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Claude Desktop Integration

This guide specifically focuses on how to integrate your locally running GPT Researcher MCP server with the Claude desktop application for Mac, providing a seamless research experience within the Claude interface.

Check out the official Anthropic MCP docs here

Prerequisites​

Before integrating with Claude desktop client, you'll need:

  1. GPT Researcher MCP server installed and running locally
  2. Claude for Mac desktop application installed
  3. Administrative access to your Mac to modify configuration files

Setting Up Claude Desktop with MCP​

To integrate your locally running MCP server with Claude for Mac, follow these steps:

1. Install and Run the GPT Researcher MCP Server​

Make sure you have the GPT Researcher MCP server installed and running:

# Clone the repository (if you haven't already)
git clone https://github.com/assafelovic/gpt-researcher.git
cd gpt-researcher/mcp-server

# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Set up your environment variables
cp .env.example .env
# Edit the .env file with your API keys

# Run the server
python server.py

Verify that the server is running properly by checking the console output. The server should be listening on port 8000 by default.

2. Configure Claude Desktop​

  1. Locate Claude's Configuration File:

    • Open Finder and press Shift + Command + G to open the "Go to Folder" dialog
    • Enter ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/ and click "Go"
    • Find the claude_desktop_config.json file in this directory. If it doesn't exist, create a new file with this name
    • Alternatively, you can open the Claude App -> Settings -> Developer -> Update Config.

  2. Edit the Configuration File:

    • Open claude_desktop_config.json with a text editor
    • Add or update the mcpServers section to include your local GPT Researcher MCP server:
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gpt-researcher": {
      "command": "/path/to/python",
      "args": ["/path/to/gpt-researcher/mcp-server/server.py"]
    }
  }
}

Replace /path/to/gpt-researcher/mcp-server/server.py with the absolute path to your server.py file.

Alternatively, if you prefer to manually start the server and just have Claude connect to it:

{
  "mcpServers": {},
  "externalMCPServers": {
    "gpt-researcher": "http://localhost:8000/mcp"
  }
}

3. Restart Claude for Desktop​

Close and reopen the Claude application to apply the new configuration.

4. Verify the Integration​

Upon restarting:

  • Look for a hammer icon (🔨) in the bottom right corner of the input box in Claude
  • Clicking this icon should display the GPT Researcher tools provided by your MCP server
  • If you don't see the hammer icon, check the Claude application logs for any errors

Using GPT Researcher in Claude Desktop​

Once integrated, you can use research capabilities by:

  1. Clicking on the hammer icon (🔨) in the message input area
  2. Selecting the "conduct_research" tool
  3. Entering your research query and other parameters
  4. Submitting your query

You can also directly prompt Claude to use the tools:

I need to research the latest advancements in quantum computing. Please use the conduct_research tool to gather information, then create a comprehensive report.

Troubleshooting​

If you encounter issues with the integration:

  1. Server Connection Issues:

    • Ensure the MCP server is running and listening on the expected port
    • Check firewall settings that might block the connection
    • Verify the path in the configuration file is correct

  2. Tool Availability Issues:

    • If tools aren't showing up, restart both the MCP server and Claude
    • Check the server logs for any error messages
    • Make sure your API keys are properly configured in the .env file

  3. Permission Issues:

    • Ensure Claude has permission to execute the server script
    • Check file permissions on the server.py file

  4. Configuration File Issues:

    • Verify your JSON syntax is correct in the configuration file
    • Make sure the configuration directory exists and is accessible

Next Steps​