ClaudeCode on Yanmu

Install Claude Code and Connect DeepSeek (Beginner-Friendly Guide)

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 02:00:15 +0800

Overview

Who Is This Tutorial For?

This tutorial is for users with no computer background at all. You don’t need to know what a “command line” is, what “environment variables” are, or what “version management” is — I will break down every step to the finest detail, telling you where to click, what to click, what to type, and what you should see to know it worked.

What Are We Installing? Why Do We Need These?

Before we start, let’s understand the 3 things we need to install and what each one does:

#	Software	One-Line Explanation	Why It’s Required
1	Node.js	The “engine” that lets your computer run JavaScript programs	Claude Code is written in JavaScript and won’t run without it
2	Claude Code	An AI programming assistant that lives in your computer’s terminal	This is what we ultimately want to use
3	CC-Switch	A small tool to “swap the brain” of Claude Code	Switches Claude Code from the expensive official model to the affordable DeepSeek

The whole process takes about 10-15 minutes. Please follow the steps in order — don’t skip around.

📌 Prerequisites

You need a Windows computer (Windows 10/11) with a working internet connection.

Install Node.js

What is Node.js?

Node.js = the runtime environment that lets your computer run Claude Code. It’s completely free. Just like you need Windows installed before you can run software, you need Node.js installed before you can run Claude Code.

Download Node.js

Step 1: Open Your Browser

Open any browser on your computer (Chrome, Edge, or Firefox).

Step 2: Visit the Node.js Official Website

Type the following URL into the browser’s address bar (the long bar at the top where you enter web addresses) and press Enter:

`1`	`https://nodejs.org/`

Step 3: Find the Download Button

Once the page loads, you’ll see two large buttons in the center:

The left button says LTS (with a recommended version number, e.g., 22.16.0 LTS)
The right button says Current

Click the left LTS button — your browser will automatically start downloading a .msi file.

Step 4: Find the Downloaded File

Once the download completes (usually just a few seconds), there are two ways to find the file:

Method 1: Click the download list in the top-right corner of your browser (usually a downward arrow ↓ icon) and find the file you just downloaded — the filename will be something like node-v22.16.0-x64.msi
Method 2: Open File Explorer (the window you use to browse folders), find the Downloads folder in the left sidebar, and the file will be inside

Install Node.js

Step 1: Double-click the Installer

In the Downloads folder, find node-v22.16.0-x64.msi (the version number may differ slightly) and double-click it.

Step 2: Welcome Screen

A window titled Node.js Setup will appear. Click the Next button at the bottom.

Step 3: License Agreement

The window displays a long block of English license text.

Check the box in the bottom-left corner: I accept the terms in the License Agreement
Click Next

Step 4: Installation Location (⚠️ Important! You Need to Change the Path)

This shows where Node.js will be installed on your computer.

The default path is: C:\Program Files\nodejs\

📌 Move It to the D Drive!

It’s recommended to install to the D drive because:

The C drive is your system drive — putting too much on it slows down your computer

The D drive is for software — if you ever need to reinstall Windows, everything on D stays safe

It’s easier to manage and find things

Steps to change:

Click inside the path input box, select everything (press Ctrl + A), then delete it
Type the new path:
1

D:\nodejs\
Click Next

💡 Note

Make sure the path has no Chinese characters or spaces, or the installation may fail.

Step 5: Custom Setup

A page with a tree-like checkbox list appears (Custom Setup).

Don’t change anything — just click Next.

Step 6: Confirm Installation

Click the Install button. If a security prompt appears, click Yes.

Step 7: Wait for Installation

The progress bar will complete — usually takes just 10-30 seconds.

Step 8: Finish

Click Finish.

Node.js Installation Complete!

Both Node.js and npm (Node.js’s package manager — think of it as an “app store”) are now installed.

Verify Node.js Is Installed Correctly

After installation, we need to verify everything — like checking your groceries to make sure nothing’s missing.

Step 1: Open Command Prompt (CMD)

What is “Command Prompt”?

Command Prompt (also called CMD) is a black window with white text where you can type text commands to make your computer do things. You’ll use it often going forward.

