data sources and tools through a standardized MCP channel. This enables your host applications to access dynamic data and remote services via a consistent interface, so you can extend capabilities without modifying the client every time.

How to use

You use your MCP client to talk to your local MCP server just like you would with any standard service. Start your MCP server locally, ensure it is running, and then configure your client to connect to it using the MCP protocol. Your client can request data, trigger actions, and receive results that incorporate information from local data sources and remote services. The server acts as a bridge between the client’s prompts and the data or tools you expose through the MCP interface.

How to install

Prerequisites: you need Node.js and npm installed on your system.

# 1) Install dependencies for the MCP server project
npm install

# 2) Build the MCP server
npm run build

# 3) Locate the built entry point (main.js) within the project directory
# This command prints the full path to main.js
find `pwd` -maxdepth 2 -name main.js

Configuration and running the MCP server

You register the MCP server with your MCP client by providing the path to the built entry point. The example below shows how to reference the server's main script after you build it. Use the exact path produced by the build step for your environment.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "myMcp": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["xxx/my-mcp-server/build/main.js"]
    }
  }
}

Verify the MCP server is registered

After you configure the MCP server, restart the MCP client (Claude Desktop in the example) and confirm that the MCP server named myMcp appears in the registered servers. You should then be able to issue prompts to the client and receive responses that incorporate data from your local sources.

Notes about macOS configuration

The following steps illustrate how to edit the client configuration on macOS. If you are using a different operating system, refer to the corresponding setup instructions for your platform.

Open the client configuration file in a text editor.

Example entry for a local MCP server uses the full node path and the built entry point.

Practical example: testing a local weather capability

As a quick test, you can configure a local MCP server that fetches weather data from a remote service and returns it as part of the generated response. Your client would request weather for a location, and the MCP server would fetch the data, enrich the response, and return it to the client for display.