How to Add StyleMCP to Claude Desktop

What You'll Need

• Claude Desktop installed on your Mac or Windows machine
• Node.js 18+ (check with node --version)
• A StyleMCP account (free tier works fine)

Step 1: Install the StyleMCP Server

The StyleMCP MCP server runs locally and connects to Claude Desktop. Install it globally:

npm install -g @stylemcp/mcp-server

Verify the installation:

stylemcp-server --version
# Should output: @stylemcp/mcp-server v1.x.x

Step 2: Get Your API Key

Log into your StyleMCP dashboard and navigate to Settings → API Keys. Create a new key and copy it—you'll need it in the next step.

Step 3: Configure Claude Desktop

Claude Desktop uses a JSON configuration file to manage MCP servers. Open or create the config file:

On macOS:

code ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

On Windows:

code %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Add the StyleMCP server to your configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "stylemcp": {
      "command": "stylemcp-server",
      "args": ["--api-key", "YOUR_API_KEY_HERE"],
      "env": {
        "STYLEMCP_STYLE_PACK": "default"
      }
    }
  }
}

Replace YOUR_API_KEY_HERE with the API key you copied earlier.

Step 4: Restart Claude Desktop

Quit Claude Desktop completely and reopen it. The app needs to restart to load the new MCP server configuration.

You should see a small indicator that StyleMCP is connected. You can also ask Claude: "What MCP tools do you have available?"

Step 5: Test the Integration

Try asking Claude to write something that might violate common brand rules:

"Write a marketing email that starts with 'In today's fast-paced world' and includes a 'Click here' call-to-action."

Claude will generate the content, but StyleMCP will flag the violations. You'll see output like:

⚠️ StyleMCP found 2 brand violations:

1. "In today's fast-paced world" - Cliché opening
   → Try a specific, concrete hook instead

2. "Click here" - Vague CTA
   → Use descriptive action text like "Download the guide"

Brand compliance score: 62/100

Customizing Your Style Pack

The default style pack catches common issues, but you'll want to customize it for your brand. In your dashboard, you can:

• Add forbidden words specific to your industry
• Define preferred terminology (e.g., "customers" not "users")
• Set tone guidelines (formal, casual, technical)
• Create pattern rules for your specific needs

See our guide to creating custom style packs for detailed instructions.

Troubleshooting

Server not connecting?

Check that the server is running correctly:

stylemcp-server --api-key YOUR_KEY --debug

This will show detailed logs of what's happening.

Validation not triggering?

Make sure your style pack is active in the dashboard. You can also explicitly ask Claude to validate content: "Check this text against my brand guidelines."

Need help?

Join our Discord community or check the full documentation.