shadcn MCP Server

Overview

The shadcn MCP Server is the official implementation of the Model Context Protocol (MCP) for shadcn/ui. It allows AI assistants and agents to securely connect to shadcn-compatible component registries, browse available components, search for specific ones, retrieve source code, demos, metadata, and even install them directly into projects using natural language instructions.

This eliminates common AI issues like outdated knowledge or hallucinated props by providing live, structured access to the latest registry data and integrating with the shadcn CLI.

Features

• Browse & Search Registries: AI can list and query components, blocks, and charts from any shadcn-compatible registry.
• Retrieve Accurate Data: Get up-to-date TypeScript source code, props/interfaces, usage examples, and installation commands.
• Direct Installation: Instruct the AI to run shadcn add commands automatically via the integrated CLI bridge.
• Framework Agnostic Registries: Works with any shadcn registry (official or custom), including React, Tailwind-based components.
• Secure & Local Execution: Runs as a local server (often via npx or installed package) with configurable authentication.
• IDE & Tool Integration: Native support in tools like Cursor, Claude Desktop, Zed, and others with MCP capabilities.

How It Works

1. Install the MCP server (usually via npx or project setup).
2. Configure your registry in components.json.
3. Connect your AI assistant to the local MCP endpoint.
4. Use natural language prompts like "add a beautiful dashboard with shadcn charts" — the AI queries the registry, selects components, and installs them.

Use Cases

• AI-powered UI prototyping in Cursor or Claude Code.
• Automating component installation in large codebases.
• Building multi-agent workflows where one agent researches components and another assembles the UI.
• Custom registry integration for enterprise design systems.

Getting Started

Refer to the official docs: https://ui.shadcn.com/docs/mcp

Typically started with:

npx shadcn@latest mcp

or by configuring in your project and using compatible AI tools.

Many community forks and enhanced versions exist (e.g., multi-framework support for Svelte/Vue), but the official one from shadcn/ui is recommended for most users.