How to Build Multi-Step AI Agents with CLAUDE’s mCP Update
Mohammad Jazim
AI Product Owner at DoctusTech-[Building a portfolio of AI Data Products]
The latest update to Claude, the Model Context Protocol (mCP), is a game-changer for AI enthusiasts. It turns Claude into an interactive API that can communicate with external tools and apps, enabling you to build complex, multi-step AI agents that can execute tasks autonomously—all with a single prompt.
Here’s how you can set it up and use it to automate complex workflows.
What Is mCP?
Model Context Protocol (mCP) is a new feature that lets Claude interact with external tools, servers, and apps.
This addresses a common issue in building AI agents: connecting them to your data and enabling them to act on it. With mCP, Claude becomes more than a chatbot—it evolves into an AI agent capable of running workflows, automating tasks, and even handling coding operations.
Imagine having an AI agent that can browse the web, manage GitHub repositories, and perform multi-step actions like a full-stack developer—all from a single prompt.
Let’s dive into the steps to set this up.
Step 1: Download CLAUDE Desktop
Download the app: Visit Claude’s download page and choose the version for your operating system (MacOS or Windows).
Install it: Once downloaded, move the app into your Applications folder and open it.
Log in: If you don’t have a Claude account, create one—it’s worth it.
Step 2: Set Up the mCP Configuration
Now we’ll configure Claude to interact with external tools.
Open the Terminal: Use the following command to open Claude’s configuration folder:
open ~/.claude-desktop
Create a Configuration File: Run this command to create a file in the folder:
touch ~/.claude-desktop/config.json
Edit the Configuration File: Open the file using a text editor (e.g., VS Code, Cursor, or Notepad). Add the following JSON code to define your tools:
{
"servers": {
"brave_web_search": {
"type": "search",
"api_key": "YOUR_BRAVE_API_KEY"
},
"github": {
"type": "code",
"personal_token": "YOUR_GITHUB_TOKEN"
}
}
}
Save the file and restart the Claude app to load your new configuration.
Step 3: Set Up API Keys
To connect Claude to external tools, you’ll need API keys:
Brave Search API:
GitHub Personal Token:
Step 4: Launch Claude with mCP Tools
Restart Claude, and you’ll see the mCP tools listed under the app’s interface. Now, Claude can:
Browse the web using Brave Search.
Interact with GitHub to create repositories, push code, and handle pull requests.
Step 5: Automate Multi-Step Tasks
Here’s where it gets exciting. With everything set up, you can automate complex workflows. For example:
Prompt:
What Claude Will Do:
Create a Repository:
git init new-project
git remote add origin https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/new-project.git
git push -u origin main
Generate Files: Claude writes the following index.html and style.css files:
<!-- index.html -->
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="style.css">
<title>New Project</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Welcome to New Project</h1>
</body>
</html>
/* style.css */
body {
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
background-color: #f4f4f4;
text-align: center;
padding: 20px;
}
Push Files to GitHub:
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit: Add HTML and CSS"
git push origin main
Create an Issue: Claude uses the GitHub API to create an issue titled "Enhance the homepage".
Create a Feature Branch:
git checkout -b feature/homepage-enhancements
Submit a Pull Request: Claude creates a pull request from the feature branch to the main branch.
Step 6: Test Your AI Agent
With your setup complete, you now have a multi-step AI agent powered by Claude and mCP tools. Test it out by providing different prompts and watching it execute tasks autonomously.
The Future of AI Agents
This setup demonstrates how accessible and powerful AI agents have become. With tools like Claude and mCP, anyone can build AI-powered workflows that save time, automate repetitive tasks, and unlock new levels of productivity.
Whether you’re managing code, browsing the web, or running a business, the future is here—and it’s powered by AI agents.