Title: MCP server setup UX is frustrating and unreliable

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• [x] This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
• [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

▎ Problem

▎ Setting up an MCP server (Playwright) took 5+ attempts across multiple config locations. This pain around MCP serves is consistent across all surfaces — Claude Desktop, CLI, and web all have confusing, fragile MCP setup.

▎ Specific issues

▎ 1. Too many config locations, unclear precedence: ~/.claude/settings.json, .mcp.json, .claude.json per-project, claude_desktop_config.json — each surface reads from different places, none clearly documented
▎ 2. Silent failures: Server fails to start (wrong Node version) → /mcp shows "No MCP servers configured." No error, no indication it tried
▎ 3. /mcp doesn't reflect config: After claude mcp add, /mcp still shows nothing. No pending/failed/not-found status
▎ 4. CLI doesn't match what works: claude mcp add wrote to a scope that wasn't picked up. Had to use claude mcp add-json -s project
▎ 5. No validation on add: Should start the server immediately and report success/failure
▎ 6. Cross-surface inconsistency: Desktop reads claude_desktop_config.json, CLI reads .mcp.json / .claude.json, web has its own thing. One config format, one location, please

1. when asking Claude what to do, it gives incorrect answers

FFS, you need to fix this!!!!!

▎ Expected experience

▎ $ claude mcp add playwright -- npx @playwright/mcp --headless
▎ ✓ Server "playwright" started (3 tools available)
▎ Or:
▎ ✗ Failed to start: node v14 unsupported (requires >=18)
▎ Config written but server not running. Fix command and retry.

What Should Happen?

I should spend less than 30 minutes figuring out how to add a f@#$%ing MCP server and get it to actually work, or when asking Claude what to do, I get an accurate answer

Error Messages/Logs

Watch a random user trying to do this and you'll get your logs

Steps to Reproduce

Try to add an MCP server

See that it doesn't work

Ask claude what to do

follow instructions

experience misc bullshit because instructions are wrong

tear out hair, reach for strong alcohol

scream curses

scare away nearby animals

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

2.1.81 (Claude Code) (and 20 other combos of versions / surfaces I've used in the past few weeks)

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

Additional Information

_No response_