Configuring MCP Servers

MCP servers are configured in JSON. The marketplace writes this for you, but you can also edit it by hand or ask BOR to. This page covers the format and the config locations.

The config files

server/runtime/mcp.js discovers servers from, in order (later wins):

Global — ~/.bed-of-roses/mcp/servers.json
Shared local — .bed-of-roses/mcp/servers.json (the bundled browserbase automation browser is configured here by default)
Per-presence — .bor/mcp.json (where the marketplace installs, and where the AI reads/writes)

The per-presence .bor/mcp.json is the primary place; it wins over the shared templates. Its absolute path for the current presence is shown by /api/mcp/installed and handed to the AI in install tasks.

The format

All three files use the same shape:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "<server-name>": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@some/mcp-server"],
      "cwd": ".",
      "env": { "API_KEY": "…" },
      "disabled": false
    }
  }
}

stdio server (subprocess)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/path/to/dir"],
      "disabled": false
    }
  }
}

BOR spawns the command and talks MCP over stdio.

streamable-http / SSE server (remote)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "my-cloud-server": {
      "type": "streamable-http",
      "url": "https://your-server.example.com/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" },
      "disabled": true
    }
  }
}

Use type: "sse" for an SSE endpoint. Headers carry auth.

Fields

Field	Purpose
`type`	`stdio` (default), `sse`, or `streamable-http`.
`command` / `args` / `cwd`	For stdio: the subprocess to spawn.
`url` / `headers`	For SSE / streamable-http: the endpoint and auth headers.
`env`	Environment variables (API keys, config) for the server.
`disabled`	Skip this server without removing it.

Editing it

Via the marketplace — Install does it for you (LLM-driven), reading the file first so it never clobbers existing servers.
Via the AI — ask BOR to add/configure a server; it reads .bor/mcp.json, writes the new entry, and can run any needed setup commands.
By hand — edit .bor/mcp.json directly. The runtime picks up changes (restart the presence if it doesn’t).

Verifying

list_mcp_servers — see what’s configured and connected.
list_mcp_tools <server> — see the tools a server exposes.
use_mcp_tool / access_mcp_resource — actually call it.
GET /api/mcp/installed — the server names in this presence’s .bor/mcp.json plus the config path.

Secrets

API keys for MCP servers live in the env block of .bor/mcp.json (under os-data/). Treat that file as sensitive, like config.json.

Getting Started

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Reference

Contributing

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Configuring MCP Servers

The config files

The format

stdio server (subprocess)

streamable-http / SSE server (remote)

Fields

Editing it

Verifying

Secrets

​The config files

​The format

​stdio server (subprocess)

​streamable-http / SSE server (remote)

​Fields

​Editing it

​Verifying

​Secrets

The config files

The format

stdio server (subprocess)

streamable-http / SSE server (remote)

Fields

Editing it

Verifying

Secrets