What is the difference between stdio and HTTP MCP servers?

A stdio MCP server is a local program OpenClaw launches as a child process and talks to over standard input/output — configured with a command, args, env, and working directory. An HTTP (Streamable HTTP) MCP server is a remote endpoint OpenClaw connects to over the network with a URL, optional headers, and OAuth login. Use stdio for local tools like filesystem access; use HTTP for hosted services.

What are the best MCP servers to start with?

Good first MCP servers are the filesystem server (read and write local files), Context7 (live documentation lookup), a GitHub server (issues, PRs, code), a Postgres or database server (query your data), a web-search server such as Brave Search, and a browser-automation server such as Playwright MCP. Start with one that matches a task you repeat by hand, then add more.

Why can't my AI assistant see the MCP tools after I added the server?

MCP tools appear in OpenClaw's coding and messaging tool profiles but are hidden in the minimal profile, and they are disabled if tools.deny includes "bundle-mcp". Check that the server is enabled and connecting with openclaw mcp doctor --probe, confirm the active tool profile is not minimal, and remember that stdio runtimes are reaped after mcp.sessionIdleTtlMs of idle time (default 10 minutes) and reconnect on next use.

Are MCP servers safe to add?

An MCP server runs with the permissions you give it, so treat it like installing software. Only add servers you trust, scope filesystem servers to a specific folder rather than your home directory, prefer OAuth over pasting long-lived tokens, and use per-server tool filters to expose only the tools you need. Run openclaw mcp doctor to catch literal secrets in headers or env before you connect.

How to Add MCP Servers to Your AI Assistant (2026 Guide)

An MCP server is a small program that gives your AI assistant a real tool — reading files, querying a database, searching the web, opening a browser, or looking up live documentation — through the Model Context Protocol, an open standard Anthropic introduced in November 2024. Instead of a model that can only talk, you get an assistant that can do things. OpenClaw Easy is a desktop app that runs an AI assistant across WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, Feishu and Line, and it ships an MCP client so you can attach these servers to that assistant. This guide shows both ways to add one — the no-code Control UI panel and the openclaw mcp command line — the difference between stdio and HTTP servers, the best MCP servers to start with in 2026, and how to verify and secure them. New to the concept? Read What is MCP first, then come back here to actually wire one up.

The 30-second version

There are three ways to add an MCP server in OpenClaw. They all write to the same place — the mcp.servers section of your OpenClaw config — so pick whichever fits how you work.

Method	How	Best for
Control UI (no code)	Web Dashboard › Settings › MCP (`/settings/mcp`)	Most people — a form, not JSON
`openclaw mcp add`	Flags: `--command`, `--arg`, `--url`	Scripting and quick one-liners
`openclaw mcp set`	One JSON object on the command line	Pasting a server's ready-made config

What an MCP server actually adds

A model on its own predicts text. An MCP server hands it tools it can call, plus optional resources (data it can read) and prompts (reusable templates). When you attach a filesystem server, your assistant gains "read this file" and "write that file" tools. Attach a GitHub server and it gains "open issue" and "list pull requests." The model decides when to call each tool during a conversation; you decide which servers exist. Because MCP is a standard, the same server works whether the model behind your assistant is Claude, GPT, Gemini, or a local Ollama model — you configure the server once, not once per provider.

Option A: Add an MCP server with no code

If you use the OpenClaw Easy desktop app, you never have to touch a config file. The app manages the local gateway and opens the Control UI — a browser dashboard with a dedicated MCP panel.

Open the desktop app and click Open Web Dashboard (the app starts the gateway for you if it isn't running).
Go to Settings › MCP (the /settings/mcp page, also reachable at the /mcp alias).
Click Add server, give it a name, and fill in either a command (for a local stdio server) or a URL (for a remote HTTP server).
Save. The panel shows the server's status, the tools it exposes, and any OAuth or filter settings.

That's it — no JSON, no restart. The panel writes the same mcp.servers entry the CLI does, and the change applies on the server's next use.

Prefer the desktop app? OpenClaw Easy is a free, signed installer for macOS and Windows that runs everything locally — the gateway, the Control UI, and your MCP servers. Download OpenClaw Easy and skip the terminal entirely.

Option B: Add an MCP server from the command line

The openclaw mcp command manages your saved MCP servers. The two you'll use most are add (build a server from flags) and set (paste a full JSON object).

Add a local (stdio) server

A stdio server is a program OpenClaw launches on your machine and talks to over standard input/output. Most community MCP servers ship this way and run via npx (Node) or uvx (Python). For example, to add the official filesystem server scoped to your Documents folder:

$ openclaw mcp add filesystem \
    --command npx \
    --arg -y \
    --arg @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem \
    --arg ~/Documents

Or paste a ready-made config with set — this adds Context7, a live documentation-lookup server:

$ openclaw mcp set context7 '{"command":"uvx","args":["context7-mcp"]}'

The stdio fields are command, args, env (environment variables), and cwd (working directory). OpenClaw launches the process when the assistant needs it and tears the whole process tree down cleanly on shutdown.

