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Day 16 of 52 · about 20 min · MCP

Connect Claude to another tool with MCP

Copying text out of another tool and into the terminal is busywork. An MCP server lets Claude read that tool itself. Start with one that needs no account: the official server that searches the Claude Code docs.

You’ll finish with

  • The claude-code-docs MCP server added with claude mcp add.
  • Its status checked with claude mcp list and /mcp.
  • An answer that came from the server’s tool, and a rule for which servers you trust.

You’ll need

  • Claude Code installed and signed in.
  • A terminal open in any project folder. The server needs no other account.
Start from the practice project as of Day 15 (.zip, 24 KB)

Before you start

Tell us about your setup and the steps change to fit it. Your answers stay in this browser, and you can change them at any time.

Which system are you on?

Commands differ between systems. Pick the one you’ll run Claude Code on.

The steps

One step at a time. When a step’s check matches, tick it and the next one opens.

0 of 4 steps done0%

  1. Step 1 of 4: Add the server

    Run claude mcp add in your terminal, not inside a Claude Code session.
    Terminal

    Run: claude mcp add --transport http claude-code-docs https://code.claude.com/docs/mcp

    What happens: It confirms the server was added to local config: for you, in this project only.

    The same command works in PowerShell and Command Prompt.

    --transport http means the server lives at a URL. claude-code-docs is a name you choose, and Claude Code labels the server’s tools with it.

    Check it worked

    The command reports the server was added and names the file it changed.

  2. Step 2 of 4: Check the connection

    An added server isn’t a working server until its status says so.
    Terminal

    Run: claude mcp list

    What happens: claude-code-docs is listed as ✔ Connected.

    Older Windows consoles show √ in place of ✔.

    Check it worked

    claude-code-docs shows ✔ Connected. Inside a session, /mcp lists the same server and its tools.

    If it didn’t work

    It shows `✘ Failed to connect`.

    Run claude mcp get claude-code-docs for the detail, and check that this machine can reach https://code.claude.com.

  3. Step 3 of 4: Use one of its tools

    Name the server in your prompt, so the answer can’t come from a web search instead.
    In Claude Code

    You type: Use the claude-code-docs server to look up what MCP_TIMEOUT does

    What happens: Approve the tool call if Claude Code asks.

    What happens: The tool call in Claude’s reply carries the server’s name.

    Start Claude Code with claude in the same folder first.

    Check it worked

    The answer follows a tool call labelled claude-code-docs.

  4. Step 4 of 4: Decide which servers you trust

    A server’s tools feed Claude text it will act on, so pick servers like you pick dependencies.

    Before you add one

    Once it’s added

    • Its tool names load into every session, so each server costs context.
    • Remove what you don’t use with claude mcp remove <name>.
    Keep claude-code-docs for now: Day 17 shares it with your team.

    Check it worked

    Every server in claude mcp list is one whose publisher you know.

Finish · 4 of 4 steps to go

Claude can read another tool

You added a server, proved it connects, saw its tool answer a question, and have a rule for the next one.

What you’ll have checked

  • claude mcp list shows claude-code-docs as ✔ Connected.
  • A reply used a tool labelled claude-code-docs.

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Claude Code for your team

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HorizonLux sets up and repairs Claude Code for teams: CLAUDE.md rules, hooks that enforce them and reviewed MCP servers. Book a free call to talk it through.

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Questions

Questions about Day 16

Can I add a server that runs on my own machine?

Yes. Put its start command after `--`, as in `claude mcp add playwright -- npx -y @playwright/mcp@latest`, which needs Node.js 18 or later.

Sources

Checked against the official Claude Code docs on .

Independent resource, not affiliated with Anthropic. HorizonLux wrote this lesson; Claude Code is made by Anthropic.