Where is the Claude Code MCP config file?

User and local scoped servers live in ~/.claude.json; project-scoped servers live in .mcp.json at the project root.

Is Claude Code config the same as claude_desktop_config.json?

No. claude_desktop_config.json belongs to the Claude Desktop app (on macOS, under ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/). The Claude Code CLI uses ~/.claude.json and .mcp.json.

Should I edit ~/.claude.json by hand?

You can, but it is safer to use claude mcp add and claude mcp remove so the JSON stays valid.

Should I commit .mcp.json to git?

Yes, if you want teammates to get the same project-scoped servers — that is what the project scope is for.

Where Does Claude Code Store Its MCP Config?

Claude Code stores MCP servers in ~/.claude.json (for user-scoped and local-scoped servers) and in a .mcp.json file at your project root (for project-scoped servers shared via git). That is different from Claude Desktop, which uses claude_desktop_config.json.

Claude Code stores MCP servers in two places depending on scope — and neither is the claude_desktop_config.json people often look for. Here is exactly where to look.