MCP Server Configuration

What MCP is

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is a standard interface for connecting AI to external tools and data.

Once configured, WorkBuddy can drive a browser, read online documents, query databases, or call third-party services — no manual copy-paste between systems.

Config file location

~/.workbuddy/mcp.json

⚠️ Not ~/.workbuddy/.mcp.json (the one with a dot). Get this wrong and it fails silently — a great way to lose half an hour.

Format

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@playwright/mcp@latest"]
    },
    "my-service": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/server.js"],
      "env": {
        "API_KEY": "your-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Remote services use url and headers instead of command.

Four configuration steps

Step 1: copy the exact config from official docs Don’t work from memory. Field names differ between services — guessed command/args/env/headers values rarely work.

Step 2: read the existing file If mcp.json already exists, read it and merge your entry into mcpServers. Overwriting wipes your existing servers.

Step 3: write the config Put credentials where the docs specify — env or headers.

Step 4: activate it manually (most important) Config alone does nothing. Open the connector management page, find the custom connector entry, and click Trust on the new server.

This is the step people forget, followed by “why doesn’t my MCP do anything?”

Three frequent traps

Trap 1: guessing fields Service A uses command; service B might only support url. Always follow the docs.

Trap 2: running the server yourself Don’t. WorkBuddy starts the process; a manual run causes port conflicts.

Trap 3: retrying a broken connection forever When a service reports “Not connected” repeatedly, switch to a local approach. For browser automation, a local Playwright driver with an explicit Chromium path is far more stable than the MCP variant.

Verifying it works

Ask:

Which MCP tools can you use right now?

It should list the new server’s tools. If not, check in order: file name → JSON validity → clicked Trust → command paths.

Security note

An MCP server receives real capabilities on your machine — file reads, command execution, network access. Only install servers you trust, and read what they do first.

Automation and Scheduled Tasks.