Integration: Claude Desktop

Claude Desktop is the primary host for VibeMap's MCP Server. Once connected, you can ask Claude about your VibeMap projects, sync code changes, and update requirements.

1. Locate Your Config File

Claude Desktop looks for an mcpServers configuration in a specific JSON file depending on your operating system:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

• Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

2. Add the VibeMap Server

Open the config file and add the vibemap entry. Ensure you use absolute paths for the node command and the path to your server's build file.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vibemap": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/Users/YOUR_USER/path/to/vibemap/mcp-server/build/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "VIBEMAP_API_KEY": "vm_your_actual_token_here",
        "VIBEMAP_BASE_URL": "https://vibemap.ai"
      }
    }
  }
}

3. Restart Claude

After saving the file, you must fully restart Claude Desktop. Look for the "Hammer" icon in the input area—this indicates that MCP tools are active.

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Troubleshooting

Claude Doesn't Show the Hammer Icon

• Path Check: Verify that the path in args is absolute and correctly points to build/index.js.

• Node.js: Ensure node is in your system path. You may need to provide the full path to your node binary (e.g., /usr/local/bin/node).

• Permissions: Ensure your terminal/Claude has permission to read the directory where the MCP server is located.

Tools Return "Unauthorized"

• API Key: Verify your VIBEMAP_API_KEY is correct and hasn't been revoked in the dashboard.

• Base URL: If you are using the production instance, ensure VIBEMAP_BASE_URL is set to https://vibemap.ai.

Logs

You can view Claude's MCP logs to debug connection issues: tail -f ~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp.log