Install and configure Claude Desktop — the MCP Host we’ll use throughout the course.
Claude Desktop is Anthropic's official application that brings the Claude model directly to your computer. More than just a chat app, it functions as a MCP Host complete—with the Claude language model and an integrated MCP Client that enables connections to external servers. This makes it the centerpiece of our MCP development environment.
O Claude Desktop is a desktop application from Anthropic that works as MCP Host. In the MCP architecture, the Host is the application that contains the AI model and the integrated MCP Client. This means that when you install Claude Desktop, you automatically get the Claude model for processing natural language, an MCP Client that can connect to multiple MCP Servers, and a graphical interface for interacting with all of it. It’s free for basic use and will be the main tool throughout the course.
Claude Desktop was one of the first MCP hosts available to the public, launched by Anthropic alongside the protocol specification. It supports multiple simultaneous MCP servers, allowing Claude to access dozens of tools at the same time. The application is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, covering the three main operating systems used by developers. Anthropic maintains regular updates that expand the desktop’s MCP capabilities.
Downloading and installing Claude Desktop is straightforward and simple. Anthropic provides native installers for each operating system, ensuring a familiar installation experience with no surprises. In just a few minutes, you'll have the application ready to use.
Claude Desktop is available for download at claude.ai/download. The site automatically detects your operating system and offers the correct installer. For Windows, you get an .exe file that runs the standard installer. For macOS, a .dmg file that you can simply drag into the Applications folder. For Linux, .deb (Ubuntu/Debian) and .AppImage (universal) packages are available. Installation doesn’t require administrator privileges in most cases.
Access claude.ai/download in your browser. The site will automatically detect your operating system and show the correct download button.
Download the installer and run it. Windows: double-click the .exe and follow the wizard. Mac: open the .dmg and drag the icon to Applications. Linux: install the .deb with sudo dpkg -i or run the .AppImage.
Open Claude Desktop after installation. On the first run, you'll be taken to the login screen. The application will be ready for configuration.
Claude Desktop requires an Anthropic account to work. If you don't have one yet, create one for free at claude.ai before proceeding. The free plan is enough to follow the entire course. Also make sure your system meets the minimum requirements: Windows 10+, macOS 12+, or a modern Linux distribution with .deb or AppImage support.
When you open Claude Desktop for the first time, you'll go through a quick initial setup. It's simple and intuitive — just sign in with your Anthropic account, accept the terms of use, and get familiar with the main interface. In less than two minutes, you'll be ready to use Claude locally.
Initial setup of Claude Desktop involves three simple steps: log in with your Anthropic account (email and password or social login), accept the terms of use and privacy policy, and explore the interface main. The interface consists of a central chat field where you talk to Claude, a sidebar for managing conversations, and a settings menu where we’ll look at MCP-related options later. At this point, Claude works as a standard chat assistant—without access to external tools yet.
Take this opportunity to explore the interface at your own pace. Send a few test messages, start a new conversation, and try the keyboard shortcut for a new conversation (usually Ctrl+N or Cmd+N). Get familiar with the sidebar and the settings button. The more comfortable you are with the basic interface, the easier it will be when we start adding MCP Servers and the interface gains new visual elements.
MCP Servers are configured in Claude Desktop through a specific JSON file. This file is the heart of MCP integration—it’s where you declare which servers Claude can access, how to start them, and which arguments to pass. Knowing where it’s located on your operating system is essential for the next steps.
The MCP Servers configuration file is called claude_desktop_config.json and is located in different places depending on the operating system:
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json%APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.jsonClaude Desktop reads this file at startup. Any changes require you to restart the application to take effect.
To navigate to the configuration file, use the terminal. On macOS: open ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/. In the Windows: explorer %APPDATA%\Claude. In the Linux: xdg-open ~/.config/Claude/. If the folder or file doesn't exist yet, don't worry—we'll create it in the next module. Often, the file is created only after the initial manual setup.
Before moving on to the next modules, it's important to verify that everything is working correctly. A successful Claude Desktop installation is a prerequisite for the rest of the course. Let's go through a complete checklist to make sure nothing was missed.
Installation verification involves four essential points: the application opens without errors or crashes, the login works and you can access your account, the chat responds to messages normally (indicating a connection to the model), and the configuration directory exists at the expected path for your operating system. If all four of these points are OK, your installation is complete and ready for MCP configurations.
Click the Claude Desktop icon. It should open without error messages, crashes, or freezes. The chat screen should appear normally.
You should be logged in with your Anthropic account. If you were asked to log in, enter your credentials and confirm that authentication was successful.
Send a simple message like "Hello!" and check that Claude responds. This confirms that the connection to the model is working.
Navigate to your OS configuration directory and confirm that it exists. If the file claude_desktop_config.json it doesn’t exist yet, that’s fine—we’ll create it in the next module.
If Claude Desktop won’t open or shows errors, try: reinstall the app, check whether your operating system is up to date, temporarily disable your antivirus (some block the first run), or check the status page from Anthropic for possible service outages. If the chat doesn’t respond, check your internet connection — Claude Desktop needs network access to work.
With Claude Desktop installed and running, let's make our first intentional use of it. The goal is to verify that communication with the model works perfectly while also observing what's still missing—the MCP tools. This contrast will be essential to understanding the value MCP Servers will bring in the upcoming modules.
Send Claude the following message: "Hi, how can you help me?". Claude should respond normally, listing its natural language capabilities. Now look closely at the interface: note that there is no hammer icon (🔨) in the input area. This icon appears when MCP servers are connected and tools are available. Its absence confirms that, at this moment, Claude works only as a chat assistant — without access to external tools. In the next modules, when you configure MCP servers, this icon will appear and Claude will gain superpowers.
Try asking Claude for something it cannot do it without tools: "Read the README.md file in my projects folder" or "What's the weather like in my city right now?" It will explain that it can't access files or the internet. Keep that experience in mind — when we configure the MCP Servers, you'll ask for exactly the same things, and Claude will actually execute them. The difference will be impressive.
Next Module: 2.5 — Configuring claude_desktop_config.json