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Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers let you give Workshop’s agent access to external tools and data sources — databases, APIs, file systems, and custom integrations — through a standardized interface. MCP is an open protocol that defines how AI agents communicate with tool servers. MCP is a Workshop Desktop-only feature. It requires the local backend to manage server processes and connections.

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What MCP Servers Do

When you connect an MCP server, its tools become available to the Workshop agent during conversations. For example:
  • A database MCP server lets the agent query your PostgreSQL or SQLite database directly
  • A filesystem MCP server gives access to files outside the project directory
  • A web search MCP server lets the agent search the internet during conversations
  • A custom MCP server can expose any API or service you build
The agent sees available tools and calls them when relevant to your request — no manual invocation needed.

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Adding MCP Servers

Workshop Desktop provides three ways to add MCP servers. Open Settings and navigate to the MCP Servers tab to get started.

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Server Directory

The Server Directory tab lists popular, pre-configured MCP servers that you can install with one click.
1

Browse the directory

Open Settings, go to the MCP Servers tab, and click Server Directory.
2

Install a server

Find the server you want and click Install. Workshop handles downloading the package and configuring the connection.
3

Configure if needed

Some servers require setup values (API keys, database URLs, etc.). Workshop prompts you to provide these during installation.

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Custom Server

The Add Custom Server tab lets you manually configure any MCP server by specifying its runtime command and arguments.
1

Open the Custom tab

In the MCP Servers settings, click Add Custom Server.
2

Enter server details

Provide:
  • Server name — A display name for the server
  • Runtime — The command to run the server (e.g., npx, uvx, node, python)
  • Arguments — Command-line arguments for the server process
  • Environment variables — Any environment variables the server needs (API keys, config values)
3

Save and enable

Click Add Server. Workshop starts the server process and validates the connection. The server appears in your Configured Servers list.
Third-party websites and documentation can provide deep links that automatically configure an MCP server in Workshop Desktop. When you click a deep link, Workshop opens with the server configuration pre-populated — you just confirm the installation. Deep links use the format: 
memex://deeplink/v1/mcp/install?config=<encoded-config>&name=<server-name>
Deep links only work when Workshop Desktop is installed. They use the memex:// protocol handler registered by the desktop app.

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Managing Configured Servers

The Configured Servers tab shows all MCP servers you’ve added.

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Enabling and Disabling Servers

Each server has an enable/disable toggle. Disabling a server stops its process and removes its tools from the agent’s available tools — but keeps the configuration saved so you can re-enable it later. When you enable a server, Workshop starts the server process and waits for initialization. The status indicator shows:
StatusMeaning
PendingServer is starting up
ConnectedServer is running and tools are available
ErrorServer failed to start (expand for error details)

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Enabling and Disabling Individual Tools

Expand a server to see its available tools. Each tool has its own toggle — disable specific tools you don’t want the agent to use while keeping the server running. This is useful when a server exposes many tools but you only need a few, or when you want to prevent the agent from using a particular tool during a conversation.

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Connection Monitoring

Workshop Desktop polls MCP servers periodically to verify they’re still running and responsive. If a server becomes unresponsive, the status updates automatically. You can also manually refresh the status from the three-dots menu.

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Configuration Storage

MCP server configurations are stored in a mcp.json file within your Workshop Desktop data directory. You can edit this file directly if you prefer, then use Reload Configuration in the settings to pick up changes.

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Troubleshooting

Expand the server entry to see the error message. Common issues:
  • Runtime not found — The command (e.g., npx, uvx) isn’t installed or not in your PATH. Install the required runtime and try again.
  • Connection refused — The server process started but crashed. Check the error message for details.
  • Authentication failed — The server requires credentials. Update the environment variables in the server configuration.
Make sure the server is enabled (toggle is on) and the status shows Connected. If individual tools are disabled, they won’t appear even when the server is connected.