How to open it (choose one):

Method 1 (Recommended):
1. Hold down the Win key on your keyboard (bottom-left corner, the key with the Windows logo)
2. While holding it, press the R key
3. A small window titled “Run” will pop up — type cmd in it
4. Click OK or press Enter
Method 2:
1. Click the Start menu in the bottom-left corner of your desktop (Windows icon)
2. Type cmd in the search box
3. Click Command Prompt in the search results

Step 2: Enter Verification Commands

In the black window that opens, type the following (the characters will appear on screen as you type), then press Enter:

node -v

If the window displays something like v22.16.0, Node.js is installed successfully ✅

Now type this command and press Enter:

npm -v

If it displays a version number like 10.9.2, npm is also working ✅

⚠️ Seeing “’node’ is not recognized as an internal or external command”?

Your environment variables aren’t set up correctly. See 1.4 How to Configure Environment Variables below.

How to Configure Environment Variables

What Are Environment Variables (PATH)?

PATH can be thought of as your computer’s “address book.” When you type node in the command prompt, your computer doesn’t know where node is installed — it looks it up in PATH, the “address book.” If Node.js’s installation directory isn’t in PATH, the computer can’t find it and reports “’node’ is not recognized.”

Normally, the Node.js installer adds itself to PATH automatically. But if something goes wrong, you need to add it manually.

Check If Node.js Is Already in PATH

Press Win + R, type sysdm.cpl, press Enter
Click the Advanced tab at the top
Click the Environment Variables button at the bottom
In the System variables list at the bottom, find the Path row, select it, and click Edit

In the list that pops up, check if there’s an entry like:

`1`	`D:\nodejs\`

💡 The Path Must Match Where You Installed

If you installed to D:\Software\nodejs\, then the entry should show D:\Software\nodejs\.

If the entry exists: PATH is fine, but if it’s still not working, close all current Command Prompt windows and open a new one, then try again.

If the entry doesn’t exist: Follow the steps below to add it manually.

Manually Add Node.js to PATH

In the Edit Environment Variable window you just opened, click New
Type the Node.js installation path:
1

D:\nodejs\
Click OK
Click OK to close the Environment Variables window
Click OK to close the System Properties window
Close all open Command Prompt windows and open a new one (old windows won’t pick up the new settings)
Type node -v again to verify

Configure npm Domestic Mirror (Strongly Recommended)

💡 Why Configure This?

By default, npm downloads software from overseas, which is very slow. Configuring a domestic mirror speeds up downloads by more than 10 times.

In Command Prompt, type the following command and press Enter:

`1`	`npm config set registry https://registry.npmmirror.com/`

Verify with this command — if it shows https://registry.npmmirror.com/, it worked ✅:

`1`	`npm config get registry`

Step 1 Complete!

You’ve installed Node.js on your computer and configured the domestic mirror. Now let’s install Claude Code.

Install Claude Code

Install Claude Code via npm

Open Command Prompt (if not already open), type the following command, and press Enter:

`1`	`npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code`

Wait for the installation to finish (usually 1-3 minutes). Text will scroll on the screen — as long as there’s no error at the end, you’re fine.

Verify Installation

Type:

`1`	`claude --version`

Press Enter. If it shows a version number (e.g., 1.0.x), installation was successful ✅

Why Skip Login?

Claude Code officially requires you to log in with an Anthropic account. But Anthropic’s services require an overseas credit card for payment, which is inconvenient for domestic users.

Our approach: skip login first, then use the CC-Switch tool to connect to the domestic DeepSeek model. This way you don’t need an Anthropic account at all, and the cost is much lower.

Step 1: Launch Claude Code Once

Type this in Command Prompt:

claude

Press Enter. Claude Code will launch and may display some introductory information or ask you to log in.

Ignore it — just close the Command Prompt window (click the × in the top-right corner).

Step 2: Find the Configuration File

Press Win + R (Win key and R key at the same time)
In the “Run” window that pops up, type %USERPROFILE%
Click OK or press Enter
You’ll see a folder with various files and subfolders

Step 3: Find the .claude.json File

In this folder, look for a file named .claude.json.

⚠️ Can’t Find This File?

