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Claude Desktop supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP), allowing it to query and resolve your PromptRepo prompts directly during conversations—no copy-paste required.

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Prerequisites

  • Claude Desktop installed (download here)
  • A PromptRepo deployment (local or production)
  • An API key from your PromptRepo /profile page

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Step 1: Generate an API Key

  1. Navigate to your PromptRepo instance
  2. Go to Profile (/profile)
  3. Click Create API Key
  4. Copy the generated key (it will only be shown once)
Store your API key securely. Anyone with this key can access your prompts.

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Step 2: Locate the Configuration File

Claude Desktop stores its configuration in claude_desktop_config.json: 
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
If the file doesn’t exist, create it with an empty JSON object: 
{}

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Step 3: Add PromptRepo Server

Edit claude_desktop_config.json and add the MCP server configuration: 
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "my-prompts": {
      "url": "https://your-app-url/api/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "x-api-key": "YOUR_API_KEY_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}
Replace:
  • your-app-url with your PromptRepo deployment URL (e.g., promptrepo.vercel.app)
  • YOUR_API_KEY_HERE with the key you generated in Step 1
For local development, use http://localhost:3000/api/mcp as the URL.

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Alternative: Bearer Token Authentication

You can also use the Authorization header: 
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "my-prompts": {
      "url": "https://your-app-url/api/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

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Step 4: Restart Claude Desktop

  1. Quit Claude Desktop completely
  2. Relaunch the application
  3. The MCP server will be loaded automatically

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Step 5: Verify Connection

In a new Claude Desktop conversation, try using the MCP tools: 
List my prompts
Claude will automatically invoke the list_prompts tool and display your PromptRepo library.

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Available Tools

Once connected, Claude Desktop can use these tools:
ToolDescription
list_promptsReturns your prompts (or public prompts if no API key)
get_promptFetches a specific prompt by ID
resolve_promptSubstitutes {{variable}} placeholders with provided values
search_promptsFull-text search across your prompt library

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Example Usage

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List All Prompts

Show me all my prompts

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Search for Prompts

Search my prompts for "code review"

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Resolve a Prompt with Variables

Resolve the prompt "api-documentation" with language="Python" and endpoint="/users"

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Troubleshooting

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Claude Desktop doesn’t recognize the tools

Cause: Configuration file syntax error or incorrect location. Fix:
  1. Validate your JSON using a tool like JSONLint
  2. Ensure the file is in the correct location for your OS
  3. Restart Claude Desktop after making changes

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”Invalid API key” error

Cause: The API key is incorrect, revoked, or expired. Fix:
  1. Generate a new API key from /profile
  2. Update claude_desktop_config.json with the new key
  3. Restart Claude Desktop

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Connection timeout or network errors

Cause: The MCP endpoint is unreachable. Fix:
  1. Verify your PromptRepo URL is correct and accessible
  2. If using local development, ensure the dev server is running (npm run dev)
  3. Check firewall settings if connecting to a self-hosted instance

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Empty prompt list

Cause: No prompts exist for your user, or you’re connecting anonymously. Fix:
  1. Verify the API key is correctly configured
  2. Create at least one prompt in PromptRepo
  3. Check that the prompt isn’t archived

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Security Best Practices

  • Never commit claude_desktop_config.json to version control
  • Rotate API keys regularly from the /profile page
  • Revoke keys immediately if compromised
  • Use environment-specific keys (separate keys for dev/prod)

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Next Steps

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