How to Connect Claude Code to Netlify with MCP

Connecting Claude Code to Netlify lets Claude create and deploy projects, manage form submissions, and create environment variables and secrets with plain-English prompts. Netlify publishes a dedicated "Set up Claude Code for Netlify" guide, and it recommends the remote MCP server.

Checked against: Netlify's Claude Code setup guide and Claude Code's MCP documentation on 28 October 2026. eSEOspace did not run these steps; menus can change, so follow the vendor's page if it differs.

Before you start

Netlify's Claude Code guide lists:

• Claude Code installed.
• Node 24 or higher installed.
• A project to test deploying, either new or existing.

Netlify says you can start without a Netlify account or team. "When needed, Claude Code can prompt you to log in or set up a Netlify account."

If your company uses Netlify SSO, find out which login to use first. Netlify names that as a common sign-in issue.

Steps

Option A: Remote server (recommended)

1. In your terminal, run Netlify's command:

claude mcp add --transport http netlify https://netlify-mcp.netlify.app/mcp

1. Start claude in your project folder.
2. Type /mcp to see the server's status and sign in if Claude Code shows it needs authentication. Claude Code's docs describe this as the standard sign-in route for remote servers.

Option B: Local server

Netlify says to use this if remote MCP servers are blocked in your environment:

claude mcp add netlify -- npx -y @netlify/mcp

This runs the server on your machine through npx. The netlify-mcp README suggests installing the Netlify CLI globally for the best experience:

npm install -g netlify-cli

Optional: Netlify's agent skills

Netlify suggests adding its skills so Claude follows Netlify best practices:

npx skills add netlify/context-and-tools --skill '*' --yes

Netlify's troubleshooting section gives a Claude Code-specific version too: npx -y skills add netlify/context-and-tools --skill '*' --yes --agent claude-code.

Check that it works

Run claude mcp list and look for ✔ Connected next to netlify. Inside a session, /mcp lists the server and its tools. Netlify doesn't publish a per-tool list, so check there for what your connection offers.

Example prompts:

• "Using the Netlify MCP server, show my Netlify user and team information." (Netlify lists "Fetch user and team information" as a use case.)
• "List the environment variables set on this Netlify project, without showing their values." (Netlify lists managing environment variables and secrets.)
• "Create a draft deploy of this site on Netlify and give me the preview URL." (Netlify lists creating, managing and deploying projects.)

Netlify's own guide recommends deciding how you want to deploy before you ask. A draft deploy (netlify deploy) is the safe test; netlify deploy --prod goes live.

Permissions and safety

The README lists what agents can do: create, manage and deploy projects, modify access controls, install or uninstall extensions, manage form submissions, and create and manage environment variables and secrets. Netlify doesn't describe a read-only mode.

• Keep approvals on. In Claude Code, leave Netlify tools on ask until you know which ones deploy or change settings. Claude Code's permission rules can target one server with mcp__netlify__*.
• Secrets in context. Anything Claude reads, including a secret's value, can land in the conversation. See secret leakage in MCP.
• Personal access tokens. For sign-in trouble with the local server, the README shows adding a temporary NETLIFY_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN. It says in bold: "Do not commit your PAT to your repository!" Remove it once fixed.
• Anonymous deploys. Netlify's guide mentions netlify deploy --allow-anonymous for testing, but only if the project contains no sensitive information. Unclaimed projects are removed after one hour.

See the MCP Security Center and Claude Code permission modes.

If it doesn't work

Netlify's Claude Code guide covers these:

• Login problems. Check whether your company uses Netlify SSO and whether you need a different work login. You can ask Claude Code to help you log in, or run netlify login.
• Deploy problems. Try an anonymous deploy to isolate auth issues, but only for non-sensitive projects.
• CLI not working. Run netlify status to check the CLI, netlify login to confirm the account, and npm install -g netlify-cli for the latest version.
• Skills missing or outdated. Install from the netlify/context-and-tools repository with the --agent claude-code command above.
• Node errors. Run node --version. With nvm, Netlify suggests nvm install 24 then nvm use 24.

Next step

Read the Netlify MCP server profile for remote versus local details. For everyday deploy work, see Claude Code with Vercel and Netlify. Other setups live in the connection guides hub.

Frequently asked questions