Claude Desktop × MCP Gateway

Claude Desktop × MCP Gateway

Claude Desktop can launch a local stdio process for every chat "backend". By pointing it at mcpgateway.wrapper you give Claude instant access to every tool, prompt and resource registered in your Gateway.

!!! tip "Gateway URL" - Direct installs (uvx, pip, or docker run): http://localhost:4444 - Docker Compose (nginx proxy): http://localhost:8080

📂 Where to edit the config

⚙️ Minimal JSON block

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcpgateway-wrapper": {
      "command": "python3",
      "args": ["-m", "mcpgateway.wrapper"],
      "env": {
        "MCP_SERVER_URL": "http://localhost:4444/servers/UUID_OF_SERVER_1",
        "MCP_AUTH": "Bearer <YOUR_JWT_TOKEN>",
        "MCP_TOOL_CALL_TIMEOUT": "120"
      }
    }
  }
}

Use the real server ID instead of 1 and paste your bearer token.

🐳 Docker alternative

{
  "command": "docker",
  "args": [
    "run", "--rm", "--network=host", "-i",
    "-e", "MCP_SERVER_URL=http://localhost:4444/servers/UUID_OF_SERVER_1",
    "-e", "MCP_AUTH=<Bearer YOUR_JWT_TOKEN>",
    "ghcr.io/ibm/mcp-context-forge:1.0.0-RC-1",
    "python3", "-m", "mcpgateway.wrapper"
  ]
}

(Mac / Windows users should replace localhost with host.docker.internal.)

⚡ pipx / uvx one-liner (wrapper already installed)

If you installed the package globally:

{
  "command": "pipx",
  "args": ["run", "python3", "-m", "mcpgateway.wrapper"],
  "env": {
    "MCP_SERVER_URL": "http://localhost:4444/servers/UUID_OF_SERVER_1",
    "MCP_AUTH": "Bearer <YOUR_JWT_TOKEN>"
  }
}

🧪 Smoke-test inside Claude

1. Restart Claude Desktop (quit from system-tray).

2. Select "mcpgateway-wrapper" in the chat dropdown.

3. Type:

   #get_system_time { "timezone": "Europe/Dublin" }
   

4. The wrapper should proxy the call → Gateway → tool → chat reply.

If tools don't appear, open File ▸ Settings ▸ Developer ▸ View Logs to see wrapper output.

🔑 Environment variables recap

You can place them:

• under "env" in the mcpServers block (preferred)
• in your user/environment shell before launching Claude.