MCP: connect external tools

MCP, the Model Context Protocol, lets Codex use external tools and data beyond reading and editing code. Configuration lives in ~/.codex/config.toml alongside the Passion8 provider settings.

#What MCP means

Codex is the worker, MCP the connection, a server the toolbox and a tool one operation in it.

#Common uses

#Add an MCP server

Codex AppCodex CLI

Open Settings → MCP servers and select a recommended server or add a custom server:

Field	Purpose
Name	Your label for the service
Command / URL	Local startup command or remote address
Type	stdio or HTTP
Environment	Required variables such as credentials
Enabled tools	Operations exposed to the agent

Then describe the task naturally, or explicitly ask it to use the selected tool, such as Context7 for current Next.js documentation.

#Command reference

MCP server authorization is separate from Passion8 model authentication.

#config.toml example

Add this alongside the provider configuration:

# Other model and provider settings remain above/beside this table.
[mcp_servers.context7]
command = "npx"
args = ["-y", "@upstash/context7-mcp"]

#Missing tools: diagnostic order

1. Use codex mcp list to confirm the server exists.
2. Check command dependencies such as Node.js and npx.
3. Authorize remote servers with codex mcp login only when they require that authentication method.
4. Restart the CLI and inspect /mcp again.

Start with a documentation service before adding remote tools with broader account access.

#Continue reading