You commented “DESKTOP”: here it is

Day-One MCP Stack: Claude Desktop for Operators

Get the exact MCP server list to install on day one so Claude Desktop can read files, run queries, and control your tools from one prompt.

Free checklist · copy-paste ready · built by the BrainVaultAI team

Claude Desktop without MCP is a chat box. Claude Desktop with the right MCP servers is an operator-grade AI that can touch your filesystem, calendar, browser, and databases. This checklist covers the five MCP servers that unlock 80% of the value for founders and operators. Each entry includes what it does, where to get it, and the one config line you need in your claude_desktop_config.json. Install in order. Test each one before adding the next. The filesystem server comes first, everything else builds on it.

Day-One MCP Checklist

## Claude Desktop Day-One MCP Stack ### Must-Have (install first)
- [ ] **filesystem**, lets Claude read/write local files. Install: `npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem`. Config: point it at your working dirs only, not root.
- [ ] **fetch**, lets Claude hit URLs and read web content. Install: `npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-fetch`. Use for: research, reading docs, scraping pages. ### High-Value (add week one)
- [ ] **brave-search**, real-time web search. Needs a free Brave API key. Use for: current info, competitive research, news.
- [ ] **github**, read/write repos, open PRs, search code. Install: `npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-github`. Needs GitHub PAT.
- [ ] **sqlite** or **postgres**, query your databases in plain English. Install the one that matches your stack. ### Optional but powerful
- [ ] **puppeteer** or **playwright**, browser automation. Use for: scraping, form fills, automated QA.
- [ ] **memory**, persistent knowledge graph across sessions. Use for: personal wiki, project context. ### Quick config template
Add each server to: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
```json
{ "mcpServers": { "filesystem": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/Users/YOU/Documents"] } }
}
```

Prompt: Test Your MCP Setup

Run this prompt after installing each MCP server to confirm it's working: 'List the MCP tools you currently have access to. For each tool, tell me: the tool name, what server it comes from, and one concrete task you could do with it right now. Format as a table.' If a server isn't showing up, check: (1) claude_desktop_config.json has no JSON syntax errors, (2) you fully quit and relaunched Claude Desktop, (3) the npx package installed without errors in your terminal.

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