MCP Bundle file format
View All TagsIf you've ever installed an app on your computer—double-clicking a .dmg file on Mac or a .exe on Windows—you already understand .mcpb files.
Anthropic introduced the .mcpb extension (MCP Bundle) as the standard packaging format for distributing MCP servers. Think of it as the "app bundle" for AI tools: one file that contains everything needed to give your AI assistant new capabilities.
The Claude Desktop config file is at:
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.jsonIf that's all you needed, you're done. If you want the full setup guide — how to add MCP servers, common config mistakes, and troubleshooting — keep reading.
I spent two hours staring at Claude Desktop wondering why my MCP server wouldn't connect. The config looked perfect. The server ran fine standalone. But Claude showed no tools. The problem? A single trailing comma in my JSON config that Claude silently ignored. This is everything I wish the docs had told me upfront.
New to MCP? Start with Introduction to MCP to understand what it is and how it works.
