What is the difference between a local and a remote MCP server?

A local server runs as a child process on your machine using the command/args config. A remote server runs at a URL and connects over HTTP; you reference it with a url field instead of command.

Can I add MCP servers for both Claude Code and Claude for VS Code?

Yes, but they use different config files. Claude Code reads ~/.claude/settings.json with an mcpServers key. Claude for VS Code reads VS Code's settings.json with the mcp.servers key.

Why does my MCP server crash on startup?

The most common causes are a missing or wrong Node version, a missing environment variable, or a path argument that does not exist. Run the startup command in a terminal first and read the error before debugging inside VS Code.

Do I need to restart VS Code every time I change MCP settings?

A window reload (Ctrl+Shift+P → "Developer: Reload Window") is enough. If you changed an environment variable in your shell profile, restart the terminal session that launched VS Code.

How to Add an MCP Server in VS Code

Open User Settings JSON (Ctrl+Shift+P → "Open User Settings JSON"), add an "mcp" object with a "servers" key, and list each server with its command, args, and optional env. Reload the window after saving. Claude for VS Code and GitHub Copilot read this config; Cursor and Windsurf each use their own config file.

MCP servers give AI assistants in VS Code access to files, databases, and APIs. Here is exactly where the config lives, how to write it, and how to verify the server is connected.