Claude Code CLI vs Desktop connectors — when to use which

Claude Desktop uses web connectors from Anthropic's cloud; Claude Code uses `claude mcp add` in your terminal. Same MCP URL — different install path, transport flags, and fallback when CLI versions disagree.

Source: Influzer.ai

Teams testing MCP in Claude Desktop assume the same steps work in Claude Code. They do not.

Desktop / web: Settings → Connectors → Custom → Web → paste HTTPS URL. Anthropic's cloud calls your server.

Claude Code (CLI): terminal command, local config, often stdio or --transport http:

claude mcp add --transport http influzer-discovery \
  https://www.influzer.ai/mcp/discovery

When to use CLI: repo-adjacent coding sessions, local stdio servers, verifying claude mcp list in CI docs.

When to use Desktop connectors: non-dev stakeholders, OAuth flows in UI, no local install.

Fallback: if your CLI build rejects --transport http, use Desktop/web connectors for the same URL — do not fork the server.

Try both paths with read-only Discovery: /mcp/discovery/setup (Claude + Claude Code tabs). Full matrix: Claude Code CLI vs Desktop connectors.