MCP Server Setup

Configure whatsdiff's MCP server to work with your AI coding assistant.

Prerequisites

Install whatsdiff globally via Composer (see Installation). The whatsdiff-mcp binary is included automatically.

Quick Setup by IDE

Claude Code

claude mcp add whatsdiff -- whatsdiff-mcp

This installs per-project (recommended). For global access, add -s user flag.

Verify: claude mcp list

VS Code / Cursor / Cline / GitHub Copilot

All use the same configuration. Create .vscode/mcp.json or mcp.json in your project:

{
  "servers": {
    "whatsdiff": {
      "command": "whatsdiff-mcp"
    }
  }
}

VS Code requirements:

  • Version 1.102+
  • Enable: Settings → chat.mcp.gallery.enabled

After saving: Reload window (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+P → Reload Window)

JetBrains IDEs (PHPStorm, WebStorm, etc.)

Option 1: Built-in Settings (2025.2+)

  1. Tools → Junie → MCP Settings
  2. Add Server: whatsdiff-mcp

Option 2: Config File

Create .junie/mcp.json:

{
  "servers": {
    "whatsdiff": {
      "command": "whatsdiff-mcp"
    }
  }
}

Visual Studio (Windows)

Create .mcp.json in solution directory or %USERPROFILE%/.mcp.json:

{
  "servers": {
    "whatsdiff": {
      "command": "whatsdiff-mcp"
    }
  }
}

Using Full Path

If whatsdiff-mcp isn't found, use the full path:

which whatsdiff-mcp  # macOS/Linux
where whatsdiff-mcp  # Windows

Then use in config:

{
  "command": "/Users/username/.composer/vendor/bin/whatsdiff-mcp"
}

Verification

Test by asking your AI assistant:

"What are the available upgrades for laravel/framework from version 11.0.0?"

"What versions of Livewire are compatible with Laravel 11?"

If configured correctly, you'll get real package data from Packagist.

Next Steps