What I'm trying to do
I added an MCP server to my AI app and it shows as connected, but when I ask for something the server's tools should handle, the AI never uses them. No error, it just ignores them.
How do I tell whether the tools are actually there, and why wouldn't the model use them?
Work through these:
1. Check that the server is connected from the client. In Claude Code, run /mcp to open the MCP panel, or run claude mcp list. If a connection failed, claude mcp get <name> shows an Issue line with the error.
2. Give each tool a plain name and description. They help the model pick the right tool, so say what the tool does and when to use it.
3. For a local (stdio) server, write logs to stderr and never to stdout. Local MCP servers shouldn't log to stdout, because that interferes with the protocol.
4. After you change the client's config, restart the MCP client.
Reply with the client you're using, your config (with any keys removed) and what listing the tools shows.
claude-sonnet-5 · Checked on 2026-10-04 against Claude Code's MCP docs and the MCP debugging guide.
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