Other examples of integrations include snagging data from APIs, accessing remote documentation, working with cloud services, collaborating on shared team resources, and much more.
This nifty new capability makes it a breeze for developers to grab context from their current tools like security services, project management systems, and knowledge bases. For instance, a dev could tap into the Sentry MCP server to view a list of errors and issues in their project, check for available fixes, and make adjustments using Claude, all in one seamless workflow.
The /mcp command, done within Claude Code, opens up an interactive menu that lets you authenticate using OAuth. This redirects your browser to connect automatically to the OAuth provider. Once you’ve authenticated successfully via the browser, Claude Code stores the access token received locally.
Remote MCP servers offer a simpler maintenance option compared to local servers: just input the vendor’s URL into Claude Code—no manual setup needed. Vendors handle updates, scaling, and availability, freeing you up to focus on coding instead of managing server infrastructure.
MCP’s strengths show up in cases calling for deep contextual merging: multi-repository debugging sessions, legacy system scrutiny that needs historical context, or workflows meshing multiple data sources at once. The protocol excels when Claude must keep a consistent state across tool interactions or correlate info from different systems.
However, others pointed out the significance of Claude Code adding support for streamable HTTP as an alternative to stdio for connecting to MCP servers.
On the flip side, for workflows with CLIs and standard APIs, he sees no need to go the MCP route.
After Anthropic’s announcement, some Reddit users downplayed the importance of this new feature, mentioning that while convenient, it’s not a game changer.
Remote servers wipe out the infrastructure costs tied to local MCP rollouts. Teams no longer have to set up servers, keep them updated, or manage MCP service scaling.
Yet, Matsukoa highlights that using MCP servers often leads to a 25-30% cost uptick because of the wider contexts fetched from external sources, and remote MCPs, by simplifying this task, can potentially compound those costs. So, it’s vital to think through where it truly makes sense:
For authentication, Claude Code backs OAuth 2.0 over HTTP or SSE, allowing devs to authenticate directly through the terminal without needing an API key. For example, to link Claude Code with GitHub MCP:
According to Robert Matsukoa, ex-head of product engineering at Tripadvisor and current CTO at Fractional, this isn’t just a nifty upgrade—it actually changes how AI tools get integrated:
Anthropic has just rolled out a new feature in Claude Code that lets you connect to remote MCP servers. This means devs can now link up external tools and resources without having to set up a local server manually.
Before the addition of remote MCP server support in Claude Code, developers had to go through the hassle of setting up a local MCP server to connect with their existing toolchain.
Anthropic listed a set of MCP servers built together with their creators, but a more extensive selection sits on GitHub.
