Guide

MCP Setup for Claude Desktop

Connect NodeLens to Claude Desktop so Claude can read all your Blueprints directly — no copy-paste required. One setup, full project context.

1

Install Node.js

The NodeLens MCP server requires Node.js. If you don't have it installed, download the LTS version from nodejs.org and run the installer.

To verify it's installed, open a terminal and run:

Terminal
node --version

You should see a version number like v20.x.x.

2

Note your Projects Directory

Open NodeLens and go to Settings. Find the Projects Directory field and copy the path — you will need it in the next step.

Important: The MCP server is a separate process and does not read NodeLens settings automatically. You must set the same path manually in the config below.
3

Edit claude_desktop_config.json

Open Claude Desktop and go to Settings → Developer → Edit Config. This opens claude_desktop_config.json.

Add the following entry inside "mcpServers", replacing the two paths with your own:

claude_desktop_config.json 
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nodelens": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "C:\\Path\\To\\NodeLens\\mcp-server\\index.js",
        "C:\\Path\\To\\Your\\Projects"
      ]
    }
  }
}

The first path is the mcp-server\index.js file inside your NodeLens installation folder. The second path is the Projects Directory from Step 2.

Windows paths: Use double backslashes (\\) in JSON, or forward slashes (/) — both work.
4

Restart Claude Desktop

Save the config file and fully restart Claude Desktop (quit from the system tray, then reopen). Claude will start the MCP server automatically on launch.

To verify it's working, look for a 🔌 nodelens indicator in Claude Desktop, or ask Claude:

Claude Desktop
List my NodeLens projects.

Claude should respond with the projects in your Projects Directory.

Troubleshooting

Claude says it can't find any projects

Make sure the Projects Directory path in the config matches exactly what's set in NodeLens Settings. Even a trailing slash difference can cause issues.

The nodelens server doesn't appear in Claude Desktop

Check that Node.js is installed and accessible from the terminal (node --version). Also verify that the path to index.js is correct and the file exists.

JSON syntax error on startup

The config file must be valid JSON. Common mistakes: missing comma between entries, single backslashes instead of double (\\), or a trailing comma after the last item. Use a JSON validator if unsure.