If you can’t find .claude.json, possible reasons:

File extensions are hidden — in the folder window, click View → check File name extensions and Hidden items

Claude Code hasn’t created this file yet — go back to Step 1 and make sure you launched Claude Code at least once

In some cases, the file might be inside the .claude folder, named settings.json

Step 4: Open the Config File with Notepad

Right-click the .claude.json file
In the popup menu, select Open with
Choose Notepad
- If Notepad isn’t in the list, select Choose another app → find Notepad in the list → click OK

Step 5: Edit the Config File

When you open it, you’ll see something like this (the exact content may vary):

{
  "someField": "someValue",
  "anotherField": "anotherValue"
}

We need to add the line "hasCompletedOnboarding": true before the final }.

After editing, it should look like this:

{
  "someField": "someValue",
  "anotherField": "anotherValue",
  "hasCompletedOnboarding": true
}

📌 ⚠️ Three Critical Details — Get These Wrong and It’ll Break!

Add a comma: the line before hasCompletedOnboarding needs an English comma , at the end

Use English quotes: the quotes must be English ", not Chinese "

true is lowercase: it must be true, not True

Step 6: Save the File

Press Ctrl + S to save (or click File → Save in the top-left corner)
Close the Notepad window

Step 7: Verify Skip Login Worked

Reopen Command Prompt (Win + R → cmd → Enter)
Type claude, press Enter
If you go straight into Claude Code’s main interface (with no login prompt), skip-login was successful ✅

Step 2 Complete!

Claude Code is installed and login has been skipped. Now let’s install CC-Switch to connect DeepSeek.

Install CC-Switch (Model Switching Tool)

What Is CC-Switch?

CC-Switch is a visual tool that lets you swap Claude Code’s “brain” from the official model to DeepSeek — no manual config file editing needed, just point and click.

Download CC-Switch

Step 1: Open the Download Page

Type the following URL into your browser’s address bar and press Enter:

`1`	`https://github.com/cc-switch/cc-switch/releases`

Step 2: Find the Latest Version

Once the page loads, find the version with the green Latest label and click to expand it.

Step 3: Find the Download Link

After expanding, scroll down, find the word Assets (there may be a small arrow ▾ next to it), and click to expand it.

Find the file ending with .msi (Windows installer) and click the filename to start the download.

💡 Which File to Choose?

Windows computer: choose the file ending in x64.msi

Mac computer: choose the file ending in .dmg

Install CC-Switch

Step 1: Double-click the Installer

In the Downloads folder, double-click the downloaded .msi file. If a security prompt appears, click Run anyway or More info → Run anyway.

Step 2: Follow the Prompts

The installation wizard is similar to Node.js:

Click Next
Accept the agreement → Next
Keep the default installation path → Next
Click Install
Wait for installation to complete → Finish

Step 3 Complete!

CC-Switch is installed. Now let’s get a DeepSeek API Key.

Get a DeepSeek API Key

What Is DeepSeek?

A domestic large language model with powerful performance and low pricing (about 10-30 RMB per month for daily use). Connecting to it dramatically reduces your usage costs.

What Is an API Key?

An API Key is a key used to access DeepSeek’s AI services. Each use deducts from your account balance. You need to: ① Register an account ② Add funds ③ Create a Key

Register a DeepSeek Account

Step 1: Open the DeepSeek Open Platform

Type this into your browser’s address bar:

`1`	`https://platform.deepseek.com/`

Press Enter.

💡 Note

This is DeepSeek’s developer platform (platform.deepseek.com), not the chat website (chat.deepseek.com). Don’t mix them up.

Step 2: Register / Log In

In the top-right corner of the page, there are Log In / Sign Up buttons
Click Sign Up (if you don’t have an account) or Log In (if you already have one)
Follow the on-screen prompts to complete registration

Add Funds to Your Account

💡 Cost Reference

Daily use costs only about 10-30 RMB per month. A first-time top-up of 20-50 RMB is recommended.

