How to Install Matter MCP Server in Claude

1. Introduction

What is matter-mcp-server?

An MCP (Model-Context-Protocol) server that enables Claude and other AI assistants to directly interact with Matter devices and protocol operations. This server bridges the gap between AI language models and IoT device control by providing a structured interface for:

Device commissioning and management
Reading and writing device attributes
Sending commands to Matter devices
Monitoring device events and status
Searching Matter protocol documentation
Accessing Matter data models

Benefits

By using matter-mcp-server, AI assistants can understand and control Matter devices through natural language, making complex IoT operations more accessible and intuitive. The server implements the FastMCP protocol, allowing seamless integration with Claude and other AI platforms that support MCP.

Key benefits:

Direct AI control of Matter devices without complex coding
Natural language interface for Matter protocol operations
Real-time device monitoring and control
Structured access to Matter documentation and data models

2. Overview

What You'll Build

In this codelab, you will:

Set up a Python virtual environment for the Matter MCP Server
Install and configure the Matter MCP Server
Configure Claude Desktop to use the MCP Server
Add the MCP Server to Claude Code

Prerequisites

You will need:

Python 3.13 or later
Claude Desktop installed
Claude Code installed (optional)
Git installed
Basic knowledge of terminal commands

3. Installing the Matter MCP Server

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/your-username/matter-mcp-server.git
cd matter-mcp-server

Create and activate a Python virtual environment:

python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate  # On Windows use: .venv\Scripts\activate

Install the required dependencies:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Install uv (required for Claude integration):

curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

If your system doesn't have curl, use wget:

wget -qO- https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

4. Configuring Claude Desktop

Locate your Claude configuration directory:

Ubuntu: ~/.config/Claude
MacOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude
Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude

Edit or create the claude_desktop_config.json file:

code ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json  # Use your preferred editor

Add the MCP Server configuration:

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "matter-mcp-server": {
            "command": "uv",
            "args": [
                "--directory",
                "[REPLACE_WITH_FULL_PATH_TO_YOUR_REPO]",
                "run",
                "matter-mcp-server.py"
            ]
        }
    }
}

Note: Replace [REPLACE_WITH_FULL_PATH_TO_YOUR_REPO] with the actual path to your cloned repository.

Save the file and restart Claude Desktop

5. Adding MCP Server to Claude Code

If you're using Claude Code, follow these steps to add the MCP Server:

Open a terminal and ensure you're in the matter-mcp-server directory
Add the MCP Server to Claude Code:

claude mcp add matter-mcp-server uv --directory [FULL_PATH_TO_REPO] run matter-mcp-server.py

Verify the installation:

claude mcp list

You should see "matter-mcp-server" in the list of available MCP servers.

6. Optional: Adding Additional MCP Servers

To enhance Claude's capabilities, you can add these additional MCP servers to your configuration:

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "matter-mcp-server": {
            "command": "uv",
            "args": [
                "--directory",
                "[REPLACE_WITH_FULL_PATH_TO_YOUR_REPO]",
                "run",
                "matter-mcp-server.py"
            ]
        },
        "matter-coder-search": {
            "command": "uv",
            "args": [
                "--directory",
                "[REPLACE_WITH_FULL_PATH_TO_YOUR_REPO]",
                "run",
                "matter-coder-search.py"
            ]
        },
        "matter-datamodel-mcp": {
            "command": "uv",
            "args": [
                "--directory",
                "[REPLACE_WITH_FULL_PATH_TO_YOUR_REPO]",
                "run",
                "matter-datamodel-mcp.py"
            ]
        }
    }    
}

Add these to your claude_desktop_config.json file and restart Claude Desktop for the changes to take effect.

7. Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues:

Check that the virtual environment is activated
Verify the paths in claude_desktop_config.json are correct
Ensure all dependencies are installed correctly
Try removing and re-adding the MCP server:

claude mcp remove matter-mcp-server
claude mcp add matter-mcp-server uv --directory [FULL_PATH_TO_REPO] run matter-mcp-server.py

Check Claude Desktop logs for any error messages

Back