Install MCP Claude Desktop Linux: Config & Setup Guide

Linux adds one gotcha that catches almost everyone who uses nvm: Claude Desktop launches as a non-interactive process and doesn't inherit the shell PATH where nvm lives. Here's how to navigate that — plus the rest of the setup.

Prerequisites

• Claude Desktop for Linux (beta), on Ubuntu 22.04+ or Debian 12+. Install it from Anthropic's apt repository: see the install guide.
• Node.js 18 or later, via nvm (recommended). Distribution packages can be older than that.

Config File Location

The quickest way to open the file is Settings → Developer → Edit Config. On Linux it normally lives here:

~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Setting Up

mkdir -p ~/.config/Claude
nano ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "memory": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-memory"]
    }
  }
}

Config Paths: Linux vs Everything Else

The nvm Problem — and Two Ways to Fix It

If you installed Node.js via nvm, you've probably noticed: nvm works great in your terminal, but Claude Desktop acts like Node doesn't exist. That's because nvm adds npx to your shell's PATH — but only for interactive shells. Claude Desktop launches non-interactively and never runs those shell initialisation scripts.

Fix Option 1: Full path (most reliable)

which npx
# /home/yourname/.nvm/versions/node/v20.11.0/bin/npx

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "memory": {
      "command": "/home/yourname/.nvm/versions/node/v20.11.0/bin/npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-memory"]
    }
  }
}

Fix Option 2: Add nvm to non-interactive profile

Add to ~/.profile:

export NVM_DIR="$HOME/.nvm"
[ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ] && . "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"

Log out and back in, then restart Claude Desktop.

Checking Status

Open Settings → Developer to see each server's status. In a chat, click the + button and open Connectors to see which servers connected.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Claude Desktop config on Linux?

Normally at ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json. Settings → Developer → Edit Config opens it for you.

Why can't Claude Desktop find npx on Linux?

Almost always nvm. Claude Desktop launches non-interactively and doesn't inherit the shell PATH where nvm puts its binaries. Use the full path to npx from which npx, or add nvm init to ~/.profile.

Does Claude Desktop work on all Linux distros?

No. The beta supports Ubuntu 22.04+ and Debian 12+, on x86_64 and arm64. On Fedora, Arch and other distributions, use Claude Code in the terminal instead.