tools-only MCP Server Recommendations
MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers extend Claude's capabilities by connecting to external tools and services.
Note: These are common MCP servers. Use web search to find MCP servers specific to the codebase's services and integrations.
Setup & Team Sharing
Connection methods:
- Project config (
.mcp.json) - Available only in that directory - Global config (
~/.claude.json) - Available across all projects - Checked-in
.mcp.json- Available to entire team (recommended!)
Tip: Check .mcp.json into git so your whole team gets the same MCP servers.
Debugging: Use claude --mcp-debug to identify configuration issues.
Documentation & Knowledge
context7
Best for: Projects using popular libraries/SDKs where you want Claude to code with up-to-date documentation
| Recommend When | Examples |
|---|---|
| Using React, Vue, Angular | Frontend frameworks |
| Using Express, FastAPI, Django | Backend frameworks |
| Using Prisma, Drizzle | ORMs |
| Using Stripe, Twilio, SendGrid | Third-party APIs |
| Using AWS SDK, Google Cloud | Cloud SDKs |
| Using LangChain, OpenAI SDK | AI/ML libraries |
Value: Claude fetches live documentation instead of relying on training data, reducing hallucinated APIs and outdated patterns.
Browser & Frontend
Playwright MCP
Best for: Frontend projects needing browser automation, testing, or screenshots
| Recommend When | Examples |
|---|---|
| React/Vue/Angular app | UI component testing |
| E2E tests needed | User flow validation |
| Visual regression testing | Screenshot comparisons |
| Debugging UI issues | See what user sees |
| Form testing | Multi-step workflows |
Value: Claude can interact with your running app, take screenshots, fill forms, and verify UI behavior.
Puppeteer MCP
Best for: Headless browser automation, web scraping
| Recommend When | Examples |
|---|---|
| PDF generation from HTML | Report generation |
| Web scraping tasks | Data extraction |
| Headless testing | CI environments |
Databases
Supabase MCP
Best for: Projects using Supabase for backend/database
| Recommend When | Examples |
|---|---|
| Supabase project detected | @supabase/supabase-js in deps |
| Auth + database needs | User management apps |
| Real-time features | Live data sync |
Value: Claude can query tables, manage auth, and interact with Supabase storage directly.
PostgreSQL MCP
Best for: Direct PostgreSQL database access
| Recommend When | Examples |
|---|---|
| Raw PostgreSQL usage | No ORM layer |
| Database migrations | Schema management |
| Data analysis tasks | Complex queries |
| Debugging data issues | Inspect actual data |
Neon MCP
Best for: Neon serverless Postgres users
Turso MCP
Best for: Turso/libSQL edge database users
Version Control & DevOps
GitHub MCP
Best for: GitHub-hosted repositories needing issue/PR integration
| Recommend When | Examples |
|---|---|
| GitHub repository | .git with GitHub remote |
| Issue-driven development | Reference issues in commits |
| PR workflows | Review, merge operations |
| GitHub Actions | CI/CD pipeline access |
| Release management | Tag and release automation |
Value: Claude can create issues, review PRs, check workflow runs, and manage releases.
GitLab MCP
Best for: GitLab-hosted repositories
Linear MCP
Best for: Teams using Linear for issue tracking
| Recommend When | Examples |
|---|---|
| Linear workspace | Issue references like ABC-123 |
| Sprint planning | Backlog management |
| Issue creation from code | Auto-create issues for TODOs |
Cloud Infrastructure
AWS MCP
Best for: AWS infrastructure management
| Recommend When | Examples |
|---|---|
| AWS SDK in dependencies | @aws-sdk/* packages |
| Infrastructure as code | Terraform, CDK, SAM |
| Lambda development | Serverless functions |
| S3, DynamoDB usage | Cloud data services |
Cloudflare MCP
Best for: Cloudflare Workers, Pages, R2, D1
| Recommend When | Examples |
|---|---|
| Cloudflare Workers | Edge functions |
| Pages deployment | Static site hosting |
| R2 storage | Object storage |
| D1 database | Edge SQL database |
Vercel MCP
Best for: Vercel deployment and configuration
Monitoring & Observtic
Sentry MCP
Best for: Error tracking and debugging
| Recommend When | Examples |
|---|---|
| Sentry configured | @sentry/* in deps |
| Production debugging | Investigate errors |
| Error patterns | Group similar issues |
| Release tracking | Correlate deploys with errors |
Value: Claude can investigate Sentry issues, find root causes, and suggest fixes.
Datadog MCP
Best for: APM, logs, and metrics
Communication
Slack MCP
Best for: Slack workspace integration
| Recommend When | Examples |
|---|---|
| Team uses Slack | Send notifications |
| Deployment notifications | Alert channels |
| Incident response | Post updates |
Notion MCP
Best for: Notion workspace for documentation
| Recommend When | Examples |
|---|---|
| Notion for docs | Read/update pages |
| Knowledge base | Search documentation |
| Meeting notes | Create summaries |
File & Data
Filesystem MCP
Best for: Enhanced file operations beyond built-in tools
| Recommend When | Examples |
|---|---|
| Complex file operations | Batch processing |
| File watching | Monitor changes |
| Advanced search | Custom patterns |
Memory MCP
Best for: Persistent memory across sessions
| Recommend When | Examples |
|---|---|
| Long-running projects | Remember context |
| User preferences | Store settings |
| Learning patterns | Build knowledge |
Value: Claude remembers project context, decisions, and patterns across conversations.
Containers & DevOps
Docker MCP
Best for: Container management
| Recommend When | Examples |
|---|---|
| Docker Compose file | Container orchestration |
| Dockerfile present | Build images |
| Container debugging | Inspect logs, exec |
Kubernetes MCP
Best for: Kubernetes cluster management
| Recommend When | Examples |
|---|---|
| K8s manifests | Deploy, scale pods |
| Helm charts | Package management |
| Cluster debugging | Pod logs, status |
AI & ML
Exa MCP
Best for: Web search and research
| Recommend When | Examples |
|---|---|
| Research tasks | Find current info |
| Competitive analysis | Market research |
| Documentation gaps | Find examples |
Quick Reference: Detection Patterns
| Look For | Suggests MCP Server |
|---|---|
| Popular npm packages | context7 |
| React/Vue/Next.js | Playwright MCP |
@supabase/supabase-js |
Supabase MCP |
pg or postgres |
PostgreSQL MCP |
| GitHub remote | GitHub MCP |
.linear or Linear refs |
Linear MCP |
@aws-sdk/* |
AWS MCP |
@sentry/* |
Sentry MCP |
docker-compose.yml |
Docker MCP |
| Slack webhook URLs | Slack MCP |
@anthropic-ai/sdk |
context7 for Anthropic docs |