Configuring MCP Servers

To use the Sonatype MCP Server, you must connect your AI assistant or IDE to it. When you configure the MCP server, you add the Sonatype MCP Server details to your tool’s settings. This allows your AI assistant to send requests to Sonatype and receive dependency information in real time.

Setup Instructions

The Sonatype MCP Server runs as a remote MCP server. Configuration steps vary by IDE or AI assistant. Refer to the appropriate setup topic below for detailed instructions.

Note

MCP server configuration varies by IDE. Refer to your IDE's official product documentation to configure the MCP server.

Supported IDEs and AI Assistants

Sonatype MCP Server supports the following IDEs/AI assistants:

Gemini Code Assist

1. Add MCP Server Configuration
   Add the following to the global mcp.json or create a /.gemini/mcp.json in your workspace.

   {
        "mcpServers": {
          "sonatype-mcp": {
            "httpUrl": "https://mcp.guide.sonatype.com/mcp",
            "headers": {
              "Authorization": "Bearer <your-token>"
            }
          }
        }
   }
   

2. Configure AI Assistant Rules (Recommended)
   To maximise effectiveness, configure your AI assistant to prioritize Sonatype MCP tools for dependency related tasks.

   Create or update one of the following files:

   • Global (all projects): Create ~/.gemini/GEMINI.md
   • Project (specific repository): Create GEMINI.md in your project root (project-level)

   Add the following instruction:

   ## Sonatype MCP
   
   When handling code related to dependencies, package management, or software supply chain security, always prioritize Sonatype MCP tools. Use the available MCP tools to research versions, check for vulnerabilities, and get recommendations before adding or updating any dependencies.
   

Gemini CLI

1. Add MCP Server Configuration
   The Gemini CLI provides a simple command-line approach to configure the MCP server.

   1. Set your personal access token as an environment variable:

      export TOKEN="sonatype_pat_YOUR_TOKEN_HERE"
      

      Replace YOUR_TOKEN_HERE with your actual personal access token.

2. Add the following MCP Server configuration.

   gemini mcp add \
       --transport http \
       --scope user \
       --header "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" \
   sonatypeGuide \
   https://mcp.guide.sonatype.com/mcp
   

Claude Code

1. Add MCP Server Configuration
   For detailed setup instructions, see the Claude Code MCP documentation.

   claude mcp add sonatype-mcp \
        https://mcp.guide.sonatype.com/mcp \
        --transport http \
        --scope user \
        --header "Authorization: Bearer <your-token>"
   

2. Configure AI Assistant Rules (Recommended)
   To maximise effectiveness, configure your AI assistant to prioritize Sonatype MCP tools for dependency related tasks.

   Create custom instructions using CLAUDE.md files:

   • Global (all projects): Create ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md
   • Project (specific repository): Create .claude/CLAUDE.md in your project root

   Add the following instruction:

   ## Sonatype MCP
   
   When handling code related to dependencies, package management, or software supply chain security, always prioritize Sonatype MCP tools. Use the available MCP tools to research versions, check for vulnerabilities, and get recommendations before adding or updating any dependencies.
   

GitHub Copilot

1. Add MCP Server Configuration
   GitHub Copilot supports MCP servers across multiple IDEs including Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Eclipse, and Xcode. Choose your IDE below for specific setup instructions. For comprehensive documentation, see the GitHub Copilot MCP documentation.

• Visual Studio Code

  Add the following to the global VS Code mcp.json or create a .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace. For more detailed setup instructions, see the VS Code MCP documentation.

  {
    "servers": {
      "sonatype-mcp": {
        "url": "https://mcp.guide.sonatype.com/mcp",
        "type": "http",
        "headers": {
          "Authorization": "Bearer <your-token>"
        }
      }
    }
  }
  

  Switch to Agent mode in Copilot chat to access MCP tools.

• Visual Studio

  In Copilot Chat (Agent mode), click the Tools icon and add a new server:

  Field	Value
  Server ID	sonatype-mcp
  Type	stdio
  Command	npx -y mcp-remote https://mcp.guide.sonatype.com/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer <your-token>"

• JetBrains IDEs

  Open Copilot Chat, make sure you are in Agent mode, then click the tools icon, and either browse the registry to install Sonatype MCP Server, or manually add the below configuration in mcp.json.