After logging in, find Top Up (or Wallet / Billing) in the left sidebar menu and click it
Select the amount, choose a payment method, and complete the payment
Make sure your account balance is greater than 0 (you can’t use the API without a balance)

Create an API Key

Step 1: Go to the API Keys Page

After logging in, find API Keys in the left sidebar menu and click it
You’ll see an API Keys management page

Step 2: Create a New API Key

Click the Create API Key button
A dialog will pop up asking you to name your Key
- You can name it anything — claude-code, my-key, test are all fine
- The name is just for your own reference to distinguish different Keys
Click Confirm or Create

Step 3: Copy the API Key (⚠️ Most Critical Step!)

Once created, the page will display your API Key in a format like:

`1`	`sk-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx`

⚠️ This Key Is Only Shown Once!

After you close the dialog, you’ll never see it again. Copy and save it immediately to Notepad or WeChat File Transfer.

🚨 Security Reminder

An API Key is equivalent to your account password. Don’t share it with anyone and don’t post it publicly. If you suspect it’s been leaked, delete it immediately and create a new one.

Step 4 Complete!

You now have a DeepSeek API Key. For the final step, we’ll give this key to CC-Switch to complete the connection.

Configure CC-Switch to Connect DeepSeek

Open CC-Switch

Find the CC-Switch icon on your desktop or in the Start menu and double-click to open it.

Add a DeepSeek Configuration

Step 1: Click the Add Button

Once CC-Switch opens, find the + button (plus sign) in the top-right corner and click it.

Step 2: Fill In the Configuration

After clicking +, a configuration panel will pop up. Fill in the following:

① Model Preset: Select DeepSeek

② API Key: Paste the DeepSeek API Key you copied earlier (make sure there are no leading or trailing spaces)

③ Model Name: Delete whatever is in the input box and type:

`1`	`deepseek-v4-pro[1m]`

④ Base URL / API Address (if present):

`1`	`https://api.deepseek.com`

Step 3: Save the Configuration

After double-checking all fields, click Add / Save / Confirm.

Switch to DeepSeek

Return to CC-Switch’s main interface
You’ll see the DeepSeek configuration you just added in the list
Click the Switch / Enable button next to that configuration
The interface should show “Current Model: DeepSeek” or similar

Verify the Connection

Open Command Prompt and type claude to launch Claude Code.

Inside Claude Code, type:

/model

Press Enter. If the displayed model info includes DeepSeek, the connection is successful ✅

All Configuration Complete!

You can now start using the AI programming assistant!

Start Using It (Hands-on Example)

Now that everything is configured, let’s do a simple exercise to make sure it all works.

Create a Project Folder and Open Command Prompt

Right-click on the desktop → New → Folder, name it my-first-ai-project
Double-click to open the folder
Click the address bar at the top of the window, type cmd, and press Enter

Launch Claude Code

In the Command Prompt window that appears, type:

claude

Press Enter. If asked whether to trust this folder, type y and press Enter.

Give Your First Instruction

Once Claude Code starts, type the following (you can use plain English):

`1`	`Help me create a simple personal homepage using HTML + CSS + JavaScript, with a title, a short self-introduction, and a dark mode toggle button`

Press Enter to submit.

Handle Permission Requests

During execution, Claude Code may ask for permission to create/modify files — just select Yes. For your own projects, you can choose Yes, always allow (won’t ask again).

Check the Result

After completion, go back to the project folder and double-click index.html — it’ll open in your browser, and you’ll see the webpage the AI created for you!

Congratulations!

You’ve completed your first project with Claude Code + DeepSeek!

Command Quick Reference

Operation	Command	Description
Check Node.js version	`node -v`	Verify Node.js is installed
Check npm version	`npm -v`	Verify npm is working
Set npm mirror	`npm config set registry https://registry.npmmirror.com/`	Speed up downloads
Check npm mirror	`npm config get registry`	Verify mirror is active
Install Claude Code	`npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code`	Global install
Check Claude Code version	`claude --version`	Verify Claude Code is installed
Launch Claude Code	`claude`	Start in current folder
Check current model	`/model`	Type inside Claude Code
Exit Claude Code	`/exit` or press `Ctrl + C` twice	Quit the program

FAQ

node -v says “’node’ is not recognized as an internal or external command”?

Node.js environment variables (PATH) aren’t configured correctly. Open File Explorer and go to D:\nodejs\ to see if node.exe is there:

The file exists: Node.js is installed but PATH isn’t set up — follow the steps in 1.4 How to Configure Environment Variables to add it manually

The file doesn’t exist: Installation failed — re-download and reinstall

claude says “‘claude’ is not recognized as an internal or external command”?

