Claude Code Setup

Learn how to connect your deployed ToolBoost MCPs to Claude Code, Anthropic's AI coding assistant for VS Code.

Overview

Claude Code is Anthropic's official extension for Visual Studio Code that brings Claude's AI capabilities directly into your editor. It supports MCP servers, allowing you to extend Claude's capabilities with external tools and data sources.

Prerequisites

• Visual Studio Code installed (Download here)
• Claude Code extension installed (VS Code Marketplace)
• A ToolBoost account with at least one deployed MCP
• Your project's API key from ToolBoost dashboard

Finding Your Connection URL

1. Navigate to your MCP's detail page on ToolBoost
2. Ensure the MCP is deployed to your project
3. Scroll to the "Use" section in the sidebar
4. Find the Claude Code configuration section
5. Copy the connection URL:

https://toolboost.dev/server/author/mcp-name/mcp?api_key=YOUR_API_KEY

Configuration Methods

Method 1: VS Code Settings UI (Recommended)

1. Open Visual Studio Code
2. Open Settings (Cmd/Ctrl + ,)
3. Search for "Claude Code MCP"
4. Click "Edit in settings.json"
5. Add your MCP configuration

Method 2: Direct Settings File Edit

Edit your VS Code settings.json directly.

Configuration Steps

1. Open VS Code Settings

macOS:

• Press Cmd + Shift + P
• Type "Preferences: Open User Settings (JSON)"
• Press Enter

Windows/Linux:

• Press Ctrl + Shift + P
• Type "Preferences: Open User Settings (JSON)"
• Press Enter

2. Add MCP Configuration

Add the claude-code.mcpServers configuration:

{
  "claude-code.mcpServers": {
    "your-mcp-name": {
      "serverUrl": "https://toolboost.dev/server/author/mcp-name/mcp?api_key=YOUR_API_KEY"
    }
  }
}

Replace:

• your-mcp-name - A friendly identifier (lowercase, no spaces)
• YOUR_API_KEY - Your ToolBoost project API key
• author/mcp-name - The actual MCP path from ToolBoost

3. Add Multiple MCPs

For multiple MCP servers:

{
  "claude-code.mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "serverUrl": "https://toolboost.dev/server/github/github-mcp-server/mcp?api_key=YOUR_API_KEY"
    },
    "postgres": {
      "serverUrl": "https://toolboost.dev/server/modelcontextprotocol/servers-postgres/mcp?api_key=YOUR_API_KEY"
    },
    "filesystem": {
      "serverUrl": "https://toolboost.dev/server/modelcontextprotocol/servers-filesystem/mcp?api_key=YOUR_API_KEY"
    }
  }
}

4. Reload VS Code

1. Press Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P
2. Type "Developer: Reload Window"
3. Press Enter

Alternatively, close and reopen VS Code.

Workspace-Specific Configuration

For project-specific MCPs, create a .vscode/settings.json file in your project:

my-project/
├── .vscode/
│   └── settings.json
├── src/
└── package.json

.vscode/settings.json:

{
  "claude-code.mcpServers": {
    "project-postgres": {
      "serverUrl": "https://toolboost.dev/server/modelcontextprotocol/servers-postgres/mcp?api_key=YOUR_API_KEY"
    }
  }
}

This configuration only applies when you open this specific project in VS Code.

Using Environment Variables

For better security, use environment variables for API keys:

1. Create Environment Variables

macOS/Linux - Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc:

export TOOLBOOST_API_KEY="tb_your_actual_key"

Windows - Set in System Environment Variables:

TOOLBOOST_API_KEY=tb_your_actual_key

2. Reference in Settings

{
  "claude-code.mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "serverUrl": "https://toolboost.dev/server/github/github-mcp-server/mcp?api_key=${env:TOOLBOOST_API_KEY}"
    }
  }
}

3. Restart VS Code

Close and reopen VS Code to load the environment variables.

Verifying the Connection

After configuration and reload:

1. Open the Claude Code panel (click the Claude icon in the sidebar)
2. Your MCPs should appear in the "Available Tools" section
3. You should see a green indicator next to connected MCPs

Test Commands

Try these in Claude Code's chat:

For GitHub MCP:

List my recent GitHub repositories

For Filesystem MCP:

Show me the files in the current workspace

For Postgres MCP:

Show me the database schema

Common Issues & Solutions

MCP Not Appearing

Problem: MCP doesn't show up in Claude Code.

Solutions:

• Verify JSON syntax is correct (no trailing commas)
• Check that you reloaded the VS Code window
• Look for errors in the Output panel (View → Output → Claude Code)
• Ensure the MCP is deployed in ToolBoost

Connection Errors

Problem: "Failed to connect to MCP server" error.

