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Client Configuration

The Viben MCP server is compatible with any client that supports the MCP protocol. This guide covers configuration methods for popular clients.

Configuration Overview​

All MCP clients require the same basic information:

  • Command: python (or the full path to Python)
  • Arguments: ["-m", "browse_mcp"]
  • Environment Variables: API keys and settings (optional)

Claude Desktop​

Configuration file location:

  • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
  • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Minimal configuration (free data sources only):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "browse-mcp": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["-m", "browse_mcp"],
      "env": {
        "BROWSE_MCP_DOWNLOAD_PATH": "./downloads"
      }
    }
  }
}

Full configuration (with optional API keys):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "browse-mcp": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["-m", "browse_mcp"],
      "env": {
        "SEMANTIC_SCHOLAR_API_KEY": "",
        "SCIENCEDIRECT_API_KEY": "",
        "SPRINGER_API_KEY": "",
        "IEEE_API_KEY": "",
        "SCOPUS_API_KEY": "",
        "CORE_API_KEY": "",
        "BROWSE_MCP_ENABLED_SOURCES": "arxiv,pubmed,pmc,biorxiv,medrxiv,semantic,core,crossref,google_scholar,iacr",
        "BROWSE_MCP_DISABLED_SOURCES": "ieee,scopus,springer,sciencedirect,wos,acm,jstor",
        "BROWSE_MCP_DOWNLOAD_PATH": "./downloads"
      }
    }
  }
}

After editing, completely restart Claude Desktop for changes to take effect.

Managing MCP Configuration with Viben Desktop App​

If you have the Viben desktop app installed, you can manage MCP server configurations through a graphical interface:

  1. Open the Viben desktop app
  2. Select a workspace
  3. Click on the agent you want to configure (e.g., Claude Code)
  4. Add, edit, or delete servers in the MCP server list
  5. Changes are automatically saved to the corresponding configuration file

This is more convenient and safer than manually editing JSON files.

Troubleshooting​

Python Not Found​

If you encounter a "python not found" error, use the full path to Python:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "browse-mcp": {
      "command": "/usr/local/bin/python3",
      "args": ["-m", "browse_mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Find your Python path:

which python3

Module Not Found​

If you encounter "No module named browse_mcp", ensure the package is installed in the same Python environment:

pip install browse-mcp

Server Won't Start​

Check the MCP client logs. For Claude Desktop on macOS:

tail -f ~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp*.log

Check Loaded Data Sources​

Run debug mode to see loaded data sources:

browse-mcp --debug

Next Steps​