> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.datalinks.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to Connect Claude Desktop to the DataLinks MCP Server

> Learn how to connect to the DataLinks server using Claude Desktop.

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for using the DataLinks MCP server within Claude Desktop. DataLinks provides an MCP endpoint that Claude can use once it is configured locally. The process involves:

1. Installing Claude Desktop
2. Installing required system dependencies
3. Locating the Claude config folder and file
4. Adding the DataLinks MCP configuration
5. Restarting Claude Desktop
6. Verifying the connection

## Step 1: Install Claude Desktop

1. Open your browser and go to [https://claude.com/download](https://claude.com/download)
2. Download the installer for your operating system:
   * Windows: `.exe`
   * macOS: `.dmg`
   * Linux: `.AppImage` or `.deb` depending on your distribution
3. Run the installer and follow the on screen instructions.
4. Launch Claude Desktop and sign in with your Anthropic account.

## Step 2: Install required dependencies

Claude Desktop relies on external tools to run MCP servers. These must be installed separately.

### Windows

* Install Node.js (required)
  * Download from [https://nodejs.org](https://nodejs.org)
  * Choose the LTS version
  * Restart your computer after installation
* Confirm installation:

  ```
  node--version
  npx--version
  ```

### macOS

* Install Node.js
  * Option 1: Download from [https://nodejs.org](https://nodejs.org)
  * Option 2: Use Homebrew (Don’t have Homebrew? For install instructions, see [brew.sh](http://brew.sh))

    ```
    brew install node
    ```
* Confirm installation:

  ```
  node -v
  npx -v
  ```

### Linux

* Install Node.js using your package manager

  Ubuntu or Debian:

  ```
  sudo apt update
  sudo apt install nodejs npm
  ```

  Fedora:

  ```
  sudo dnf install nodejs
  ```
* Confirm installation:

  ```
  node--version
  npx--version
  ```

## Step 3: Locate the Claude Desktop config folder and open the config file

Claude Desktop reads MCP settings from a local configuration file. This can accessed by following these steps:

1. Open Claude Desktop.
2. Click your **profile icon** in the bottom-left corner of the app.
3. Click **Settings**.
4. Click **Developer** at the bottom of the left menu.
5. Click the **Edit Config** button.

This should open your file location in your file explorer. Look for a JSON file titled `claude_desktop_config` or something similar.

### Typical config location by platform

* Windows: `%APPDATA%\\Claude\\`
* macOS: `~/Library/ApplicationSupport/Claude/`
* Linux: `~/.config/Claude/`

If the folder does not exist yet, start Claude Desktop once and close it. The folder will be created automatically.

## Step 4: Add the DataLinks MCP configuration

1. Inside the Claude folder, open the file called `claude_desktop_config.json` (or similar).
2. Paste the following configuration into the file:

   ```
   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "datalinks": {
         "command": "C:\\\\PROGRA~1\\\\nodejs\\\\npx.cmd",
         "args": [
           "mcp-remote",
           "<https://mcp.datalinks.com/mcp/>",
           "--header",
           "Authorization:Bearer <your-token-here>"
         ]
       }
     }
   }
   ```
3. Replace `<your-token-here>` with your DataLinks API token.

### Notes for macOS and Linux

* Update the `command` path to your system’s `npx` location.
* Common values include:

  ```
  /usr/local/bin/npx
  ```

  or

  ```
  /opt/homebrew/bin/npx
  ```

You can find the correct path by running:

```
which npx
```

## Step 5: Restart Claude Desktop

1. Fully close Claude Desktop. (This means closing it in your application tray icon as well.)
2. Open it again.
3. Claude will automatically load the MCP server during startup.

If the configuration is correct, the DataLinks MCP server becomes available for tool based interactions.

## Step 6: Verify the connection

You can verify the setup by asking Claude something like:

> Can you confirm that the DataLinks MCP server is available?

If the server fails to load, Claude usually reports an MCP startup error.

<Tip>
  Screenshot any errors that appear at startup for troubleshooting later.
</Tip>

## Common troubleshooting

### Check the logs file

Claude Desktop keeps detailed logs that explain what went wrong.

### Log file locations

* Windows: `%APPDATA%\\Claude\\logs`
* macOS: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/logs`
* Linux: `~/.config/Claude/logs`

Open the most recent log file and look for MCP related errors.

### Common issues and fixes

**Claude does not start the MCP server**

* Confirm Node.js is installed
* Confirm `npx` works from the command line
* Double check the `command` path in the config file

**Authorization errors**

* Verify your DataLinks token is correct
* Make sure there are no extra spaces in the Authorization header

**Windows path errors**

* Ensure the `npx.cmd` path matches your Node.js installation
* `C:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\npx.cmd` is common, but it can vary

**Nothing happens after restart**

* Check that the config file name is exactly `claude_desktop_config.json`
* Confirm the JSON formatting is valid

## Getting help

If you get stuck:

1. Open the Claude logs file
2. Copy the content
3. Paste them into an LLM (such as ChatGPT) along with a short description of what you tried
4. Also paste any error messages you were able to screenshot

This usually provides clear guidance on what needs to be adjusted.

Once the configuration is complete, Claude Desktop can communicate with the DataLinks MCP server and use it as part of its tool workflow.