Alpaca + Claude Code: Complete MCP Integration

Alpaca is a MCP server that Trading stocks and options, analyzing data, and building strategies using plain English through Alpaca's MCP server integration..

When integrated with Claude Code, you can:

• Access Alpaca functionality through Claude Code

This guide provides step-by-step instructions to set up Alpaca in Claude Code, including configuration, examples, and troubleshooting.

What You'll Achieve

After completing this setup:

• Alpaca will be fully integrated and operational
• You can use Alpaca tools directly in Claude Code
• All Alpaca capabilities will be available for your workflows

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

• Claude Code installed and configured
• Compatible operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux)

Installation

Step 1: Install Alpaca

Configuration

Step 2: Configure Claude Code

1. Install Claude Code

Download and install Claude Code from the official website

Visit: https://claude.ai/code

Note: Claude Code is available as a native application, not via npm

2. Navigate to Project

Open terminal in your project directory where you want to use the MCP server

3. Install MCP Server

Install the MCP server you want to use (e.g., via npm, pip, or other package manager)

4. Configure MCP Server

Add MCP server configuration to project CLAUDE.md file or use --mcp-config flag

Note: CLAUDE.md is preferred for project-specific configuration

5. Test Integration

Start Claude Code and verify MCP server is working

claude

Note: Use interactive mode to test MCP server functionality

Configuration Details

Add to your project's CLAUDE.md file:

## MCP Servers

### Alpaca
- **Installation**: alpaca
- **Configuration**: 
- **Description**: Trading stocks and options, analyzing data, and building strategies using plain English through Alpaca's MCP server integration.

Claude Code will automatically detect and load MCP servers from your project context.

Examples

Once configured, you can use Alpaca in Claude Code:

Testing Your Setup

1. Run claude in your project directory
2. Ask Claude to list available tools and verify Alpaca tools are present
3. Test Alpaca functionality by asking Claude to use specific tools

Test commands:

claude

claude --debug

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Server Not Found

Symptoms: Command not found errors, Server tools unavailable

Cause: Server not installed or not in PATH

Solution:

• Verify server installation
• Check PATH environment variable
• Install server globally or in project

Configuration Not Loaded

Symptoms: CLAUDE.md changes not recognized, Old server config used

Cause: CLAUDE.md file not in correct location or format

Solution:

• Ensure CLAUDE.md is in project root
• Verify markdown syntax is correct
• Restart Claude Code session

Alpaca not appearing in Claude Code

Symptoms: Server not listed, Tools not available

Cause: Configuration or installation issue

Solution:

• Verify configuration syntax
• Check Alpaca installation
• Restart Claude Code
• Check logs for error messages

Next Steps

Now that Alpaca is integrated with Claude Code:

• Explore all Alpaca capabilities through Claude Code
• Check out other MCP servers that work with Claude Code
• Join the MCP community for tips and support
• Consider contributing to Alpaca development

Need Help?

• Search for Alpaca documentation
• Check the Claude Code MCP guide
• Join the MCP community discussions