This free MCP server config generator builds a valid Model Context Protocol configuration for Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code and other MCP clients. Choose a transport, fill in the server name and connection details, and copy a ready-to-paste JSON block — no install, no signup and nothing sent to a server.
Whether you are wiring up a remote MCP server over HTTP or launching a local stdio server with npx, the generator produces the exact shape each client expects, including environment variables for API keys and tokens.
What is an MCP server config?
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that lets AI assistants connect to external tools and data. An MCP server config is the small JSON block that tells a client — like Claude Desktop or Cursor — how to reach each server. Servers are listed under an mcpServers key (or servers in VS Code), each pointing at either a remote URL or a local command to run.
Getting the JSON exactly right matters: a misplaced bracket or the wrong key name means the client silently ignores the server. This tool removes that guesswork.
How to use the generator
Pick your client, give the server a short name, then choose Remote (HTTP) for a hosted endpoint or Local (stdio) for a command the client runs on your machine. Add any environment variables the server needs, then copy the output into the config file shown for your client and restart it.
For Claude Desktop the file is claude_desktop_config.json; Cursor uses .cursor/mcp.json and VS Code uses .vscode/mcp.json.
Connecting to a remote MCP server
Remote servers need no install — the client connects straight over HTTP. If your client only supports local servers, use the stdio transport with the npx mcp-remote bridge, which connects a local client to a remote URL. OpenHelm’s own remote MCP servers work exactly this way; the generator includes an OpenHelm example you can load with one click.