Connecting Claude to Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers turns it from a conversational assistant into an operational AI agent—one that can query databases, call APIs, inspect logs, and interact with real infrastructure using natural language.

If you’re trying to figure out how to create an MCP Server and connect it with Claude, you’ve likely already hit the main problem:

Most guides focus on manual MCP setup—editing JSON files, managing Node.js dependencies, and debugging connection issues that have nothing to do with your actual work.

We’ve seen this pattern repeatedly across DevOps and platform teams.

In this guide, we'll walk you through the process of creating and connecting a MCP server with Claude using MCP Express, from server creation to connection.

By the end, you'll have a working MCP server answering real questions about your infrastructure in under 5 minutes.

What Is MCP—and Why Connect Claude to an MCP Server?

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open-source standard introduced by Anthropic in late 2024. It enables AI clients, such as Claude, to securely connect to external tools, services, and data sources via a shared protocol.

A helpful mental model:

MCP is to AI what USB-C is to hardware—a single, consistent interface that replaces dozens of custom connectors.

The Problem MCP Solves

Before MCP, every integration required a bespoke connector:

AWS Cloudwatch → custom integration

Slack → another integration

Databases → custom scripts again

This fragmentation made AI assistants powerful in theory but impractical in real environments.

MCP changes that by standardizing how AI models talk to tools—once.

What Claude Can Do with an MCP Server

When you create an MCP server and connect it with Claude, you unlock capabilities that go far beyond chat:

Query live databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB)
Access cloud services (AWS CloudWatch, GCP, Azure)
Call internal and external REST APIs
Read and modify files
Execute SSH commands
Automate multi-step workflows
Analyze monitoring data in real time

Real-world example

Instead of manually querying your database, you can ask:

“Show me all users whose orders are pending delivery.”

Claude queries the database via MCP and returns a fact-based answer—no copy-paste required.

How MCP Servers Work

Understanding the architecture helps you make better setup decisions.

MCP has two core components:

1. MCP Clients

AI applications like Claude Desktop that request data or actions.

2. MCP Servers

Connectors that:

Authenticate with tools
Execute commands or queries
Normalize responses into a format Claude understands

When Claude needs real data, it sends a structured request to the MCP server, which handles the interaction and returns the result.

This separation is why MCP scales cleanly across tools and teams.

The Fastest Way to Create a MCP Server: MCP Express

We built MCP Express for teams who want MCP’s power without becoming MCP infrastructure experts.

If your goal is to create a Claude MCP server quickly—and manage it safely—this is the shortest path.

What You’ll Need

Claude Desktop on your computer (Download it here: Claude Desktop)
Node.js on your computer (Download it here: Node.js)
An MCP Express account (Sign up: MCP Express) (free, no credit card required)
5 minutes

Step-by-Step: How to Create a MCP Server with MCP Express

Step 1: Sign Up for MCP Express

Step 2: Create a New MCP Server

Go to MCP Servers from your dashboard.

Then click on New MCP Server and name it based on your use case (e.g., Production-Infra, Client-XYZ-Stack).

Then, click on Create MCP Server.

Step 3: Configure Tools and Permissions

To access your available tools, click on View Details of your MCP server.

Here you’ll find the tools Claude can access, create workflows, store credentials for Claude to access, and Analytics, where you can get insights on your MCP server’s activity.

Choose what Claude can access:

AWS CloudWatch
PostgreSQL, MySQL, DynamoDB, MSSQL
REST APIs
SSH
Slack
Confluence
Custom internal tools

You control permissions and scope—not Claude.

How to Connect Your MCP Server With Claude?

Now that you’ve successfully created your MCP server, it’s time to connect it with Claude to allow it access. Here’s how you do it.

Step 1: Create a Claude MCP Client

Head over to Clients from your dashboard.

Then, click on Add New Client at the top right corner.

Give your client a name, choose Claude from supported clients, and select your MCP server to connect your client with.

Step 2: Connect Claude (Claude Code MCP Configuration)

Now, we'll be configuring our MCP in Claude's code.

From your dashboard, go to Clients.

In the list of clients, click the (⋮) in the Actions column, then click Setup Instructions.

From the instructions pop-up, download the MCP Express code and add the snippet to your claude_desktop_config.json.

The snippet looks something like this.

{ "mcpServers": { "Your Client Name": { "command": "node", "args": ["<path_to_mcp-express-cli.js>"], "env": { "CLIENT_ID": " ", "CLIENT_SECRET": " " } } } }

No dependency juggling. No custom scripts.

If you’re having trouble finding the claude_desktop_config.json file, you can simply open Claude Desktop and go to Files → Settings → Developer. Here, click on the Edit Config button, and you can access the file.

Step 3: Launch Claude Desktop

Open Claude Desktop and go to Files → Settings → Developer.

You’ll see your client name for your MCP server.

Start a new chat. Ask real questions. Claude now works with real data.

Here’s how Claude answers now!

Real-World MCP Server Use Cases with Claude

1. DevOps Incident Troubleshooting

Ask Claude:

“Check CloudWatch errors from the last hour and find me the root cause and recommend a solution.”

Claude:

Pulls logs
Runs SSH commands
Correlates metrics
Identifies root cause

Time saved: 30 minutes → 2 minutes

2. Database Analysis and Documentation

Ask Claude:

“Analyze signup trends in PostgreSQL and update our Confluence growth report.”

Claude:

Runs analytics queries
Identifies trends
Updates documentation automatically

Time saved: 2 hours → 5 minutes

3. Multi-Database Data Migration

Ask Claude:

“Migrate products from MySQL to DynamoDB in batches of 100 with validation.”

Claude:

Transforms schemas
Writes data
Validates results
Generates a migration summary

Time saved: 4 hours → 15 minutes

Why Teams Choose MCP Express to Create MCP Servers

Creating a Claude MCP server manually works—but it doesn’t scale well.

Here’s where MCP Express makes a measurable difference:

Centralized Control

Manage tools, permissions, and credentials from one dashboard—not scattered config files.

Security by Design

Credentials are encrypted and never stored in plaintext on developer machines.

Eliminate Dependency Conflicts

No Node.js version drift. No broken installs. MCP Express handles runtime compatibility.

Multi-Tool Workflows

One MCP server. Multiple tools. One conversation.

Proven Setup Speed

From signup to first successful query in under 5 minutes.

No Custom Integrations Needed

MCP Express works with multiple services out-of-the-box, so you don’t have to build separate connectors for each tool.

Continuous Support

If you face any issues, our team is here to help you prioritize and resolve them. We are committed to providing you with the best experience.

Getting Started

This concludes our guide on creating and connecting your MCP server with Claude in just under 5 minutes.

While other approaches exist, MCP Express removes the friction that slows teams down.

If your priority is speed, safety, and operational clarity, start here.

Within minutes, Claude will be answering questions with data from your real systems—not assumptions.

We’ve removed the setup barriers.

What you build next is up to you.

How to Create and Connect MCP Server with Claude (Under 5 Minutes)