Popular
Read and write local files with configurable access controls.
filesystemfilesreadwrite
MCP Servers for Zed
Zed calls them "context servers" but the protocol is MCP. Drop any MCP server into your Zed settings and the assistant panel can call it during chat.
15 compatible MCPsVerified setup for 2026
Set up MCP in Zed
Four steps to connect your first MCP server.
- 1
Open Zed settings.json
Cmd+, (macOS) or Ctrl+, (Linux) — or use the command palette → "zed: open settings".
- 2
Add a "context_servers" block
Each entry wraps the command and args in a nested "command" object — slightly different from Claude's flat shape.
- 3
Save to reload
Zed live-reloads settings. Open the assistant panel and you'll see the new tools available to the model.
Config file locations
- User settings
~/.config/zed/settings.jsonOn macOS, also reachable via Zed → Settings → Open settings.json.
Example configjsonc
// settings.json
{
"context_servers": {
"filesystem": {
"command": {
"path": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem",
"/Users/you/code"
]
}
},
"context7": {
"command": {
"path": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@upstash/context7-mcp"]
}
}
}
}Top MCPs for Zed
The curated starting stack — install these first.
Up-to-date library docs pulled directly into your AI context.
codingdocumentationlibrariesaccuracy
Fast Setup
Retrieve web pages and convert them to clean markdown.
webfetchmarkdownscraping
Popular
Query and inspect PostgreSQL databases via natural language.
databasesqlpostgresqueries
All MCPs compatible with Zed
15 servers verified to work with Zed, ranked by popularity.
Popular
Read and write local files with configurable access controls.
filesystemfilesreadwrite
Popular
Query and inspect PostgreSQL databases via natural language.
databasesqlpostgresqueries
Popular
Real-time web search with privacy-focused results.
searchwebrealtimenews
Persistent knowledge graph memory across AI conversations.
memorypersistenceknowledge-graphagents
Up-to-date library docs pulled directly into your AI context.
codingdocumentationlibrariesaccuracy
Full Supabase access: database, auth, storage, and edge functions.
supabasedatabasebackendpostgres
Local SQLite database access with full read/write support.
databasesqlitelocalstorage
Fast Setup
Retrieve web pages and convert them to clean markdown.
webfetchmarkdownscraping
Powerful
Full browser automation: navigate, click, screenshot, and scrape.
browserautomationscrapingpuppeteer
Agent-Friendly
Structured step-by-step reasoning for complex problem solving.
reasoningthinkingagentsplanning
Popular
Read and send Slack messages, manage channels and threads.
slackmessagingcommunicationautomation
Secure cloud sandboxes for executing AI-generated code.
codingexecutionsandboxcloud
Manage Linear issues, projects, and cycles from AI context.
linearproject-managementissuesproductivity
FAQ: MCP in Zed
Does Zed support the same MCPs as Claude Desktop?
Yes — the underlying protocol is identical. The only difference is the JSON shape: Zed wraps command and args inside a "command" object under context_servers.
Can Zed read .cursor/mcp.json or claude_desktop_config.json?
Not directly. You need to translate the entry into Zed's context_servers format. The args list itself is unchanged, so it is a mechanical conversion.
Why does Zed call them "context servers"?
Zed adopted the name before "MCP" became the standard term. They are the same thing — MCP servers communicating over stdio — and the ecosystem increasingly treats the terms as interchangeable.
Browse every MCP server → top-mcps.com