MCP Made Easy

MCP servers extend Kodik with extra tools — fetching web pages, querying databases, running browser automation, and anything else a small program can do. This page shows the fastest ways to get a server running.

Option 1: Install from the Marketplace

The Marketplace lets you install popular pre-configured servers in a few clicks.

1. Click the MCP Servers icon in the top toolbar of the Kodik panel.
2. Open the Marketplace tab and browse by category (Search, File Systems, Browser Automation, etc.).
3. Click a server to read about its tools and requirements.
4. Click Install. If the server needs an API key, Kodik will prompt you for it and store it securely.
5. Kodik adds the server to your mcp.json, spawns the process, and the new tools become available immediately.

Check the server’s status dot in the Installed tab: green means connected.

Option 2: Add a remote server by URL

For servers hosted on a URL (SSE or streamable HTTP):

1. Click MCP Servers → Remote Servers tab.
2. Enter a Server Name and the Server URL (e.g., https://example.com/mcp).
3. Click Add Server. Kodik connects and lists the server’s tools.

See Configuring MCP Servers for OAuth and per-tool approval options.

Option 3: Quick manual entry

If you already know the command or URL, edit mcp.json directly. Open it via MCP Servers → Installed → Configure MCP Servers.

Minimal stdio server (local process):

{
  "servers": {
    "my-tool": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@scope/my-mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "API_KEY": "sk-...",
      },
    },
  },
}

Minimal remote server (streamable HTTP):

{
  "servers": {
    "my-remote": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://example.com/mcp",
    },
  },
}

The file supports JSONC (comments and trailing commas are allowed). See Configuring MCP Servers for the full field reference.

What Kodik does under the hood

• For stdio servers: Kodik spawns the command as a child process and communicates over stdin/stdout.
• For SSE / HTTP servers: Kodik opens an HTTP connection to the URL.
• On every config change Kodik reloads automatically — no restart needed.
• Secrets you enter through the UI (API keys, passwords) are stored in VS Code’s SecretStorage, not in plain text in mcp.json.

System requirements for Node.js/Python servers

Runtime	Minimum version	Check
Node.js	18.x	node --version
Python	3.10	python --version
uv (optional, for Python isolation)	any	uv --version

Troubleshooting

• Red status dot: hover it to see the error. Most common causes: wrong command path, missing API key, or a required runtime not installed.
• “Unknown transport type” error: make sure type is "stdio", "sse", or "http" (see Transports).
• Tool not appearing: check that disabled is not true and that the tool name is not in disabledTools.
• Remove a server: click the server in the Installed tab → Remove Server, or delete its entry from mcp.json.

For a deeper look at all config fields, see Configuring MCP Servers.