Claude Code installation failed. First verify node -v and npm -v are working, then re-run npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code.

Claude Code asks me to log in to an Anthropic account after launching?

The .claude.json file wasn’t edited correctly. Press Win + R, type %USERPROFILE% and press Enter, find .claude.json and open it with Notepad. Make sure it contains "hasCompletedOnboarding": true, with an English comma at the end of the preceding line, true in lowercase, and English quotation marks.

Claude Code shows errors or no response during conversation?

Common causes: ① DeepSeek account balance is insufficient ② API Key is entered incorrectly ③ Model name isn’t deepseek-v4-pro[1m] ④ Network issues. Check each one.

npm install of Claude Code is very slow (over 5 minutes)?

Check if the domestic mirror is configured: npm config get registry (should show registry.npmmirror.com). If not, run npm config set registry https://registry.npmmirror.com/ and retry.

CC-Switch won’t open or crashes on launch?

Download the latest version from GitHub Releases, or try right-clicking and running as administrator.

GitHub page won’t load?

Cause: GitHub may be unstable to access from within China. Solutions:

Refresh the page several times

Try a different browser

If you still can’t access it, search for “CC-Switch download” online — some domestic mirror sites may also host the download

Complete Process Review

Step Content One-Line Summary

Step 1 Install Node.js Set up the “runtime engine” so your computer can run JavaScript programs

Step 2 Install Claude Code Install the “AI assistant” and skip login

Step 3 Install CC-Switch Install the “brain-swapper” to change AI models

Step 4 Get DeepSeek API Key Get the “key” to access DeepSeek’s AI services

Step 5 Configure CC-Switch Use the “brain-swapper” + “key” to switch Claude Code’s brain to DeepSeek

Step 6 Start Using Type claude in any folder to launch your AI assistant!

After completing all steps, you can open any folder on your computer, type the claude command, and launch a DeepSeek-powered AI programming assistant!

Step	Content	One-Line Summary
Step 1	Install Node.js	Set up the “runtime engine” so your computer can run JavaScript programs
Step 2	Install Claude Code	Install the “AI assistant” and skip login
Step 3	Install CC-Switch	Install the “brain-swapper” to change AI models
Step 4	Get DeepSeek API Key	Get the “key” to access DeepSeek’s AI services
Step 5	Configure CC-Switch	Use the “brain-swapper” + “key” to switch Claude Code’s brain to DeepSeek
Step 6	Start Using	Type `claude` in any folder to launch your AI assistant!

Install Claude Code in 5 Minutes and Connect DeepSeek

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 02:00:15 +0800

Overview

Claude Code is a command-line AI programming assistant launched by Anthropic, with a variety of built-in Skills plugins. Through different combinations, it can accomplish many things that AI alone cannot do. After connecting to the domestic large model DeepSeek V4, usage costs can be significantly reduced.

Core uses:

Building a personal knowledge base, automating the organization of study notes
Collecting industry information on schedule and organizing it into manuscripts
Automatically publishing to various social media platforms

Step 1: Install the Runtime Environment

1.1 Install Node.js

Go to the Node.js official website to download the Windows installer (.msi), double-click and follow the prompts.

Verify installation:

1
2

node -v
npm -v

1.2 Configure npm Domestic Mirror

`1`	`npm config set registry https://registry.npmmirror.com/`

💡 Why configure a mirror?

The default npm source is overseas, and download speeds are very slow. After configuring a domestic mirror, installation speed can be improved by more than 10 times.

1.3 Install Git

Go to the Git official website to download the corresponding version installer and follow the prompts.

Verify installation:

git -v

1.4 Install CC-Switch

CC-Switch is used to connect third-party models to Claude Code.

Go to the GitHub Release page to download the corresponding version (e.g., Windows MSI), double-click to install, and follow the prompts.

