Use it with Claude Desktop

note

Tested on macOS with VegaLoad 0.9.0. The Windows steps use the same commands and the file path in the table below. They have not been tested yet.

vegaload init sets up Cursor and Claude Code. It does not write Claude Desktop's settings. Claude Desktop is set up by hand, or with vegaload doctor.

Claude Desktop reads one file:

System	File
macOS	~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows	%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Option A: let doctor add it

vegaload doctor -host claude-desktop -fix -dry-run
vegaload doctor -host claude-desktop -fix

The first command shows what would change. The second makes the change. VegaLoad changes files in your home folder only when you name the host like this.

Option B: add it by hand

Open the file. Add VegaLoad under mcpServers. Use the full path to the binary. Run which vegaload on macOS, or where vegaload on Windows, to find it.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vegaload": {
      "command": "/full/path/to/vegaload",
      "args": ["mcp", "serve"]
    }
  }
}

If the file already has other servers, add vegaload next to them. Do not remove them.

Check it

Quit Claude Desktop completely (on macOS, press Cmd+Q) and open it again. Then run:

vegaload doctor -host claude-desktop

It starts the server and expects all nine tools. Then open a new chat in Claude Desktop and ask: "Use VegaLoad to list the protocols it supports." Claude calls the list_protocols tool and lists the 14 protocols. Claude may ask you to allow the tool call first.

What is different from Cursor and Claude Code

Claude Desktop gets the nine tools. It does not get the rules or skill files, because those are project files. The tool descriptions still say what each tool does.

Claude Desktop does not work in your project folder. Ask for scenario files with a full path, or work in Cursor or Claude Code when the test belongs next to your code.