MCP servers

MCP servers extend the Vibe Code CLI with external tools through the Model Context Protocol. You add them with the vibe mcp add command, the /mcp add slash command, or directly in config.toml under mcp_servers. Their tools then become available to Vibe like any built-in tool.

MCP servers are user-configured. For Mistral-managed integrations, see Connectors instead.

vibe mcp add writes the server to your user config.toml without starting a session. For a remote server that uses OAuth, pass its name and URL. Vibe opens your browser to sign in:

vibe mcp add linear --url https://mcp.linear.app/mcp

vibe mcp add linear --url https://mcp.linear.app/mcp

Pass --no-login to save the server without signing in, and --scope (repeatable) to request specific OAuth scopes.

For a remote server that uses an API key or static headers, pass --api-key-env or --header:

vibe mcp add mistralai \
  --url https://api.mistral.ai/mcp \
  --api-key-env MISTRAL_API_KEY

vibe mcp add mistralai \
  --url https://api.mistral.ai/mcp \
  --api-key-env MISTRAL_API_KEY

For a local server, use the stdio transport. Repeat --arg for each argument and --env for each environment variable:

vibe mcp add fetch_server --transport stdio --command uvx --arg mcp-server-fetch

vibe mcp add fetch_server --transport stdio --command uvx --arg mcp-server-fetch

Remove a server with vibe mcp remove <name>. Removing an OAuth server also deletes its stored tokens. Run vibe mcp add --help for all options.

You can also add an OAuth server from inside a session with /mcp add <url>. It accepts the same --name, --scope, --transport, and --no-login options:

/mcp add https://mcp.linear.app/mcp

/mcp add https://mcp.linear.app/mcp

Append a [[mcp_servers]] table to config.toml. Required fields depend on the transport.

[[mcp_servers]]
name = "my_http_server"
transport = "http"
url = "http://localhost:8000"

[mcp_servers.auth]
type = "static"
headers = { "X-Client" = "vibe" }
api_key_env = "MY_API_KEY_ENV_VAR"
api_key_header = "Authorization"
api_key_format = "Bearer {token}"

[[mcp_servers]]
name = "my_http_server"
transport = "http"
url = "http://localhost:8000"

[mcp_servers.auth]
type = "static"
headers = { "X-Client" = "vibe" }
api_key_env = "MY_API_KEY_ENV_VAR"
api_key_header = "Authorization"
api_key_format = "Bearer {token}"

Vibe still accepts headers, api_key_env, api_key_header, and api_key_format directly in [[mcp_servers]], and treats them as static authentication. Don't combine them with an [mcp_servers.auth] table. See the configuration reference for every field.

OAuth works with the http and streamable-http transports. stdio servers run locally and don't use OAuth.

vibe mcp add starts the sign-in as soon as it adds an OAuth server, that is, an HTTP server added without --header or --api-key-env. /mcp add only adds OAuth servers and also starts the sign-in. If you skipped it with --no-login, or if Vibe reports that a server needs authentication, run /mcp login <name> from a session. /mcp status shows the sign-in state of each server.

During sign-in, Vibe gives you the authorization URL and can open it in your browser. After you approve access, the browser redirects to http://127.0.0.1:<redirect_port>/callback, which is http://127.0.0.1:47823/callback by default. This address must reach the machine where Vibe runs. If Vibe runs on a remote machine over SSH, forward the callback port before you sign in, then open the URL in your local browser: ssh -L 47823:127.0.0.1:47823 <host>. Use your redirect_port instead of 47823 if you changed it.

Vibe stores the tokens in your OS keyring, not in config.toml. /mcp logout <name> deletes them. If you change the server's url, scopes, client_id, or client_metadata_url, Vibe stops using the stored tokens, and you need to run /mcp login <name> again.

These optional fields in [mcp_servers.auth] control the OAuth client:

In headless environments without an OS keyring, such as CI, Vibe can't store OAuth tokens. Use static authentication with api_key_env instead.

MCP tools are exposed under the pattern {server_name}_{tool_name}. Configure permissions per tool just like built-in tools:

[tools.fetch_server_get]
permission = "always"

[tools.my_http_server_query]
permission = "ask"

[tools.fetch_server_get]
permission = "always"

[tools.my_http_server_query]
permission = "ask"

You can also restrict which MCP tools are active using enabled_tools and disabled_tools:

# Only enable serena's tools
enabled_tools = ["serena_*"]

# Disable every tool from the fetch_server server
disabled_tools = ["fetch_server_*"]

# Only enable serena's tools
enabled_tools = ["serena_*"]

# Disable every tool from the fetch_server server
disabled_tools = ["fetch_server_*"]

Filters support exact names, glob patterns, and regex with the re: prefix.

Vibe keeps the tools of MCP servers and connectors from their last load and refreshes them in the background, so your messages don't wait for servers to start. If a server can't load or needs a sign-in, Vibe shows a warning that names it.

From a CLI session:

/mcp

/mcp

Pass a server name to list its tools:

/mcp fetch_server

/mcp fetch_server

/mcp also accepts these subcommands: