# MCP Server Config

Tabnine CLI supports [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/) (MCP) servers, which extend the CLI with additional tools and context providers. MCP servers are configured in `settings.json` and managed with the `tabnine mcp` CLI commands or the `/mcp` slash command in interactive mode.

## Configuration File Location

MCP server configurations live in the `mcpServers` key of `settings.json`. The CLI loads settings from multiple scopes, merged in this precedence order (highest wins last):

| Priority    | Scope           | Path (macOS/Linux)                                                                                          |
| ----------- | --------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 1           | Schema defaults | Built-in                                                                                                    |
| 2           | System defaults | Sibling to system settings                                                                                  |
| 3           | User            | `~/.tabnine/agent/settings.json`                                                                            |
| 4           | Workspace       | `<project>/.tabnine/agent/settings.json`                                                                    |
| 5 (highest) | System          | `/Library/Application Support/TabnineCli/settings.json` (macOS) or `/etc/tabnine-cli/settings.json` (Linux) |

MCP servers use a **shallow merge** strategy: workspace-level servers merge with (not replace) user-level servers. If the same server name exists in both scopes, the higher-priority scope wins.

Workspace settings are only loaded if the workspace is trusted.

## Configuration Format

### Stdio Transport (Local Process)

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "server-name": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/path/to/dir"],
      "env": {
        "TOKEN": "your-token"
      },
      "cwd": "/optional/working/directory",
      "timeout": 30000
    }
  }
}
```

### HTTP/SSE Transport (Remote Server)

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "remote-server": {
      "url": "https://example.com/mcp",
      "type": "http",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer your-token"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

When `type` is omitted, the CLI tries Streamable HTTP first and falls back to SSE automatically if the HTTP connection fails. Set `type` explicitly to `"sse"` or `"http"` to skip auto-detection.

### Configuration Fields

| Field          | Type                             | Description                                                                                              |
| -------------- | -------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `command`      | `string`                         | Executable to run for stdio transport.                                                                   |
| `args`         | `string[]`                       | Arguments passed to the stdio command.                                                                   |
| `env`          | `object`                         | Environment variables set for the server process.                                                        |
| `cwd`          | `string`                         | Working directory for the server process.                                                                |
| `url`          | `string`                         | URL for SSE or HTTP transport.                                                                           |
| `type`         | `"stdio"` \| `"sse"` \| `"http"` | Transport type. Defaults to `"http"` when `url` is set.                                                  |
| `headers`      | `object`                         | HTTP headers sent to the server (useful for authentication).                                             |
| `timeout`      | `number`                         | Request timeout in milliseconds. Defaults to 600000 (10 minutes).                                        |
| `trust`        | `boolean`                        | When `true` and the workspace is trusted, tools from this server are auto-approved without confirmation. |
| `description`  | `string`                         | Human-readable description of the server.                                                                |
| `includeTools` | `string[]`                       | Allowlist of tools to enable. When omitted, all tools are enabled.                                       |
| `excludeTools` | `string[]`                       | Tools to disable even if exposed by the server.                                                          |

## MCP Management Commands

### Adding a Server

```bash
tabnine mcp add <name> <commandOrUrl> [args...]
```

| Flag                      | Description                                          |
| ------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| `-s, --scope`             | `"user"` or `"project"` (default: `"project"`)       |
| `-t, --transport, --type` | `"stdio"`, `"sse"`, or `"http"` (default: `"stdio"`) |
| `-e, --env`               | Environment variables as `KEY=value` (repeatable)    |
| `-H, --header`            | HTTP headers as `"Key: value"` (repeatable)          |
| `--timeout`               | Connection timeout in milliseconds                   |
| `--trust`                 | Bypass all tool call confirmation prompts            |
| `--description`           | Server description                                   |
| `--include-tools`         | Comma-separated tool allowlist                       |
| `--exclude-tools`         | Comma-separated tool blocklist                       |

***Example:***

```bash
tabnine mcp add filesystem npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /path/to/dir --scope user
```

### Listing Servers

```bash
tabnine mcp list
```

Status indicators: `✓` Connected, `✗` Disconnected, `⛔` Blocked, `○` Disabled.

### Enabling and Disabling Servers

```bash
tabnine mcp enable <name>
tabnine mcp disable <name>
```

Both accept a `--session` flag for session-only changes. Persistent enablement state is stored in `~/.tabnine/agent/mcp-server-enablement.json`, separate from the server configuration. Servers are enabled by default.

### Removing a Server

```bash
tabnine mcp remove <name>
```

Accepts `--scope` (`"user"` or `"project"`, default: `"project"`).

## Interactive Mode: `/mcp` Slash Command

In interactive mode, the `/mcp` slash command provides these subcommands:

| Subcommand | Aliases        | Description                                    |
| ---------- | -------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| `list`     | `ls`, `nodesc` | List configured MCP servers and tools          |
| `desc`     | `description`  | List servers and tools with descriptions       |
| `schema`   | —              | List servers, tools, descriptions, and schemas |
| `auth`     | —              | Authenticate with an OAuth-enabled MCP server  |
| `reload`   | `refresh`      | Reload MCP servers                             |
| `enable`   | —              | Enable a disabled MCP server                   |
| `disable`  | —              | Disable an MCP server                          |

Running `/mcp` with no subcommand defaults to `list`.

## Runtime Flags

### Filtering MCP Servers

```bash
tabnine --allowed-mcp-server-names server1,server2
```

When this flag is set, only the named servers are loaded. The comma-separated format and space-separated format are both accepted.

## Examples

### Filesystem Server

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/home/user/projects"]
    }
  }
}
```

### GitHub Server

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
      "env": {
        "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "<YOUR_TOKEN>"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

### Remote HTTP Server with Authentication

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "custom-api": {
      "url": "https://my-api.example.com/mcp",
      "type": "http",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer my-token"
      },
      "trust": true
    }
  }
}
```

## Troubleshooting

Verify your servers are configured and reachable:

```bash
tabnine mcp list
```

For detailed connection diagnostics, start the CLI with debug logging:

```bash
tabnine --debug
```

### See Also

* [Commands](/main/getting-started/tabnine-cli/features/commands.md)
* [Settings](/main/getting-started/tabnine-cli/features/settings.md)


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