Step 2: Install Claude Code

`1`	`npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code`

Verify:

`1`	`claude --version`

Launch Claude Code once and then close it
Find the .claude.json file in your user directory
Add the following field (note that a comma must be added at the end of the previous field):

`1`	`"hasCompletedOnboarding": true`

Re-execute claude to start, and choose to trust the current folder

⚠️ Common Error

If you forget to add a comma at the end of the previous field, it will cause a JSON parsing error and Claude Code will fail to start.

Step 3: Connect DeepSeek

3.1 Get API Key

Open DeepSeek Open Platform, register and log in
Ensure your account has a balance
Click API Keys on the right → Create API Key → Copy and save (cannot be viewed again after closing)

🚨 Key Security

Do not share your key with others, as it will consume your balance.

3.2 Configure CC-Switch

Open CC-Switch, click the + button in the upper right corner
Select DeepSeek as the model preset
Enter the API Key
Change the model name uniformly to: deepseek-v4-pro[1m] (context 1M, Claude Code uses 128K by default)
Click Add

3.3 Verify the Model

In the Claude Code dialog box, enter:

/model

You can view the currently available models, or directly ask “What model are you currently using” to confirm successful connection.

Step 4: Hands-on Example

Create a new folder on the desktop
Enter CMD in the address bar and press Enter
Execute claude to start, and choose to trust the current folder
Enter your requirement: Use HTML + JS + CSS to create a Todo app
During execution, it will request tool permissions — select Yes
After completion, ask it to open the page for preview

💡 Tip

You can describe your requirements directly in Chinese — Claude Code supports mixed Chinese and English input.

Command Quick Reference

Operation	Command
Node version check	`node -v`
npm version check	`npm -v`
npm domestic mirror	`npm config set registry https://registry.npmmirror.com/`
Git version check	`git -v`
Install Claude Code	`npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code`
Claude Code version check	`claude --version`
Launch Claude Code	`claude`
Switch model	`/model`

FAQ

Command not found after running claude?

Check if Node.js is installed successfully (node -v) and whether the npm global path is in the system PATH.

Prompts to log in to Anthropic account after starting?

The hasCompletedOnboarding in .claude.json is not configured correctly. Please go back to Step 2 to check.

Model call error / no response?

Check if your DeepSeek account balance is sufficient, and whether the API Key in CC-Switch is entered correctly.

MCP Beginner's Guide: The Universal AI Plug Anyone Can Understand

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 01:46:03 +0800

Overview

Have you ever thought: ChatGPT, Claude and other AIs are smart, but they can only chat in a dialog box — they can’t help you check your calendar, manage files, or operate databases because they’re “locked in a cage” with no access to the outside world.

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is here to break down that wall.

Simply put, MCP is an open standard protocol that enables AI applications to connect to external systems — files, databases, APIs, various tools — just like giving AI a universal plug (USB-C port). Plug in anything and it works.

One sentence to understand MCP: It’s the “USB-C port” for the AI world — a unified standard, plug and play.

Why Use MCP?

Before MCP

Before MCP existed, if you wanted to connect AI to external tools (like checking the weather, reading calendars, operating databases), each AI application and each tool required custom integration development.

This was like the early days of phone charging ports — one for Android, one for Apple, one for Type-C. Every time you switched devices, you needed a new cable.

The problems were obvious:

High development costs: Every integration started from scratch
Not universal: Tools written for Claude couldn’t be used by ChatGPT
Difficult to maintain: When a tool was upgraded, all integrations had to be changed

After MCP

MCP defines a unified standard:

Tool providers develop an MCP Server following the MCP standard
AI applications act as MCP Clients to connect to it
As long as both sides follow the MCP protocol, plug and play, no redundant development

This is like how USB-C unified charging ports — one cable to rule them all.

What Can MCP Do? Use Cases at a Glance

1. Personal AI Assistant

Let AI help you manage your daily life:

Connect Google Calendar to check schedules and create meeting reminders
Connect Notion to organize notes and manage to-do lists
Connect Gmail to read and reply to emails
Connect Slack to summarize chat history

Example: You tell the AI “check what meetings I have tomorrow and summarize last week’s project progress notes” — the AI can automatically check your calendar, go through Notion, and give you a summary.

