Claude Desktop Configuration

Configure Nexus with Claude Desktop.

Prerequisites

You need an API key to use Nexus. Get one by running:

Terminal

npx @nexus/cli auth login

Or create one at nexus.yogan.dev/dashboard/keys.

Configuration File Location

Platform	Path
macOS	~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows	%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
Linux	~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Remote Mode (Recommended)

Connect directly to the hosted Nexus service:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nexus": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "mcp-remote",
        "https://api.nexus.yogan.dev/sse",
        "--header",
        "NEXUS_API_KEY:${NEXUS_API_KEY}"
      ],
      "env": {
        "NEXUS_API_KEY": "nxs_your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

How it works

The `mcp-remote` package bridges your local MCP client to the remote Nexus server. The `--header` flag passes your API key for authentication.

Local Mode

Run the Nexus CLI locally (useful for offline access):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nexus": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@nexus/cli", "serve"],
      "env": {
        "NEXUS_API_KEY": "nxs_your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Using CLI Login?

If you authenticated with `npx @nexus/cli auth login`, the CLI automatically uses your stored key. You can omit the `env` section in local mode:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nexus": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@nexus/cli", "serve"]
    }
  }
}

Verification

After saving the configuration:

1. Restart Claude Desktop completely
2. Start a new conversation
3. Ask: "List the MCP tools you have available"
4. You should see Nexus tools listed

Troubleshooting

"API key required" Error

Make sure your API key is configured:

• Remote mode: Check the --header argument and NEXUS_API_KEY env var
• Local mode: Set NEXUS_API_KEY env var, or use CLI login

Nexus Not Appearing

1. Check the config file syntax (valid JSON)
2. Ensure npx is available in your PATH
3. Check Claude Desktop logs for errors
4. Try restarting Claude Desktop

Testing Remote Connection

Test that mcp-remote can connect:

Terminal

NEXUS_API_KEY=nxs_your_key npx mcp-remote https://api.nexus.yogan.dev/sse --header "NEXUS_API_KEY:\${NEXUS_API_KEY}"

Testing Local Mode

Terminal

npx @nexus/cli serveNexus MCP server running...