How to add an MCP server to Cline

Add MCP servers to Cline from the MCP Servers panel in your editor, or with the cline mcp command in a terminal.

Local servers: Yes; runs stdio servers
Hosted servers: Yes; connects by URL
Config: JSON; how servers are added
Picks: 5; ranked

In the Cline panel, click the MCP Servers icon, open Configure, and choose Configure MCP Servers to edit the settings JSON. For a hosted server, use the Remote Servers tab and enter a name and URL. In the terminal, run cline mcp for a wizard or cline mcp add to script it. One thing to know: if a remote entry has no type, Cline assumes legacy SSE, so set "type": "streamableHttp" yourself.

Good for

VS Code, Cursor or JetBrains users who run Cline as an extension
Terminal users who want cline mcp add in scripts
People connecting a hosted server by URL in the Remote Servers tab
Anyone who wants to limit which MCP tools Cline approves on its own

Install Cline

Cline

1
In the Cline panel, click the MCP Servers icon in the top toolbar.
2
Open the Configure tab.
3
Click Configure MCP Servers to open the settings JSON.
4
Add or edit entries under mcpServers.

Requires Cline extension.

Install the Cline extension from the Extensions view (search for Cline) in VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, VSCodium or Antigravity, or from the JetBrains plugin page, first. Cline also ships as a CLI and a desktop app. The IDE settings file has no documented path; open it from the Configure MCP Servers button.

From the vendor's docs. Source.

At a glance

Open the settings (IDE): MCP Servers icon, Configure tab, Configure MCP Servers
Config file (CLI): ~/.cline/data/settings/cline_mcp_settings.json
Override the path: CLINE_MCP_SETTINGS_PATH environment variable
Top-level key: mcpServers
Transports: stdio, streamable HTTP ("streamableHttp"), SSE ("sse")
Default when type is missing: Legacy SSE
Sign in (OAuth): Supported; cline mcp has an Authorize OAuth action
Per-server switches: disabled, autoApprove
Manage servers: Enable, disable, restart, set timeouts, remove
CLI: cline mcp, cline mcp add, cline mcp remove, cline config mcp --json

Add an MCP server to Cline

1
Open the MCP settings
In the Cline panel, click the stacked server icon in the top toolbar, open the Configure tab, and click Configure MCP Servers. This opens the settings JSON.

Add a local server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "local-server": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/server.js"],
      "env": { "API_KEY": "your_api_key" },
      "disabled": false,
      "autoApprove": []
    }
  }
}

Keep autoApprove short. Only list tools you are happy to run without a prompt.

Or add a hosted server

Use the Remote Servers tab, or add the entry yourself:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "remote-server": {
      "type": "streamableHttp",
      "url": "https://example.com/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer your-token" }
    }
  }
}

Without type, Cline uses the legacy sse transport.

Or use the terminal

cline mcp add files --yes -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem .
cline mcp add docs https://example.com/mcp --transport http --header "Authorization: Bearer TOKEN" --yes
cline mcp remove docs

Leave out --yes to open the wizard with the fields filled in. Run cline config mcp to list servers.

5
Check it loaded
Back in the MCP Servers panel, confirm the server is on and its tools are listed. Then ask Cline to call one tool.
6
If it does not work
Check the command or URL, that the server process is running, and the port. For auth errors, re-check keys and headers. For timeouts, raise the MCP timeout in the server settings and test the server directly.

Best MCP servers for Cline

Official servers with an approved PlugWiki page that run in Cline over stdio or HTTP; ordered by GitHub stars, then name. Derived from data we hold.

MCP servers that work in Cline

40 · official first, then servers with a page, then by stars

Show all 40

Common errors and fixes

Server will not connect
Cause: The command or URL is wrong, the server process is not running, or the port is blocked.
Fix: Verify the command or URL, the server process and the port.
cline Source
Tools are missing
Cause: The server did not start, or does not expose the tools you expect.
Fix: Confirm the server started and that it exposes tools.
cline Source
Auth errors from a remote server
Cause: The API key, token or required header is wrong.
Fix: Re-check keys, tokens and headers in the entry.
cline Source
Timeout errors
Cause: The server answers more slowly than the MCP request timeout.
Fix: Increase the MCP timeout in the server settings and test the server's response directly.
cline Source
A hosted server connects over the wrong transport
Cause: The entry has no type, so Cline uses legacy SSE.
Fix: Add "type": "streamableHttp" for a streamable HTTP server.
cline Source

Verdict

Cline lets you add servers three ways (panel, JSON, CLI) and handles stdio, streamable HTTP and SSE in one settings file. The main limit is the SSE default for entries without a type, so always set it for remote servers.

Best for

Developers who run Cline inside VS Code, Cursor or JetBrains
Teams that script server setup with cline mcp add

Skip it if

You need a documented file path for the IDE settings (the docs point to the Configure MCP Servers button)

Questions

Where is the Cline MCP config file?

In the IDE, click Configure MCP Servers in the MCP Servers panel to open it. In the CLI it is ~/.cline/data/settings/cline_mcp_settings.json, and CLINE_MCP_SETTINGS_PATH overrides that.

Does Cline support remote (HTTP) MCP servers?

Yes. Use the Remote Servers tab or a url entry. Pick Streamable HTTP (recommended) or SSE (legacy).

Why does my remote server use SSE in Cline?

Because type is missing. Cline defaults to the legacy sse transport for backward compatibility, so set "type": "streamableHttp".

Does Cline support OAuth for MCP servers?

The docs list an Authorize OAuth action in the cline mcp CLI wizard, which runs or reruns browser authorization for a remote server.

How do I add an MCP server from the command line?

Run cline mcp add <name> -- <command> for a local server, or cline mcp add <name> <url> --transport http for a remote one. Add --yes to skip the wizard.

How do I turn an MCP server off in Cline?

Use the enable or disable toggle in the MCP settings, or choose that action in cline mcp. You can also set "disabled": true on the entry.

What does autoApprove do?

It lists tools Cline can run without asking you. Keep it to safe tools and review the rest as they come.

Does Cline work in editors other than VS Code?

Yes. The extension installs in VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, VSCodium, Antigravity and JetBrains, and Cline also has a CLI and a desktop app.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Transports: stdio, SSE, Streamable HTTP
Config file (all): cline_mcp_settings.json (via the MCP Servers panel)
MCP docs: docs.cline.bot

Docs

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 2

MCP · docs.cline.bot
Installing Cline · docs.cline.bot