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Connecting MCP Servers

Connect MCP servers to your systemprompt.io workspace. Step-by-step guide for configuring and testing MCP server connections.

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This guide walks you through connecting the systemprompt.io Skill Manager to Claude Desktop. Once connected, Claude can access all the skills, agents, and plugins in your workspace.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

  • A systemprompt.io account (sign up at systemprompt.io if you have not already)
  • Claude Desktop installed on your computer
  • At least one skill or agent configured in your systemprompt.io workspace

Step 1: Open Claude Desktop Settings

  1. Launch Claude Desktop on your computer.
  2. Click the menu icon in the top-left corner.
  3. Select Settings from the dropdown menu.
  4. Navigate to the Developer tab in the settings panel.

Step 2: Add the Skill Manager as an MCP Server

  1. In the Developer settings, click Edit Config to open the Claude Desktop configuration file. This opens claude_desktop_config.json in your default text editor.

  2. Add the systemprompt.io Skill Manager to the mcpServers section:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "systemprompt": {
      "url": "https://systemprompt.io/api/v1/mcp/skill-manager/mcp"
    }
  }
}

If you already have other MCP servers configured, add the systemprompt entry alongside them:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "existing-server": {
      "command": "..."
    },
    "systemprompt": {
      "url": "https://systemprompt.io/api/v1/mcp/skill-manager/mcp"
    }
  }
}
  1. Save the file and close the editor.

Step 3: Restart Claude Desktop

Close Claude Desktop completely and reopen it. Claude Desktop reads the MCP configuration on startup, so a restart is required for changes to take effect.

Step 4: Authenticate with systemprompt.io

When Claude Desktop connects to the Skill Manager for the first time, it will prompt you to authenticate:

  1. A browser window will open automatically, directing you to systemprompt.io.
  2. Sign in with your systemprompt.io account credentials.
  3. Authorize Claude Desktop to access your workspace.
  4. The browser will confirm the connection. You can close the tab and return to Claude Desktop.

Authentication is handled through OAuth, so you do not need to copy or paste any API keys. Your session persists across restarts until you explicitly disconnect.

Step 5: Verify the Connection

Once Claude Desktop restarts and authentication is complete, verify that the connection is working:

  1. Open a new conversation in Claude Desktop.
  2. Look for the tools icon (hammer) near the message input area. Click it to see available tools.
  3. You should see tools from your systemprompt.io workspace listed. These correspond to the skills and plugins you have configured.
  4. Try asking Claude to use one of your skills. For example: "List my available skills" or "What tools do you have access to?"

If Claude responds with information about your workspace tools, the connection is working correctly.

Connection Details

Setting Value
Server name systemprompt (or any name you choose)
Endpoint URL https://systemprompt.io/api/v1/mcp/skill-manager/mcp
Protocol MCP over HTTPS (Streamable HTTP)
Authentication OAuth (automatic via browser)
Config file location (macOS) ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Config file location (Windows) %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Refreshing the Connection

When you make changes in your systemprompt.io dashboard -- such as adding a new skill, installing a plugin, or modifying an agent -- Claude needs to refresh its connection to see the updates.

To refresh:

  1. In Claude Desktop, start a new conversation. Each new conversation re-fetches the available tools from the Skill Manager.
  2. Alternatively, click the tools icon and look for a refresh option if available.

You do not need to restart Claude Desktop or re-authenticate when your workspace changes. A new conversation is usually sufficient.

Troubleshooting

Tools do not appear after connecting

  • Check the config file. Open claude_desktop_config.json and verify the URL is exactly https://systemprompt.io/api/v1/mcp/skill-manager/mcp with no trailing spaces or missing characters.
  • Restart Claude Desktop. Close it fully (check the system tray on Windows) and reopen.
  • Verify your workspace has content. Log in to systemprompt.io and confirm you have at least one skill or agent configured.

Authentication prompt does not appear

  • Make sure your default browser is working and not blocking pop-ups from systemprompt.io.
  • Try clearing your browser cookies for systemprompt.io and restarting Claude Desktop.

Connection drops or times out

  • Check your internet connection. The Skill Manager is a remote server that requires an active connection.
  • If you are behind a corporate firewall or VPN, ensure that systemprompt.io is not blocked.
  • Try removing the server entry from your config, restarting Claude Desktop, re-adding it, and restarting again.

"Server not found" or similar errors

  • Verify you are using the correct URL. The endpoint must include the full path: /api/v1/mcp/skill-manager/mcp.
  • Check that your systemprompt.io account is active and in good standing.

Tools appear but do not work

  • Make sure the skills or plugins associated with the tools are properly configured in your dashboard.
  • Check the systemprompt.io dashboard for any error indicators on your skills or agents.
  • Try re-authenticating by removing and re-adding the server in your config.

Next Steps