Sequential Thinking

Source

An MCP server implementation that provides a tool for dynamic and reflective problem-solving through a structured thinking process.

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Overview

Sequential Thinking is an MCP server implementation that provides a tool for dynamic and reflective problem-solving through a structured thinking process.

To use Sequential Thinking, integrate it with your project by configuring it in your claude_desktop_config.json or using Docker to run the server. You can input your current thought process and manage it step-by-step.

Break down complex problems into manageable steps - Revise and refine thoughts as understanding deepens - Branch into alternative paths of reasoning - Adjust the total number of thoughts dynamically - Generate and verify solution hypotheses

Breaking down complex problems into steps for better clarity
Planning and design processes that require iterative revisions
Analyzing problems where the full scope is initially unclear
Tasks that need to maintain context over multiple steps
Filtering out irrelevant information during problem-solving

Add to your AI client

Use these steps to connect Sequential Thinking 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": {
    "sequentialthinking-modelcontextprotocol": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking"
      ]
    }
  }
}

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": {
    "sequentialthinking-modelcontextprotocol": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Claude Code

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

.mcp.json (project root)

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

VS Code (Copilot)

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

.vscode/mcp.json

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

Windsurf

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

~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

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

Cline

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

Cline MCP Settings (via UI)

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

FAQ

Can Sequential Thinking handle all types of problems?

Yes! It is designed to assist with a wide range of complex problem-solving scenarios.

Is Sequential Thinking free to use?

Yes! It is open-source and licensed under the MIT License, allowing free use and modification.

How does Sequential Thinking manage revisions?

It allows users to revise previous thoughts and adjust their reasoning dynamically.

Research and data