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better-claude-config/README.md
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# Better Claude Config (BCC)
A small, cross-platform GUI for editing the `mcpServers` block of one or more
Claude Desktop installs — without ever hand-writing JSON.
BCC only ever touches `mcpServers` (and its own `_disabledMcpServers` parking
key). Every other key in your config is preserved verbatim, in its original
order. Each write is atomic and makes a timestamped backup first.
## Install & run
```bash
pip install -r requirements.txt
python bcc.py
```
(Python 3.10+.)
## What it does
- **Auto-discovers installs** — scans the platform's app-support folder for any
`Claude*` directory (so `Claude` and `Claude-Work` both show up), and lets you
**Add config…** to point at any file manually.
- **Form-based editing** — name, command, args (one per line), env vars, or for
remote servers: URL, transport, and headers. No raw JSON.
- **Paste JSON** — drop in any snippet from an MCP doc (full `mcpServers` block,
inner map, or a single bare server object); it's parsed and merged.
- **Drag & drop** a `.json` file onto the window to import servers from it.
- **Copy to ▸** — copy the selected server straight into your *other* install.
- **Active / Disabled sections** — servers are shown in two labelled lists with
live counts, so a server that's switched off in the config is obvious at a
glance. Toggle a server's checkbox to move it between sections (disabled
servers are parked under `_disabledMcpServers`, which Claude ignores).
- **Dependency check + diagnostics** — each server shows whether its `command`
is actually found on PATH:
- ● green — found on the normal PATH; will work anywhere.
- ▲ amber (**PATH-risk**) — found, but *only* in a location BCC added on top of
the inherited PATH. It'll work when you launch Claude from a terminal, but a
double-clicked `.app` may not see it. This is the usual cause of "the tool
says it's fine but Claude won't start the server." One click on **Use full
path ↳** rewrites the bare command (`npx`) to its absolute path so any launch
finds it.
- ● red (**broken**) — not found anywhere.
- ◆ blue — remote (url) server. **Test connection** does a live reachability
check on a background thread (any HTTP response = reachable).
Each section header shows a **broken / PATH-risk count badge**, and selecting a
flagged server auto-opens a **Details** panel with a full, copy-pasteable
report: which command resolved to what, tailored install hints, and the exact
PATH that was searched (with `+` marking the dirs BCC added). **Re-check**
re-scans PATH after you install something; **Copy diagnostics** grabs the whole
report for a bug report.
After saving, **restart that Claude install** for changes to take effect.
## Config locations it scans
| OS | Base it scans for `Claude*` |
|---------|---------------------------------|
| macOS | `~/Library/Application Support` |
| Windows | `%APPDATA%` |
| Linux | `~/.config` |
## Files
- `bcc.py` — the GUI.
- `bcc_core.py` — all the file/JSON/validation/dependency logic (no GUI deps).
- `test_core.py` — unit suite for the core (`python test_core.py`).
## Rebrand
The accent color is one constant (`ACCENT`) at the top of `bcc.py`.
## License
MIT — see [LICENSE](LICENSE).