2. Programming & Development

Let AI coding assistants actually “get their hands dirty”:

Connect to the local file system via MCP to read and write project files
Connect to databases to directly query and modify data
Connect to GitHub to automatically create Issues and submit PRs
Connect to Figma to generate code directly from design mockups

Example: Claude Code connects to Figma via MCP, obtains the design mockup, and generates a complete web application.

3. Enterprise Applications

Make a big impact in the corporate world:

Connect to multiple databases so employees can query business data in natural language
Connect to internal systems (CRM, ERP) for AI to automatically compile reports
Connect to knowledge bases so AI can answer questions based on company documentation

4. Creative & Design

Connect to Blender to let AI generate 3D models
Connect to 3D printers to print designs directly
Connect to video editing tools to automate the editing workflow

MCP Core Architecture

MCP’s architecture is very simple, with only three roles:

┌──────────────┐         ┌──────────────┐         ┌──────────────┐
│  AI App      │ ◄─────► │  MCP Protocol │ ◄─────► │ MCP Server   │
│ (MCP Client) │         │ (Transport)   │         │ (External    │
└──────────────┘         └──────────────┘         │  Tool)       │
                                                   └──────────────┘

Role	Description	Analogy
MCP Client	AI applications (Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor)	Phone
MCP Server	Services providing specific capabilities (weather, file management)	Charger
MCP Protocol	The “language” both sides communicate in	USB-C Standard

What Can an MCP Server Provide?

An MCP Server can expose three types of capabilities to AI:

Type	Description	Examples
Tools	Functions/operations AI can call	Search the web, send emails, query databases
Resources	Data AI can read	File contents, database records, API responses
Prompts	Preset prompt templates	Code review templates, translation templates

How to Use MCP?

Method 1: Use Existing MCP Servers (Recommended for Beginners)

This is the simplest approach — others have already written the MCP Server, you just need to “install and connect”.

Step 1: Find the MCP Server You Need

The MCP ecosystem already has a large number of Servers available. Common sources:

Official repository: github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers
MCP marketplaces: mcp.so, smithery.ai
GitHub search: Search for mcp-server

Popular MCP Servers:

MCP Server	Function
`filesystem`	Read and write local files
`github`	Operate GitHub (Issues, PRs)
`fetch`	Fetch web page content
`sqlite`	Operate SQLite databases
`notion`	Operate Notion notes
`memory`	Persistent memory storage

Step 2: Configure MCP Server in Your AI Application

Using Claude Desktop as an example, find the configuration file:

Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Add MCP Server configuration (using filesystem as an example):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem",
        "/your/work/directory/path"
      ]
    }
  }
}

After saving, restart Claude Desktop, and the AI will have file management capabilities.

Step 3: Start Using

After restarting, simply ask the AI to use these tools in conversation:

“Create a notes folder in my work directory”
“Read the README.md content and give me a summary”
“Search for recent project Issues”

The AI will automatically call the corresponding MCP Server to complete the task.

Method 2: Use MCP in Cursor / VS Code

If you use Cursor or VS Code for programming development, the configuration is similar.

Create .cursor/mcp.json (Cursor) or .vscode/mcp.json (VS Code) in your project root:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "fetch": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-fetch"]
    },
    "sqlite": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-sqlite", "./data.db"]
    }
  }
}

After configuration, you can use these tools in AI conversations.

Method 3: Develop Your Own MCP Server (Advanced)

If you want to connect AI to your own systems (like a company’s internal API), you can write your own MCP Server.

MCP supports multiple programming languages with official SDKs:

Language	SDK
TypeScript	`@modelcontextprotocol/sdk`
Python	`mcp` (PyPI)
Java / Kotlin	`io.modelcontextprotocol`

Minimal example (TypeScript):

import { McpServer } from "@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/server/mcp.js";
import { StdioServerTransport } from "@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/server/stdio.js";
import { z } from "zod";

const server = new McpServer({
  name: "my-server",
  version: "1.0.0"
});

// Define a "check weather" tool
server.tool(
  "get_weather",
  { city: z.string().describe("City name") },
  async ({ city }) => {
    // Your business logic here
    const weather = `${city} is sunny today, 25°C`;
    return {
      content: [{ type: "text", text: weather }]
    };
  }
);

// Start the service
const transport = new StdioServerTransport();
await server.connect(transport);

Once written, configure it in your AI application and start using it.

