1# Model Context Protocol
2
3Zed uses the [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/) to interact with context servers.
4
5> The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open protocol that enables seamless integration between LLM applications and external data sources and tools. Whether you're building an AI-powered IDE, enhancing a chat interface, or creating custom AI workflows, MCP provides a standardized way to connect LLMs with the context they need.
6
7## Supported Features
8
9Zed currently supports MCP's [Tools](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/specification/2025-11-25/server/tools) and [Prompts](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/specification/2025-11-25/server/prompts) features.
10We welcome contributions that help advance Zed's MCP feature coverage (Discovery, Sampling, Elicitation, etc).
11
12Zed also handles the `notifications/tools/list_changed` notification from MCP servers. When a server adds, removes, or modifies its available tools at runtime, Zed automatically reloads the tool list without requiring a server restart.
13
14## Installing MCP Servers
15
16### As Extensions
17
18One of the ways you can use MCP servers in Zed is by exposing them as an extension.
19Check out the [MCP Server Extensions](../extensions/mcp-extensions.md) page to learn how to create your own.
20
21Many MCP servers are available as extensions. Find them via:
22
231. [the Zed website](https://zed.dev/extensions?filter=context-servers)
242. in the app, open the Command Palette and run the `zed: extensions` action
253. in the app, go to the Agent Panel's top-right menu and look for the "View Server Extensions" menu item
26
27Popular servers:
28
29- [Context7](https://zed.dev/extensions/context7-mcp-server)
30- [GitHub](https://zed.dev/extensions/github-mcp-server)
31- [Puppeteer](https://zed.dev/extensions/puppeteer-mcp-server)
32- [Gem](https://zed.dev/extensions/gem)
33- [Brave Search](https://zed.dev/extensions/brave-search-mcp-server)
34- [Prisma](https://github.com/aqrln/prisma-mcp-zed)
35- [Framelink Figma](https://zed.dev/extensions/framelink-figma-mcp-server)
36- [Linear](https://zed.dev/extensions/linear-mcp-server)
37- [Resend](https://zed.dev/extensions/resend-mcp-server)
38
39### As Custom Servers
40
41Creating an extension is not the only way to use MCP servers in Zed.
42You can connect them by adding their commands directly to your `settings.json`, like so:
43
44```json [settings]
45{
46 "context_servers": {
47 "local-mcp-server": {
48 "command": "some-command",
49 "args": ["arg-1", "arg-2"],
50 "env": {}
51 },
52 "remote-mcp-server": {
53 "url": "custom",
54 "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer <token>" }
55 }
56 }
57}
58```
59
60Alternatively, you can also add a custom server by accessing the Agent Panel's Settings view (also accessible via the `agent: open settings` action).
61From there, you can add it through the modal that appears when you click the "Add Custom Server" button.
62
63## Using MCP Servers
64
65### Configuration Check
66
67Most MCP servers require configuration after installation.
68
69In the case of extensions, after installing it, Zed will pop up a modal displaying what is required for you to properly set it up.
70For example, the GitHub MCP extension requires you to add a [Personal Access Token](https://docs.github.com/en/authentication/keeping-your-account-and-data-secure/managing-your-personal-access-tokens).
71
72In the case of custom servers, make sure you check the provider documentation to determine what type of command, arguments, and environment variables need to be added to the JSON.
73
74To check if your MCP server is properly configured, go to the Agent Panel's settings view and watch the indicator dot next to its name.
75If they're running correctly, the indicator will be green and its tooltip will say "Server is active".
76If not, other colors and tooltip messages will indicate what is happening.
77
78### Agent Panel Usage
79
80Once installation is complete, you can return to the Agent Panel and start prompting.
81
82Model support for MCP tools varies. Mentioning your server by name in prompts helps the model select the right tools.
83
84However, if you want to _ensure_ a given MCP server will be used, you can create [a custom profile](./agent-panel.md#custom-profiles) where all built-in tools (or the ones that could cause conflicts with the server's tools) are turned off and only the tools coming from the MCP server are turned on.
85
86As an example, [the Dagger team suggests](https://container-use.com/agent-integrations#zed) doing that with their [Container Use MCP server](https://zed.dev/extensions/mcp-server-container-use):
87
88```json [settings]
89"agent": {
90 "profiles": {
91 "container-use": {
92 "name": "Container Use",
93 "tools": {
94 "fetch": true,
95 "thinking": true,
96 "copy_path": false,
97 "find_path": false,
98 "delete_path": false,
99 "create_directory": false,
100 "list_directory": false,
101 "diagnostics": false,
102 "read_file": false,
103 "open": false,
104 "move_path": false,
105 "grep": false,
106 "edit_file": false,
107 "terminal": false
108 },
109 "enable_all_context_servers": false,
110 "context_servers": {
111 "container-use": {
112 "tools": {
113 "environment_create": true,
114 "environment_add_service": true,
115 "environment_update": true,
116 "environment_run_cmd": true,
117 "environment_open": true,
118 "environment_file_write": true,
119 "environment_file_read": true,
120 "environment_file_list": true,
121 "environment_file_delete": true,
122 "environment_checkpoint": true
123 }
124 }
125 }
126 }
127 }
128}
129```
130
131### Tool Approval
132
133Zed's Agent Panel includes the `agent.always_allow_tool_actions` setting that, if set to `false`, will require you to give permission for any editing attempt as well as tool calls coming from MCP servers.
134
135You can change this by setting this key to `true` in either your `settings.json` or through the Agent Panel's settings view.
136
137### External Agents
138
139Note that for [external agents](./external-agents.md) connected through the [Agent Client Protocol](https://agentclientprotocol.com/), access to MCP servers installed from Zed may vary depending on the ACP agent implementation.
140
141Regarding the built-in ones, Claude Code and Codex both support it, and Gemini CLI does not yet.
142In the meantime, learn how to add MCP server support to Gemini CLI through [their documentation](https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli?tab=readme-ov-file#using-mcp-servers).