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MCP Inspector

Source

Visual testing tool for MCP servers

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Overview

MCP Inspector is a visual testing tool designed for developers to test and debug MCP servers effectively.

To use MCP Inspector, run it from your MCP server repository using npx, just like this: npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector build/index.js. You can also pass additional arguments, which will be forwarded to your MCP server. A client UI will then be accessible in your browser for inspection.

  • Runs a client UI for interactive testing - Allows customization of client and server ports - Facilitates testing without needing to clone the repository - Supports running the inspector in both development and production modes
  1. Debugging MCP server implementations by visualizing server responses.
  2. Testing different scenarios by passing various arguments to the MCP server.
  3. Catching issues in server implementations before production deployment.

Add to your AI client

Use these steps to connect MCP Inspector in Cursor, Claude, VS Code, and other MCP-compatible apps. The same JSON appears in the Use with menu above for one-click copy.

Cursor

Add this to your .cursor/mcp.json file in your project root, then restart Cursor.

.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "inspector-modelcontextprotocol": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-inspector-modelcontextprotocol"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Claude Desktop

Add this server entry to the mcpServers object in your Claude Desktop config, then restart the app.

~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS) or %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json (Windows)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "inspector-modelcontextprotocol": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-inspector-modelcontextprotocol"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Claude Code

Add this to your project's .mcp.json file. Claude Code will detect it automatically.

.mcp.json (project root)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "inspector-modelcontextprotocol": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-inspector-modelcontextprotocol"
      ]
    }
  }
}

VS Code (Copilot)

Add this to your .vscode/mcp.json file. Requires the GitHub Copilot extension with MCP support enabled.

.vscode/mcp.json

{
  "servers": {
    "inspector-modelcontextprotocol": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-inspector-modelcontextprotocol"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Windsurf

Add this to your Windsurf MCP config file, then restart Windsurf.

~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "inspector-modelcontextprotocol": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-inspector-modelcontextprotocol"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Cline

Open Cline settings, navigate to MCP Servers, and add this server configuration.

Cline MCP Settings (via UI)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "inspector-modelcontextprotocol": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-inspector-modelcontextprotocol"
      ]
    }
  }
}

FAQ

How do I launch the client UI?

After starting the inspector, open your browser and navigate to `http://localhost:5173` (or your specified CLIENT_PORT) to access the client UI.

Can I run MCP Inspector without installing it locally?

Yes! You can use `npx` to run MCP Inspector directly without needing to clone the repository.

Is there documentation available for further details?

Yes, you can find more detailed instructions in the [Inspector section of the MCP docs site](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/tools/inspector).7:["$","div",null,{"className":"container mx-auto flex flex-col gap-4","children":["$L26","$L27",["$","$L28",null,{"currentProject":{"id":101,"uuid":"3581cc02-689e-496c-98ff-3a3cfcd7e638","name":"inspector","title":"MCP Inspector","description":"Visual testing tool for MCP servers","avatar_url":"https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/182288589?v=4","created_at":"2024-12-13T09:00:46.707Z","updated_at":"2024-12-13T12:28:11.361Z","status":"created","author_name":"modelcontextprotocol","author_avatar_url":"https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/182288589?v=4","tags":"[]","category":"developer-tools","is_featured":false,"sort":1,"url":"https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/inspector","target":"_self","content":"$29","summary":"$2a","img_url":"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/modelcontextprotocol/inspector/main/mcp-inspector.png","type":null,"metadata":"{\"star\":\"3699\",\"license\":\"MIT license\",\"language\":\"TypeScript\",\"is_official\":true,\"latest_commit_time\":\"2025-06-04 19:58:59\"}","user_uuid":null,"tools":null,"sse_url":null,"sse_provider":null,"sse_params":null,"is_official":false,"server_command":null,"server_params":null,"server_config":null,"allow_call":false,"is_innovation":false,"is_dxt":false,"dxt_manifest":null,"dxt_file_url":null,"is_audit":false},"randomProjects":[],"currentServerKey":"$undefined"}]]}]

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