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Your First MCP Server

Beginner
15 minutes
What You'll Learn

This tutorial will guide you through adding your first MCP server to Plugged.in. MCP servers extend your AI's capabilities by providing access to tools, resources, and integrations.

What MCP servers are and how they work
How to browse and add official MCP servers
How to configure server settings and environment variables
How to test your server connection and use its tools
Prerequisites
  • Plugged.in account (free tier is sufficient)
  • Basic understanding of the command line (for custom servers)
  • Node.js installed (optional, for custom servers)

1
Understanding MCP Servers

Before we add our first server, let's understand what MCP servers are and why they're powerful.

What is an MCP Server?

MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers are programs that provide additional capabilities to AI assistants. Think of them as plugins that extend what your AI can do.

  • Tools: Functions the AI can call (e.g., read files, search web, send emails)
  • Resources: Data the AI can access (e.g., documents, databases, APIs)
  • Prompts: Pre-configured instructions for specific tasks

2
Navigating to MCP Servers

Let's start by navigating to the MCP Servers section in Plugged.in.

Screenshot: Plugged.in dashboard with MCP Servers menu highlighted

The MCP Servers option in the sidebar navigation

3
Adding Your First Server

Now let's add your first MCP server. You can choose between official servers or custom ones.

Adding an Official Server
  1. Click the 'Add Server' button
  2. Browse through the official server catalog
  3. Select 'Filesystem' server (a good starter server)
  4. Click 'Install' to add it to your profile

Screenshot: Official server catalog with Filesystem server

The official server catalog showing various MCP servers

4
Configuring Your Server

Each server can be configured with specific settings and environment variables.

Basic Configuration

Configure how your server runs:

{
  "name": "Filesystem Server",
  "command": "npx",
  "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/path/to/allowed/directory"],
  "env": {
    "NODE_ENV": "production"
  }
}
Environment Variables

Some servers require API keys or other configuration through environment variables.

5
Testing Your Server

Let's make sure your server is working correctly.

Connection Test
  1. Save your server configuration
  2. Click the 'Test Connection' button
  3. Wait for the connection to establish
  4. Check the discovered tools and resources

Screenshot: Successful server connection with tools listed

A successfully connected server showing available tools

Common Issues & Solutions

Next Steps

Congratulations! You've added your first MCP server. Here's what to explore next: