claude-memory/graph/configurations/mcp-server-user-scope-config-claudejson-one-time-mcp-enable-a24884.md

id	type	title	tags	importance	confidence	created	updated
a2488459-bc9e-4005-969c-44eef486ebc2	configuration	MCP server user-scope config: ~/.claude.json + one-time /mcp enable	claude-code mcp configuration n8n	0.7	0.8	2026-02-20T17:30:17.952797+00:00	2026-02-20T17:30:17.952797+00:00

Adding User-Scope MCP Servers in Claude Code

Correct Location

• User MCP servers go in ~/.claude.json under the mcpServers key
• NOT in ~/.claude/settings.json (that mcpServers key doesn't work)
• NOT in ~/.claude/.mcp.json (legacy location, still works for cognitive-memory but being phased out)

Activation Flow

1. Add server config to ~/.claude.json → mcpServers → server-name
2. Start a new Claude Code session → server shows as disabled in /mcp
3. Open /mcp menu, select the server, press Enter to enable
4. Server persists as connected across all future sessions automatically

Settings.json MCP Fields

• enableAllProjectMcpServers — only for project-level .mcp.json servers
• enabledMcpjsonServers — only for project-level .mcp.json servers
• Neither affects user-scoped servers in ~/.claude.json

Example Config (~/.claude.json)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cognitive-memory": {
      "command": "python3",
      "args": ["/home/cal/.claude/skills/cognitive-memory/mcp_server.py"]
    },
    "n8n-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["n8n-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "MCP_MODE": "stdio",
        "N8N_API_URL": "http://10.10.0.210:5678",
        "N8N_API_KEY": "<from ~/.claude/secrets/n8n_api_key>"
      }
    }
  }
}