Roo Code MCP Setup: Connect MCP Servers to Roo Code

What it is

An open-source, agentic AI coding extension for VS Code (originally a Cline fork) with customizable modes for different tasks.

How MCP works in Roo Code

Roo Code is an MCP client with global and project-scoped server configs. Project config takes precedence when a server name appears in both.

Config file location

mcp_settings.json (global, via the extension) or .roo/mcp.json (project root) holds an mcpServers object.

Add your first server

A good first server is Playwright MCP — Microsoft's browser automation server. It runs locally over stdio via npx, needs no API key, and gives the agent a real browser to drive. Here is the verified Roo Code config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@playwright/mcp@latest"]
    }
  }
}

Restart or reload Roo Code after saving, then confirm the server's tools show up. Swap in any other server from the directory using the same structure.

Transports & platforms

FAQ