Add a remote (HTTP) server

An HTTP server is a hosted endpoint you connect to by URL — good for managed services. Use transport: "streamable-http" and, where the service supports it, OAuth instead of a pasted token:

$ openclaw mcp add acme \
    --url https://mcp.example.com/ \
    --transport streamable-http \
    --auth oauth

$ openclaw mcp login acme   # opens an authorization URL; approve, then re-run with --code

HTTP servers also support static headers, TLS verification control, and mTLS client certificates for locked-down environments.

Best MCP servers to start with in 2026

Don't add ten servers on day one. Pick the one that automates a task you already do by hand, confirm it works, then grow. These are solid, widely used starting points:

MCP server	What it adds	Transport
Filesystem	Read and write files in a folder you choose	stdio (`npx`)
Context7	Up-to-date library and API documentation on demand	stdio (`uvx`)
GitHub	Issues, pull requests, code and repo search	stdio or HTTP
Postgres / database	Run read-only queries against your own data	stdio
Brave Search	Live web search results (needs a free API key)	stdio
Playwright	Open a real browser — navigate, click, extract	stdio

Each server publishes its exact launch command in its README. Drop that command into openclaw mcp add (or the Control UI's command field) exactly as shown. For a browsable, larger catalog of reusable AI capabilities that pair well with these tools, see the OpenClaw Skills hub.

Verify the server works

After you add a server, confirm it actually connects before you rely on it. Three commands, from cheapest to most thorough:

Command	What it does
`openclaw mcp status --verbose`	Shows transport, auth, timeouts and filters — without connecting
`openclaw mcp doctor <name> --probe`	Static checks (missing command, bad path, literal secrets) plus a live connect
`openclaw mcp probe <name>`	Connects and reports the tool count, resources/prompts support and diagnostics

Use openclaw mcp list to see every saved server and openclaw mcp tools <name> --include <csv> to expose only specific tools. Once a server connects, its tools show up in your assistant's coding and messaging tool profiles automatically — message the bot on any connected channel and it will call them when your request needs one.

Tools not showing up? MCP tools are hidden in the minimal profile and disabled when tools.deny lists "bundle-mcp". Idle stdio servers are also reaped after mcp.sessionIdleTtlMs (default 10 minutes) and reconnect on next use — so a "gone" server is often just asleep.

MCP security: check this before you add a server

An MCP server runs with the access you grant it, so treat adding one like installing software. A few habits keep you safe:

Only add servers you trust. Prefer official servers and well-known projects; read what tools a server exposes before enabling it.
Scope filesystem access. Point the filesystem server at a specific project folder, never your whole home directory.
Prefer OAuth over pasted tokens. For HTTP servers, use --auth oauth and openclaw mcp login instead of long-lived keys in config.
Trim the tool surface. Use per-server include/exclude filters so the assistant only sees the tools you actually want.
Run the doctor. openclaw mcp doctor flags literal secrets in headers or env, disabled servers and broken setups before you connect.

Because OpenClaw runs locally on your own machine, your files and credentials stay on your device — the MCP servers you add talk to your assistant on your computer, not through a third-party cloud. More on that model in privacy-first AI chatbots.

Frequently asked questions

What is an MCP server?

An MCP server is a small program that exposes tools, resources, or prompts to an AI assistant over the Model Context Protocol — an open standard Anthropic introduced in November 2024. Adding one gives your assistant a concrete new ability, like reading files or querying a database, through an interface any MCP-compatible AI can use.

How do I add an MCP server to my AI assistant?

In OpenClaw, either add it in the Control UI under Settings › MCP (no code), or run openclaw mcp add <name> with stdio flags like --command npx --arg -y --arg <package>, or paste a config with openclaw mcp set <name> '{...}'. Then run openclaw mcp probe <name> to confirm it connects.

What's the difference between stdio and HTTP MCP servers?

A stdio server is a local program OpenClaw launches and talks to over standard input/output (configured with a command and args). An HTTP server is a remote endpoint you reach by URL with optional OAuth. Use stdio for local tools like filesystem access; use HTTP for hosted services.

Do MCP servers work with any AI model?

Yes. MCP is a standard, so a server you configure once works whether your assistant runs on Claude, GPT, Gemini, or a local Ollama model. OpenClaw projects your saved servers into each runtime in the shape that runtime expects.

Does adding MCP servers require the terminal?

No. The OpenClaw Easy desktop app gives you a graphical MCP panel in the Control UI, so you can add, verify, and remove servers without ever opening a terminal. The openclaw mcp CLI is there when you want scripting or one-liners.