Sequential Thinking MCP Server

A scratchpad for multi-step reasoning.

Official — published by the vendor of the system it connects to.

Gives the model an explicit place to branch, revise and backtrack through a hard problem instead of committing to its first answer.

Install Sequential Thinking MCP Server

Paste this into your MCP client config — Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code and Windsurf all read the same shape — then restart the client.

npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking

Config for each MCP client

The same server, in the shape each client expects. Copy the block for yours, restart it, and Sequential Thinking MCP Server appears in your next session.

Claude Desktop

claude_desktop_config.json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sequential-thinking": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Full Claude Desktop setup guide

Claude Code

terminal
claude mcp add sequential-thinking -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking

Full Claude Code setup guide

Cursor

.cursor/mcp.json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sequential-thinking": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Full Cursor setup guide

VS Code

.vscode/mcp.json
{
  "servers": {
    "sequential-thinking": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Full VS Code setup guide

Windsurf

mcp_config.json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sequential-thinking": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Full Windsurf setup guide

Details

Repository
https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers
Homepage
https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers
Category
Development
Stars
7100
Installs per month
63000
Last checked

Frequently asked questions

How do I install Sequential Thinking MCP Server?

Add it to your MCP client's config with the command `npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking`, or paste the ready-made JSON block above into Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code or Windsurf. Claude Code users can run `claude mcp add sequential-thinking` instead. Restart the client and the tools appear in the next session.

Does Sequential Thinking MCP Server need an API key?

No credential is recorded for this listing, which usually means it runs against something local or public rather than an authenticated API. Check the repository's README before assuming, and if you find otherwise, tell us and we will correct the listing.

Which clients work with Sequential Thinking MCP Server?

Any MCP client. Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code with Copilot, Windsurf, Zed, Cline and Continue all speak the Model Context Protocol, so a server written once works in all of them — only the location of the config file differs.

Is Sequential Thinking MCP Server free?

The server itself is free and open source, and you run it yourself. It is published by the vendor of the system it connects to, so that service's own pricing applies to whatever it reaches.

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