Install An MCP Server

Use the MCP Library to install and manage external MCP servers.

External MCP servers are managed globally first. After a server is installed, bind it to the agents that should use it.

Open The MCP Library

Open Settings > MCP Library.

The MCP Library shows:

Select Install MCP Server.

The install wizard walks through the available server options and required configuration. The exact fields depend on the MCP server.

After install, Apprentice tracks lifecycle state and refreshes tool discovery.

During install or repair, the MCP Library can show lifecycle jobs such as install or repair.

If a job is active, wait for it to finish before binding the server to an agent for production work.

After installation, Apprentice discovers the tools exposed by the MCP server.

The discovered tool list is what appears in the agent's MCP Servers tab for per-tool permission decisions.

If no tools appear, refresh the library and check the install error state.

Some MCP servers need credentials.

Use the MCP Library to configure global server secrets. Later, use the agent binding to override secrets for a specific agent when needed.

Do not paste service credentials into agent prompts or memory.

Use lifecycle actions when:

Review install errors before retrying. They usually identify missing packages, invalid credentials, or runtime setup problems.

If install fails, open the server in MCP Library and read the install error.

If the server is installed but tools do not show on the agent, refresh the agent MCP Servers tab.

If a server needs secrets, configure them in MCP Library before enabling the binding for an agent.

If Docker is stopped, MCP servers that run in the agent container may not be available until Docker and the agent runtime are ready.

After the server is installed and tools are discovered, bind the MCP server to an agent.