  {
    "mcpServers": {
      "sonatype-mcp": {
        "command": "npx",
        "args": [\
          "-y",\
          "mcp-remote",\
          "https://mcp.guide.sonatype.com/mcp",\
          "--header",\
          "Authorization: Bearer <your-token>"\
        ]
      }
    }
  }
  

• Eclipse

  1. Open Copilot chat and ensure you are in Agent mode.
  2. Click the Configure Tools icon, then select Model Context Protocol (MCP).
  3. In the Server Configurations section, add the configuration provided below.

   {
      "sonatype-mcp": {
        "command": "/opt/homebrew/bin/npx",
        "args": [\
          "-y",\
          "mcp-remote",\
          "https://mcp.guide.sonatype.com/mcp",\
          "--header",\
          "Authorization: Bearer <your-token>"\
        ]
      }
    }
  }
  

  Click Apply and restart Eclipse.

  • Xcode

    Xcode does not have built-in GitHub Copilot support. To use Sonatype MCP within Xcode, you must install and use the GitHub Copilot for Xcode application, which runs separately from the IDE.

    1. Download and install GitHub Copilot for Xcode. Sign in and grant required permissions.
    2. In GitHub Copilot for Xcode, click tools, then select MCP.
    3. In MCP Configuration, click Edit Config, then add the below configuration:

    {
      "Servers": {
        "sonatype-mcp": {
          "command": "npx",
          "args": [\
            "-y",\
            "mcp-remote",\
            "https://mcp.guide.sonatype.com/mcp",\
            "--header",\
            "Authorization: Bearer <your-token>"\
          ]
        }
      }
    }
    

2. Configure AI Assistant Rules (Recommended)

To maximise effectiveness, configure GitHub Copilot to prioritize Sonatype MCP tools for dependency-related tasks.

Create .github/copilot-instructions.md in your project root.

Add the following instructions:

## Sonatype MCP

When handling code related to dependencies, package management, or software supply chain security, always prioritize Sonatype MCP tools. Use the available MCP tools to research versions, check for vulnerabilities, and get recommendations before adding or updating any dependencies.

Windsurf

1. Add MCP Server Configuration
   Create or edit ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json in your workspace. For more detailed setup instructions, see the Windsurf MCP Documentation.

   {
        "mcpServers": {
          "sonatype-mcp": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [\
              "-y",\
              "mcp-remote",\
              "https://mcp.guide.sonatype.com/mcp",\
              "--header",\
              "Authorization: Bearer <your-token>"\
            ]
          }
        }
   }
   

2. Configure AI Assistant Rules (Recommended)
   To maximise effectiveness, configure your AI assistant to prioritize Sonatype MCP tools for dependency related tasks.

   Create rules using Windsurf's Customizations feature:

   Global (all projects)

   1. Click the Actions icon in the top right of Cascade Code or search Rules in Windsurf Settings
   2. Navigate to Configure Rules.
   3. Click + Global to create a new global rule

   Project (specific repository): Follow the instructions for Global but click " + Workspace" or create /.windsurf/rules/sonatype.md in your project root:

   Add the following instructions:

   ## Sonatype MCP
   
   When handling code related to dependencies, package management, or software supply chain security, always prioritize Sonatype MCP tools. Use the available MCP tools to research versions, check for vulnerabilities, and get recommendations before adding or updating any dependencies.
   

IntelliJ with Junie

1. Add MCP Server Configuration
   Global Scope: Go to IDE settings → Tools → Junie → MCP Settings. Select "+" and add the code below as JSON.

   Project Scope: Create .junie/mcp/.mcp.json in your project root and add the code below.

   {
        "mcpServers": {
          "sonatype-mcp": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [\
              "-y",\
              "mcp-remote",\
              "https://mcp.guide.sonatype.com/mcp",\
              "--header",\
              "Authorization: Bearer <your-token>"\
            ]
          }
        }
   }
   

2. Configure AI Assistant Rules (Recommended)
   To maximise effectiveness, configure your AI assistant to prioritize Sonatype MCP tools for dependency related tasks. Global (all projects): Create custom guidelines using a .junie/guidelines.md file. Project (specific repository): Create .junie/guidelines.md in your project root

   Add the following instructions

   ## Sonatype MCP
   
   When handling code related to dependencies, package management, or software supply chain security, always prioritize Sonatype MCP tools. Use the available MCP tools to research versions, check for vulnerabilities, and get recommendations before adding or updating any dependencies.
   

