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What Is the Best Way to Debug MCP Tools Using the MCP Inspector?
Learn why the browser-based MCP Inspector is the best developer tool for testing, debugging, and executing your MCP server tools before integrating them with Claude.
Question
You’ve created an MCP server and want to test your tools before connecting them to Claude. What’s the best way to do this?
A. Testing isn’t needed for tools, Claude can figure out how to use them
B. Connect to Claude immediately
C. Use the MCP Inspector in your browser
D. Test in production
Answer
C. Use the MCP Inspector in your browser
Explanation
The MCP Inspector is a dedicated, browser-based developer tool designed specifically for testing and debugging Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers before connecting them to an AI client. It allows you to connect directly to your server, view available tools alongside their schemas, and manually execute them with custom inputs to verify their JSON responses, ensuring your tools function correctly during development.