Which AI Applications Support MCP?

MCP has become an industry standard, with mainstream AI applications offering support:

AI Application	Support Status
Claude Desktop / Claude Code	Native support
ChatGPT	Supported
Cursor	Supported
VS Code (Copilot)	Supported
Windsurf	Supported
OpenCode	Supported

Configure once, use everywhere — an MCP Server configured in Claude will work in other applications too.

FAQ

Q: What’s the difference between MCP and APIs?

An API is a “private protocol” between two parties, with each API having different calling methods. MCP is a unified standard — all tools that follow MCP can be called by AI in the same way. Think of MCP as “a standard API layer specifically for AI.”

Q: Do I need programming skills to use MCP?

No! If you’re just using existing MCP Servers, you only need to know how to copy and paste configuration files. Programming is only needed when developing your own MCP Server.

Q: Is MCP secure?

MCP Servers run locally by default, and data is not uploaded to the cloud. However, when using third-party MCP Servers, it’s recommended to check their source code and permissions to ensure security.

Q: What environment does an MCP Server need to run?

Most MCP Servers run on Node.js, so you need to install Node.js first. Python-based Servers require a Python environment.

Summary

Question	Answer
What is MCP?	A unified standard protocol for AI to connect to external tools
Why use it?	To let AI actually “do work” instead of just chatting
Who can use it?	Everyone — beginners use existing Servers, developers can write their own
How to use it?	Find an MCP Server → Configure it in your AI app → Restart and use

The essence of MCP is: creating a unified “plug standard” for the AI world, allowing tools and AI to connect freely.

Further reading:

MCP Official Documentation

MCP Server Repository

MCP Marketplace

ClaudeCode on Yanmu

Install Claude Code and Connect DeepSeek (Beginner-Friendly Guide)

Overview

Who Is This Tutorial For?

What Are We Installing? Why Do We Need These?

Install Node.js

Download Node.js

Install Node.js

Verify Node.js Is Installed Correctly

How to Configure Environment Variables

Configure npm Domestic Mirror (Strongly Recommended)

Install Claude Code

Install Claude Code via npm

Verify Installation

First Launch (Skip Login)

Install CC-Switch (Model Switching Tool)

Download CC-Switch

Install CC-Switch

Get a DeepSeek API Key

Register a DeepSeek Account

Add Funds to Your Account

Create an API Key

Configure CC-Switch to Connect DeepSeek

Open CC-Switch

Add a DeepSeek Configuration

Switch to DeepSeek

Verify the Connection

Start Using It (Hands-on Example)

Create a Project Folder and Open Command Prompt

Launch Claude Code

Give Your First Instruction

Handle Permission Requests

Check the Result

Command Quick Reference

FAQ

Install Claude Code in 5 Minutes and Connect DeepSeek

Overview

Step 1: Install the Runtime Environment

1.1 Install Node.js

1.2 Configure npm Domestic Mirror

1.3 Install Git

1.4 Install CC-Switch

Step 2: Install Claude Code

Skip Login (Using Third-party API)

Step 3: Connect DeepSeek

3.1 Get API Key

3.2 Configure CC-Switch

3.3 Verify the Model

Step 4: Hands-on Example

Command Quick Reference

FAQ

MCP Beginner's Guide: The Universal AI Plug Anyone Can Understand

Overview

Why Use MCP?

Before MCP

After MCP

What Can MCP Do? Use Cases at a Glance

1. Personal AI Assistant

2. Programming & Development

3. Enterprise Applications

4. Creative & Design

MCP Core Architecture

What Can an MCP Server Provide?

How to Use MCP?

Method 1: Use Existing MCP Servers (Recommended for Beginners)

Step 1: Find the MCP Server You Need

Step 2: Configure MCP Server in Your AI Application

Step 3: Start Using

Method 2: Use MCP in Cursor / VS Code

Method 3: Develop Your Own MCP Server (Advanced)

Which AI Applications Support MCP?

FAQ

Q: What’s the difference between MCP and APIs?

Q: Do I need programming skills to use MCP?

Q: Is MCP secure?

Q: What environment does an MCP Server need to run?

Summary