How to add Buildkite MCP Server to Claude Desktop
Official Buildkite MCP server to inspect pipelines, builds, jobs and tests and fix failed builds. Paste the config into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json and restart Claude Desktop.
Last updated June 15, 2026 · 60★ · http · oauth · official
Claude Desktop config for Buildkite MCP Server
Connect client to https://mcp.buildkite.com/mcp and complete OAuth{
"mcpServers": {
"buildkite-mcp-server": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"mcp-remote",
"https://mcp.buildkite.com/mcp"
]
}
}
}Claude Desktop connects to remote servers through the `mcp-remote` proxy (installed on first run via npx). Restart Claude Desktop after saving.
Setup steps
- 1Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config (this opens ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json).
- 2Paste the Buildkite MCP Server config below under the top-level "mcpServers" key.
- 3Fill in any placeholder secrets (API keys, paths) in the snippet.
- 4Save the file, then fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop.
- 5Open a chat and confirm Buildkite MCP Server's tools appear under the 🔌 tools menu.
Before you start
- A Buildkite account with access to the relevant organization and pipelines
- For the remote server (recommended): an MCP client that supports remote HTTP MCP + OAuth — connect to https://mcp.buildkite.com/mcp (or /mcp/readonly). No token needed.
- For the local server: a Buildkite API access token from https://buildkite.com/user/api-access-tokens with scopes such as read_builds, read_pipelines, read_user (plus read_build_logs, read_artifacts, read_clusters, read_suites for full read; write_builds, write_pipelines for writes)
- For local install: one of Homebrew, Docker, the Go toolchain, or a pre-built binary from GitHub Releases
What Buildkite MCP Server can do in Claude Desktop
current_user / access_token / user_token_organizationIdentify the authenticated user, inspect the token's scopes, and resolve the org
list_pipelines / get_pipeline / create_pipeline / update_pipelineBrowse and manage CI/CD pipelines
list_builds / get_build / create_build / cancel_build / rebuild_buildInspect builds and trigger, cancel, or rebuild them
unblock_job / retry_job / get_job_envUnblock blocked steps, retry failed jobs, and read job environment
search_logs / tail_logs / read_logsSearch job logs by regex, tail recent output, or read full logs
list_artifacts_for_build / list_artifacts_for_job / get_artifactList and download build/job artifacts
list_annotations / create_annotationRead and add build annotations
list_agents / get_agentInspect connected Buildkite agents
Security
The remote server exposes your organization's pipeline configuration and build logs, which can contain secrets or sensitive output; review the scopes granted during authorization. For the local variant, treat BUILDKITE_API_TOKEN as a secret.
Buildkite MCP Server + Claude Desktop FAQ
Where is the Claude Desktop config file?
Claude Desktop reads MCP servers from ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json. Paste the Buildkite MCP Server config there under the "mcpServers" key and restart the client.
Is Buildkite MCP Server safe to use with Claude Desktop?
The remote server exposes your organization's pipeline configuration and build logs, which can contain secrets or sensitive output; review the scopes granted during authorization. For the local variant, treat BUILDKITE_API_TOKEN as a secret.
Should I use the remote or local server?
Buildkite recommends the remote server (https://mcp.buildkite.com/mcp). It uses OAuth with short-lived tokens so you don't manage API keys; the local Go binary is for stdio clients or air-gapped setups.
How do I authenticate the remote server?
Via standard OAuth handled by your MCP client — access tokens last 12 hours and refresh tokens 7 days. No manual API token is needed.
What token scopes does the local server need?
At minimum read_builds, read_pipelines, and read_user. For full read access add read_build_logs, read_artifacts, read_clusters, read_organizations, and read_suites; for write actions add write_builds and write_pipelines.