Nexus MCP Bridge for VSCode
by wesnermichel
# VSCode Extension Usage Guide for Claude Desktop
This document provides instructions for setting up and using the Nexus MCP Bridge VSCode extension with Claude Desktop.
## Initial Setup
1. **Install Dependencies**
```bash
cd nexus-mcp-bridge
chmod +x build.sh
./build.sh
```
2. **Install the Extension in VSCode**
- In VSCode, go to Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
- Click the "..." menu at the top right
- Select "Install from VSIX..."
- Select the `.vsix` file that was generated
3. **Configure Claude Desktop**
- Open Claude Desktop
- Locate the configuration file:
- macOS: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
- Add or modify the MCP servers section:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"nexus-bridge": {
"url": "http://localhost:3000/mcp",
"disabled": false,
"alwaysAllow": [
"get_system_info",
"read_file",
"write_file",
"create_directory",
"list_directory",
"get_project_status"
]
}
}
}
```
- Save the file and restart Claude Desktop
## Using the Bridge
1. **Start VSCode**
- Open your project in VSCode
- The Nexus MCP Bridge should start automatically (check status bar)
- If it's not running, click on the "MCP Bridge" in the status bar
2. **Test with Claude Desktop**
- In Claude Desktop, ask Claude to perform a file operation:
```
Can you tell me what files are in my current project?
```
3. **Using with Existing Projects**
- Open your project in VSCode
- The extension automatically makes this workspace available to Claude
## Tips for Best Performance
1. **Resource Management**: Close unused extensions to free up memory
2. **Limit Allowed Paths**: In VSCode settings, configure specific paths that Claude can access
3. **Monitor Resources**: If you notice VSCode becoming slow, check resource usage in Activity Monitor or Task Manager
## Troubleshooting
- **Connection Issues**: Make sure the status bar shows "MCP Bridge" is running
- **Permission Errors**: Check the allowed paths in VSCode settings
- **Port Conflicts**: If port 3000 is in use, change it in VSCode settings
## Security Notes
- Files are only accessible when VSCode is running
- Only files within allowed directories can be accessed
- The bridge uses HTTP, so only use it for non-sensitive local development