Rocky_Mountain_Vending/SHADCN_MCP_TROUBLESHOOTING.md

Shadcn MCP Server Troubleshooting Guide

Current Status

• ✅ MCP configuration file exists at: code/.cursor/mcp.json (original)
• ✅ MCP configuration file created at: .cursor/mcp.json (workspace root) - FIXED
• ✅ Configuration looks correct
• ✅ shadcn CLI is installed (version 3.5.1)
• ⚠️ ACTION REQUIRED: Restart Cursor to load the MCP server

Configuration Found

The MCP configuration file at code/.cursor/mcp.json contains:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "shadcn": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["shadcn@latest", "mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Troubleshooting Steps

1. ✅ FIXED: MCP Configuration Location

Issue Found: The MCP configuration was in code/.cursor/mcp.json, but Cursor looks for it at the workspace root.

Fix Applied: Configuration has been copied to .cursor/mcp.json at the workspace root.

Next Step: Restart Cursor completely to load the MCP server.

2. Restart Cursor

After any configuration changes:

1. Completely quit Cursor (not just close the window)
2. Reopen Cursor
3. Wait a few seconds for MCP servers to initialize

3. Check MCP Server Logs

1. Open Cursor
2. Go to View → Output
3. In the dropdown, select MCP: project-* or look for shadcn-related logs
4. Check for any error messages

4. Test MCP Server Manually

Test if the shadcn MCP server can run independently:

cd code
npx shadcn@latest mcp

If you have a GitHub token (for higher rate limits):

npx shadcn@latest mcp --github-api-key YOUR_GITHUB_TOKEN

5. Verify Project Structure

Ensure components.json exists and is properly configured:

• Location: code/components.json
• Should reference the correct paths for your project

6. Check Node.js and npm

Ensure you have the required versions:

node --version  # Should be v18 or higher
npm --version
npx --version

7. Alternative Configuration

If the current configuration doesn't work, try specifying the full path:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "shadcn": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["shadcn@latest", "mcp"],
      "cwd": "./code"
    }
  }
}

8. Check Cursor Settings

1. Open Cursor Settings (Cmd+, on Mac)
2. Search for "MCP" or "Model Context Protocol"
3. Verify that MCP servers are enabled
4. Check if there are any error indicators

Expected Tools

When working correctly, the shadcn MCP server should provide these tools:

1. get_project_registries - List available component registries
2. list_items_in_registries - List components in registries
3. search_items_in_registries - Search for components
4. view_items_in_registries - View component details
5. get_item_examples_from_registries - Get component examples
6. get_add_command_for_items - Get installation commands
7. get_audit_checklist - Get component audit checklist

Verification

To verify the MCP server is working:

1. Ask the AI assistant to use shadcn MCP tools
2. The assistant should be able to call functions like get_project_registries
3. If tools are not available, the server is not properly connected

Next Steps

1. Try moving the MCP configuration to workspace root
2. Restart Cursor completely
3. Check MCP server logs for errors
4. Verify the shadcn CLI can run the MCP server manually
5. If issues persist, check the shadcn documentation: https://ui.shadcn.com/docs/mcp

Additional Resources

• Shadcn MCP Documentation
• Cursor MCP Setup Guide