kaiva BRIDGE
CLIENT SETUP

How to add a remote MCP server to Claude Code

Updated

Run claude mcp add --transport http with a name and the server's address, then type /mcp inside Claude Code to sign in with your Kaiva Bridge account. Add --scope user to have it in every project, or put it in the project's .mcp.json to share it with your team.

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Step by step

  1. Add the serverRun the command below with your server's address from its Connect tab.
  2. Sign inStart Claude Code, type /mcp, choose the server and sign in with your Kaiva Bridge account. Or add a key with --header instead.
  3. Use itAsk Claude Code to use one of the server's tools.

Or let the Kaiva Bridge CLI write the project's .mcp.json (add --global for every project):

Terminal
npx @kaiva/bridge login
npx @kaiva/bridge install your-server --client claude-code

claude mcp add for a remote MCP server

Signed in with your Kaiva Bridge account (type /mcp after adding it):

Terminal
claude mcp add --transport http your-server https://api.kaiv.ai/api/bridge/mcp/your-server

With a key instead of signing in

A gateway key (kv_live_...) calls one server. Create it on the server's Connect tab or under Keys & access. It is shown once; Bridge keeps only its hash.

Terminal
claude mcp add --transport http your-server https://api.kaiv.ai/api/bridge/mcp/your-server \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer kv_live_..."

Share it with your team in .mcp.json

A .mcp.json in the project folder is read by everyone who opens the project in Claude Code, which asks once before using it. Each person signs in with their own account, so no key goes into the repository.

.mcp.json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "your-server": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://api.kaiv.ai/api/bridge/mcp/your-server"
    }
  }
}

Add the Kaiva Bridge connector to Claude Code

With the connector, Claude Code can create MCP servers from an OpenAPI spec, a database or a GraphQL API in your workspace. --scope user makes it available in every project; without it, Claude Code saves it for the current folder only.

Terminal
claude mcp add --transport http --scope user kaiva-bridge https://api.kaiv.ai/api/bridge/manage/mcp

If it does not connect

claude mcp list shows each server's state. "Needs authentication" means it is added and waiting for you to sign in with /mcp. For anything else, run the CLI's check:

Terminal
npx @kaiva/bridge doctor your-server

Other ways to do it

  • A local server over stdioclaude mcp add without --transport http starts a command on your machine instead. For a Postgres database on your own machine, Kaiva Postgres MCP runs that way with no account.

Questions

How do I sign in to a remote MCP server in Claude Code?
Add it without a header, then type /mcp in Claude Code and choose the server. It opens a browser to sign in.
Why is the server missing in my other projects?
claude mcp add saves to the current folder by default. Add --scope user to have it in every project.
Can I commit .mcp.json?
Yes, without a key in it. Each person signs in with their own Kaiva Bridge account.

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