# Getting Started - Cover MCP (Beta)

## Prerequisites

Before you begin:

1. Clone the Diffblue Cover MCP server repository <https://github.com/diffblue/cover-mcp/>
2. Install `uv` , a Python project manager tool from <https://docs.astral.sh/uv/>
3. Install [Diffblue Cover CLI](https://cover-docs.diffblue.com/get-started/get-started/get-started-cover-cli)

**Note** Comprehensive documentation for setup and installation can be found in the [README.md](https://github.com/diffblue/cover-mcp/blob/main/README.md) file in the Diffblue Cover MCP server repository <https://github.com/diffblue/cover-mcp/>.

## Quick Installation

### Option 1: Install globally for your AI tool

Choose your AI development environment:

For **Claude Code**: `uv run fastmcp install claude-code --server-spec main.py`

For **Claude Desktop**: `uv run fastmcp install claude-desktop --server-spec main.py`

For **Cursor**: `uv run fastmcp install cursor --server-spec main.py`

For **Gemini CLI**: `uv run fastmcp install gemini-cli --server-spec main.py`

### Option 2: Install per-project

To generate a server configuration suitable for copy/pasting in to a `mcp.json` file, run `uv run fastmcp install mcp-json --server-spec main.py` .

```json
"Diffblue Cover": {
  "command": "uv",
  "args": [
    "run",
    "--with",
    "fastmcp",
    "fastmcp",
    "run",
    "/placeholder/path/to/cover-mcp/main.py"
  ]
}
```

**Note** The path placeholder paths used in these JSON snippets will depend on where you've cloned the Diffblue Cover MCP server repository.

### Configuration

Add environment variables to customize the location your Diffblue Cover CLI installation:

```json
"Diffblue Cover": {
  "command": "uv",
  "args": [
    "run",
    "--with",
    "fastmcp",
    "fastmcp",
    "run",
    "/placeholder/path/to/cover-mcp/main.py"
  ],
  "env": {
    "DIFFBLUE_COVER_CLI": "/path/to/dcover"
  }
}
```

* `DIFFBLUE_COVER_CLI`: Custom path to dcover executable

If you want to supply additional CLI arguments to every invocation of `dcover` you can supply the `DIFFBLUE_COVER_OPTIONS` , for example (the complete configuration would look something like the following):

```json
"Diffblue Cover": {
  "command": "uv",
  "args": [
    "run",
    "--with",
    "fastmcp",
    "fastmcp",
    "run",
    "/placeholder/path/to/cover-mcp/main.py"
  ],
  "env": {
    "DIFFBLUE_COVER_CLI": "/path/to/dcover",
    "DIFFBLUE_COVER_OPTIONS": "--verbose"
  }
}

```

## Validating the MCP Server Configuration

The Diffblue MCP Server exposes tools, prompts, and resources to allow you to interact with Cover through AI applications. Your AI application should show you a list of tools, prompts, and resources available though the MCP connections.

Claude code, if configured and connected to the MCP server will show something like:

{% code fullWidth="false" %}

```
Diffblue Cover MCP Server

Status: ✔ connected
Command: uv
Args: run --with fastmcp fastmcp run /placeholder/path/to/cover-mcp/main.py
Config location: /path/to/project/.mcp.json
Capabilities: tools · resources · prompts
Tools: 1 tools

❯ 1. View tools
  2. Reconnect
  3. Disable
```

{% endcode %}

## Using the MCP Server

From here you can instruct your AI application to "write unit tests for the java code contained in this project" to start `dcover` running across the whole project, for example. You can also provide specific classes or packages.