Anthropic documents remote Model Context Protocol connectors in Claude Help Center and platform.claude.com docs: users add publicly reachable MCP server URLs so Claude clients (claude.ai, Claude Desktop, Cowork, mobile) connect from Anthropic cloud infrastructure rather than the local machine. Team and Enterprise admins add connectors in Admin settings; individuals enable them under Settings > Connectors. The Messages API MCP connector (beta header anthropic-beta: mcp-client-2025-11-20) accepts mcp_servers entries with type url, name, and https URL, paired with mcp_toolset tools entries; servers must support streamable HTTP/SSE and be internet-accessible to Anthropic IP ranges.
Use cases
- Expose an HTTPS MCP server to Claude without building a local stdio bridge
- Let Enterprise admins pre-approve connectors before users authenticate individually
- Call remote MCP tools from the Messages API using mcp_servers and mcp_toolset blocks
- Integrate third-party SaaS MCP endpoints listed in the Connectors Directory
- Pair Claude Code agents with governed remote tools reachable from Anthropic infrastructure
Key features
- Claude Desktop
- Claude Code
- Claude.ai
- Cowork
- Claude API
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use a localhost MCP server?
- Anthropic docs state Claude connects from its cloud to public internet URLs; private VPN or localhost servers will not work even if reachable on your laptop.
- Who can add connectors on Team plans?
- Help Center notes only Owners add connectors org-wide; users then connect individually so Claude respects their credentials.
- Which transports are supported on the API?
- Platform docs list streamable HTTP and SSE for remote servers; stdio-only servers cannot be connected directly via the API connector.
Related
Related
3 Indexed items
Mem0 MCP Server
Mem0 documents a hosted Model Context Protocol server at https://mcp.mem0.ai/mcp that exposes Platform memory tools (`add_memory`, `search_memories`, `get_memories`, `update_memory`, `delete_memory`, `delete_all_memories`, `delete_entities`, `list_entities`, `list_events`, `get_event_status`) to Claude, Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code, and OpenCode. Setup uses `npx mcp-add` with HTTP transport or manual JSON/TOML client configs; Codex requires `MEM0_API_KEY` as bearer token per docs.mem0.ai/platform/mem0-mcp. The cloud server needs a Mem0 Platform API key from the dashboard and Node.js for the installer—no local vector database required for the hosted path.
Composio MCP Server
Composio documents MCP server creation through its SDK and dashboard at docs.composio.dev: developers call `composio.mcp.create()` with toolkit names, auth config IDs, and an `allowed_tools` list, then generate per-user MCP URLs via `composio.mcp.generate(user_id, mcp_config_id)`. Hosted endpoints follow the pattern `https://backend.composio.dev/v3/mcp/{SERVER_ID}?user_id=...` and require an `x-api-key` header when `require_mcp_api_key` is enabled (default for new orgs). Docs show wiring these URLs into OpenAI Responses API, Anthropic MCP client beta, Mastra MCPClient, Claude Desktop, and Cursor. Composio notes that dynamic sessions are recommended for most use cases, while single-toolkit MCP configs suit fixed integration surfaces.
Apify MCP Server
Apify documents an official Model Context Protocol server hosted at https://mcp.apify.com that speaks Streamable HTTP in line with the current MCP specification; Apify warns that SSE transport was deprecated for removal April 1, 2026. Hosted clients authenticate through browser OAuth or by supplying Bearer tokens sourced from Console → Settings → Integrations (`APIFY_TOKEN`), can pin tool bundles via URL query (`?tools=actors,docs,apify/rag-web-browser` style examples reproduce Apify wording), optionally append `telemetry-enabled=false`, and benefit from inferred structured-output schemas surfaced for Actor tooling on hosted endpoints unlike the default stdio server. When MCP clients refuse remote transports, docs recommend `npx -y @apify/actors-mcp-server` with `APIFY_TOKEN` for stdio, Node.js ≥18, and adherence to documented per-user throughput (Apify cites up to thirty requests per second across Actor runs plus storage/documentation calls). Specialized payment modes (open x402 on Base plus Skyfire) appear as optional adjunct pages inside the broader integration handbook.