# Does Serena have an MCP server?

**Yes — Official.** Serena maintains an official MCP server.

> Serena isn't a product that gained an MCP server — it IS one: a coding-agent toolkit exposed over MCP.

## Facts

- Verdict: Official (Yes)
- Access: Local server — Runs on your machine over stdio, launched by your MCP client.
- Repository: [oraios/serena](https://github.com/oraios/serena) — ★ 28k, last push 2026-08-10, MIT
- Maintainer: Oraios AI
- Language: Python
- Category: [Developer Tools](https://mcpyet.com/category/developer-tools/)
- Verified against vendor docs: 2026-08-10
- GitHub data refreshed: 2026-08-11 (re-checked every 6 hours)

## What it does

> A powerful MCP toolkit for coding, providing semantic retrieval and editing capabilities  - the IDE for your agent
> — how [oraios/serena](https://github.com/oraios/serena) describes itself

Project site: <https://oraios.github.io/serena>

## The receipts

- **Official repository:** [oraios/serena](https://github.com/oraios/serena) — ★ 28k, pushed 2026-08-10, MIT (active)

## How to connect it

Runs on your machine over stdio, launched by your MCP client.

### Claude Code

```sh
claude mcp add serena -- npx -y <package-from-readme>
```

Swap in the exact package and flags from the repo README — most servers need an API key passed as an environment variable. Add `--scope user` to make it available in every project.

### Claude Desktop

Open **Settings → Developer → Edit Config** and add the server to `claude_desktop_config.json`, then restart Claude Desktop:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "serena": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "<package-from-readme>"
      ],
      "env": {
        "API_KEY": "…"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

### Cursor

Add to `.cursor/mcp.json` in your project, or `~/.cursor/mcp.json` for every project:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "serena": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "<package-from-readme>"
      ],
      "env": {
        "API_KEY": "…"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

### VS Code

Add to `.vscode/mcp.json`, then pick the server from Copilot's agent-mode tools menu:

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "serena": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "<package-from-readme>"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

### ChatGPT

ChatGPT connects to **remote servers only**, and this one runs on your machine. Either expose it through an MCP gateway that gives it a public URL, or use a client with native local support (Claude or Cursor).

## How we know

oraios/serena (~27.8k stars, active) is an open-source coding-agent toolkit built as an MCP server — semantic code retrieval and editing via language servers, maintained by Oraios AI.

- GitHub data refreshed 2026-08-11, then every 6 hours.
- Vendor docs verified on 2026-08-10.
- Corrections: hello@mcpyet.com.

## Also in Developer Tools

- [Chrome DevTools](https://mcpyet.com/mcp/chrome-devtools.md) — Official (Yes)
- [Google AI Studio](https://mcpyet.com/mcp/google-ai-studio.md) — Community only (Sort of)
- [LangChain](https://mcpyet.com/mcp/langchain.md) — Official (Yes)
- [GitLab](https://mcpyet.com/mcp/gitlab.md) — Official (Yes)
- [n8n](https://mcpyet.com/mcp/n8n.md) — Official (Yes)
- [shadcn/ui](https://mcpyet.com/mcp/shadcn.md) — Official (Yes)

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Source: https://mcpyet.com/mcp/serena/ — data refreshed 2026-08-11