3 MCP servers I actually use daily (and how to set them up)

Not a hype list. These are the three MCP servers I have running right now in Claude Desktop.

1. Filesystem

mcp-hub install @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem

I use this to let Claude read project files directly instead of me copy-pasting code. Configure it to point at your project root.

Real usage: "Read the auth module and explain how the token validation works."

2. GitHub

mcp-hub install @modelcontextprotocol/server-github

Lets Claude check issues, read PRs, and browse repos. I use it for code reviews.

Real usage: "Check what changed in the last 3 PRs and summarize."

3. PostgreSQL

mcp-hub install @modelcontextprotocol/server-postgres

Direct database access from Claude. I run queries without leaving the conversation.

Real usage: "Show me users who signed up this week but haven't logged in."

Setup

Each one takes 2 minutes:

mcp-hub install <server>
# Add to claude_desktop_config.json
# Restart Claude Desktop

Warning

The filesystem server can read your entire disk if you configure it that way. Be careful with paths.

All servers verified on npm. mcp-hub CLI to discover more.