---
title: Quickstart
description: Run person-mcp locally, connect it to Claude Code, and get your first answer from the store in about five minutes.
url: https://person-mcp.thally.app/quickstart
---

# Quickstart

Run person-mcp locally, connect it to Claude Code, and get your first answer from the store in about five minutes.

By the end of this page, person-mcp runs on your machine, Claude Code can call
its tools, and your agent answers a question from a sample contact.

## Before you begin

- Node.js 22.22.2 or newer (`node -v` to check)
- Git
- [Claude Code](https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code), or another MCP
  client that supports HTTP servers

#### Clone and install

    ```bash
    git clone https://github.com/nicolasarnedo99/person-mcp.git
    cd person-mcp
    npm install
    ```

#### Create your store

    Copy the sample file. It holds one example contact, Jane Doe, so you can
    test the tools before you add real people.

    ```bash
    cp people.example.json people.json
    ```

    `people.json` is gitignored. Keep it that way: it will hold private notes
    about real people.

#### Start the server

    ```bash
    npm run dev
    ```

    When it is ready, the terminal prints:

    ```text
    [mcp-use] dev server ready
      ➜ MCP endpoint:  http://localhost:3000/mcp
      ➜ Inspector:     http://localhost:3000/mcp/inspector
    ```

    Leave this terminal open. The server reads `people.json` from the
    directory you start it in.

#### Connect Claude Code

    In a second terminal, register the server once for your user:

    ```bash
    claude mcp add person-mcp --transport http http://localhost:3000/mcp --scope user
    ```

    Start a new Claude Code session so it loads the tools.

#### Ask your first question

    In Claude Code, ask:

    ```text
    What do I know about Jane Doe?
    ```

    Claude calls `search-people` and `get-person` and answers with her role,
    company and two dated notes: that you met at a conference and sent a
    follow-up with a demo link.

## Check it without an agent

If you want to confirm the server works before involving a client, call it
directly. This lists the five tools:

```bash
curl -s -X POST http://localhost:3000/mcp \
  -H 'content-type: application/json' \
  -H 'accept: application/json, text/event-stream' \
  -d '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/list"}'
```

You can also open the Inspector at `http://localhost:3000/mcp/inspector` and
run each tool by hand.

## Next step

Now replace the sample with a real contact. [Prepare for a call with
person-mcp](/guides/prep-before-a-call) shows the full import, log and recall
loop.