Every MCP server you add has a scope. Scope decides where the server is available and who else can see it. Claude Code has three: local, project, and user.
local: just this project
Local is the default. If you don't pass --scope, the server is registered for the current project only, and only for you. This is the right choice for a quick experiment or a server tied to one repo:
claude mcp add --transport http notion https://mcp.notion.com/mcp
project: shared with your team
A project-scoped server is written into a .mcp.json file in the repo, which you check into git. Anyone who clones the project gets the same server. Use this when the whole team should share an integration:
claude mcp add --scope project --transport http notion https://mcp.notion.com/mcp
user: all your projects
A user-scoped server follows you everywhere. It's available in every project you open on your machine, but it isn't shared with anyone else. Use it for tools you personally rely on regardless of the repo:
claude mcp add --scope user --transport http notion https://mcp.notion.com/mcp
Choosing a scope
Ask two questions. Should teammates get this server too? If yes, use project so it travels in git. Do you want it in every one of your own projects? If yes, use user. If it's just for you in this one repo, the default local scope is fine. You can always remove a server and add it again under a different scope if your needs change.
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