Kiro

1. Add MCP Server Configuration
   Create or edit ~/.kiro/settings/mcp.json in your workspace. For more detailed setup instructions, see the Kiro MCP Documentation.

   {
        "mcpServers": {
          "sonatype-mcp": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [\
              "-y",\
              "mcp-remote",\
              "https://mcp.guide.sonatype.com/mcp",\
              "--header",\
              "Authorization: Bearer <your-token>"\
            ]
          }
        }
   }
   

2. Configure AI Assistant Rules (Recommended)

   Global (all projects): Create steering files in the .kiro/steering/ directory. Project (specific repository): Create .kiro/steering/sonatype.md in your project root.

   Add YAML front matter to make it always included:

      ---
   inclusion: always
      ---
   
   ## Sonatype MCP
   
   When handling code related to dependencies, package management, or software supply chain security, always prioritize Sonatype MCP tools. Use the available MCP tools to research versions, check for vulnerabilities, and get recommendations before adding or updating any dependencies.
   

Cursor

1. Add MCP Server Configuration
   Cursor supports remote servers directly. Add to your ~/.cursor/mcp.json. For more detailed setup instructions, see the Cursor MCP Server documentation.

   {
        "mcpServers": {
          "sonatype-mcp": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.guide.sonatype.com/mcp",
            "headers": {
              "Authorization": "Bearer <your-token>"
            }
          }
        }
   }
   

2. Configure AI Assistant Rules (Recommended)
   Project (specific repository): Create .cursorrules in your project root.

   Add the following instructions

   ## Sonatype MCP
   
   When handling code related to dependencies, package management, or software supply chain security, always prioritize Sonatype MCP tools. Use the available MCP tools to research versions, check for vulnerabilities, and get recommendations before adding or updating any dependencies.
   

Codex (IDE Plugin and CLI)

1. Add MCP Server Configuration
   Method 1: Using CLI Command

   codex mcp add sonatype-mcp \
      --url https://mcp.guide.sonatype.com/mcp \
      --bearer-token-env-var SONATYPE_GUIDE_MCP_TOKEN
   

   Method 2: Manual Configuration Create or edit ~/.codex/config.toml:

   [mcp_servers.sonatype-mcp]
   url = "https://mcp.guide.sonatype.com/mcp"
   bearer_token_env_var = "SONATYPE_GUIDE_MCP_TOKEN"
   

2. Configure AI Assistant Rules (Recommended)

   Create ~/.codex/AGENTS.md

   Add the following instructions

   When handling code related to dependencies, package management, or software supply chain security, always prioritize Sonatype MCP tools. Use the available MCP tools to research versions, check for vulnerabilities, and get recommendations before adding or updating any dependencies.
   

Tabnine

1. Add MCP Server Configuration
   Tabnine supports MCP server configuration through a mcp_servers.json file located in the .tabnine directory. For more detailed setup instructions, see the Tabnine MCP Server Configuration documentation.

You can configure this file in:

• Project Scope: .tabnine/mcp_servers.json (recommended for shared configuration)

  • User Scope: ~/.tabnine/mcp_servers.json (applies to all projects)

  Add the following configuration:

  {
    "mcpServers": {
      "sonatypeguide": {
        "url": "https://mcp.guide.sonatype.com/mcp",
        "requestInit": {
          "headers": {
            "Authorization": "Bearer <your-token>"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
  

  Replace <your-token> with your Sonatype MCP bearer token.

  After saving the configuration, open Tabnine in Agentic mode in your IDE to access the Sonatype MCP tools.

2. Configure AI Assistant Rules (Recommended)
   To maximise effectiveness, configure Tabnine to prioritize Sonatype MCP tools for dependency-related tasks.

   If your Tabnine setup supports shared project instructions, add the following instructions to your project-level AI instructions or repository documentation:

   When handling code related to dependencies, package management, or software supply chain security, always prioritize Sonatype MCP tools. Use the available MCP tools to research versions, check for vulnerabilities, and get recommendations before adding or updating any dependencies.
   

Verify the Setup

Verify the setup by asking your AI assistant a dependency-related question, such as requesting the latest version of a commonly used library. A valid response confirms that the MCP server is functioning correctly.

Try These Example Prompts