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Documentation Index

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MCP (Model Context Protocol) lets Cline use external tools and data sources through MCP servers.

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What MCP gives you

  • Connect Cline to external APIs and services
  • Add custom tools beyond built-in Cline tools
  • Use either local servers or remote hosted servers

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Quick start

  1. Open MCP Servers in Cline
  2. Add a server (from Marketplace or manually)
  3. Configure credentials/environment variables
  4. Verify tools appear and test one tool call

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Add servers

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Option 1: Marketplace

Use Cline’s MCP Marketplace for one-click install when available.
  1. In the Cline panel, click the MCP Servers icon (stacked server icon in the top toolbar).
  2. Open the Marketplace tab.

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Option 2: Manual config

Edit your MCP config file and add either:
  • CLI: ~/.cline/mcp.json
  • IDE extensions:
    1. In the Cline panel, click the MCP Servers icon (stacked server icon in the top toolbar).
    2. Open the Configure tab.
    3. Click Configure MCP Servers (button near the bottom).
    4. This opens the MCP settings JSON used by the extension; add/update entries under mcpServers.
    • If you’re adding a hosted endpoint (instead of editing JSON directly), use the Remote Servers tab:
      1. Enter Server Name (any unique label).
      2. Enter Server URL (full endpoint URL).
      3. Choose Transport Type:
        • Streamable HTTP (recommended)
        • SSE (Legacy)
      4. Click Add Server.
    • Server config shape:
      • Local (STDIO) server using command + args
      • Remote (HTTP/SSE) server using url

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CLI MCP wizard

From CLI, run: 
cline mcp
The wizard supports:
ActionDescription
List serversShow configured servers and enabled/disabled status
Add serverCreate a new MCP server entry
Edit serverModify an existing server
Enable/DisableToggle a server without deleting it
Delete serverRemove a server permanently
When adding a server, the CLI prompts for server name, transport type, command/args (for stdio), or URL/headers (for remote transports).

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Configuration examples

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Local server (STDIO)

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

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Remote server (HTTP/SSE)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "remote-server": {
      "url": "https://example.com/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer your-token"
      },
      "disabled": false,
      "autoApprove": []
    }
  }
}

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Transport types

  • STDIO: local process, lower latency, simpler local setup
  • Remote HTTP/SSE: hosted endpoint, centralized deployment, supports multi-client usage
Use STDIO for local tools and remote transport for shared hosted services.

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Managing servers

In MCP settings you can:
  • Enable/disable servers
  • Restart unresponsive servers
  • Set request timeouts
  • Remove servers

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Security basics

  • Only install servers you trust
  • Store secrets in environment variables
  • Limit autoApprove to safe tools
  • Review tool calls before approval

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Troubleshooting

IssueFix
Server won’t connectVerify command/URL, server process status, and port
Missing toolsConfirm server started successfully and tools are exposed
Auth errorsRe-check API keys/tokens and required headers
Timeout errorsIncrease MCP timeout and test server response directly

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CLI

MCP also works in Cline CLI. Configure servers in CLI MCP settings and use the same server definitions. You can also list servers non-interactively: 
cline config mcp
cline config mcp --json