Solutions:

• Check your internet connection
• Verify the connection URL is correct
• Ensure your API key is valid
• Confirm the MCP is still deployed in your ToolBoost project
• Check the Output panel for detailed error messages

Authentication Failures

Problem: "Unauthorized" or "Invalid API key" errors.

Solutions:

• Copy the connection URL fresh from ToolBoost
• Verify you didn't modify the API key
• Check if the API key was regenerated
• Ensure you're using the correct project

Environment Variables Not Working

Problem: ${env:VARIABLE_NAME} not being replaced.

Solutions:

• Restart VS Code completely
• Verify the environment variable is set (echo $VARIABLE_NAME on macOS/Linux)
• Try hardcoding first to verify connection works
• Check VS Code has access to environment variables

Complete Configuration Examples

Basic Setup

{
  "claude-code.mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "serverUrl": "https://toolboost.dev/server/github/github-mcp-server/mcp?api_key=tb_abc123"
    }
  }
}

Multiple MCPs

{
  "claude-code.mcpServers": {
    "github-work": {
      "serverUrl": "https://toolboost.dev/server/github/github-mcp-server/mcp?api_key=tb_work_key"
    },
    "postgres-analytics": {
      "serverUrl": "https://toolboost.dev/server/modelcontextprotocol/servers-postgres/mcp?api_key=tb_work_key"
    },
    "filesystem": {
      "serverUrl": "https://toolboost.dev/server/modelcontextprotocol/servers-filesystem/mcp?api_key=tb_work_key"
    },
    "memory": {
      "serverUrl": "https://toolboost.dev/server/modelcontextprotocol/servers-memory/mcp?api_key=tb_work_key"
    }
  }
}

With Environment Variables

{
  "claude-code.mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "serverUrl": "https://toolboost.dev/server/github/github-mcp-server/mcp?api_key=${env:TOOLBOOST_API_KEY}"
    },
    "postgres": {
      "serverUrl": "https://toolboost.dev/server/modelcontextprotocol/servers-postgres/mcp?api_key=${env:TOOLBOOST_API_KEY}"
    }
  }
}

Workspace-Specific Example

Global settings (settings.json):

{
  "claude-code.mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "serverUrl": "https://toolboost.dev/server/github/github-mcp-server/mcp?api_key=tb_global_key"
    }
  }
}

Project settings (.vscode/settings.json):

{
  "claude-code.mcpServers": {
    "project-db": {
      "serverUrl": "https://toolboost.dev/server/modelcontextprotocol/servers-postgres/mcp?api_key=tb_project_key"
    }
  }
}

Claude Code-Specific Features

Inline Code Suggestions

Claude Code integrates MCPs into inline suggestions:

• Start typing and Claude suggests relevant code
• MCP tools are used automatically when appropriate
• Real-time data from MCPs informs suggestions

Chat Interface

Access MCPs through the chat panel:

1. Click the Claude icon in the sidebar
2. Ask questions that require MCP tools
3. Claude automatically invokes the right MCPs

Command Palette

Quick access to MCP-related commands:

• Press Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P
• Type "Claude Code: "
• See MCP status and management commands

Best Practices

1. Use Workspace Settings: Configure project-specific MCPs in .vscode/settings.json
2. Environment Variables: Store API keys securely in environment variables
3. Descriptive Names: Use clear MCP names (e.g., work-github, analytics-db)
4. Version Control: Add .vscode/settings.json to .gitignore if it contains secrets
5. Regular Updates: Check ToolBoost for MCP updates and improvements

Advanced Configuration

Custom Timeouts

{
  "claude-code.mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "serverUrl": "https://toolboost.dev/server/github/github-mcp-server/mcp?api_key=YOUR_API_KEY",
      "timeout": 30000
    }
  }
}

Debug Mode

Enable detailed logging:

{
  "claude-code.debug": true,
  "claude-code.mcpServers": {
    // ... your MCPs
  }
}

Then check Output → Claude Code for detailed logs.

Keyboard Shortcuts

• Open Claude Chat: Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + .
• Inline Edit: Cmd/Ctrl + K
• Command Palette: Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P

Troubleshooting Checklist

• API key is correct and not expired
• Connection URL is copied exactly from ToolBoost
• MCP is deployed in your ToolBoost project
• VS Code has been reloaded after configuration changes
• No JSON syntax errors in settings.json
• Internet connection is stable
• Claude Code extension is up to date
• Check Output panel for error details

Next Steps

• Configure Other Clients
• Manage Environment Variables
• Deploy More MCPs
• Monitor Usage

Need Help?

• Email: contact@toolboost.dev
• Claude Code Issues: Anthropic Support
• VS Code Docs: code.visualstudio.com/docs
• ToolBoost Docs: docs.toolboost.dev