[Install] Failed to write configuration for Claude Code MCP server

[bradleybernard]

Laravel Package Version

1.0

Laravel Version

12.23.1

PHP Version

8.3.23

Database Driver & Version

No response

Description

Installed the package using composer & Laravel sail:
sail composer require laravel/boost --dev

Using version ^1.0 for laravel/boost

Then tried to install it:
sail php artisan boost:install

sail php artisan boost:install

 ██████╗   ██████╗   ██████╗  ███████╗ ████████╗
 ██╔══██╗ ██╔═══██╗ ██╔═══██╗ ██╔════╝ ╚══██╔══╝
 ██████╔╝ ██║   ██║ ██║   ██║ ███████╗    ██║
 ██╔══██╗ ██║   ██║ ██║   ██║ ╚════██║    ██║
 ██████╔╝ ╚██████╔╝ ╚██████╔╝ ███████║    ██║
 ╚═════╝   ╚═════╝   ╚═════╝  ╚══════╝    ╚═╝

  ✦ Laravel Boost :: Install :: We Must Ship ✦ 

 Let's give html a Boost

 ┌ Which code editors do you use to work on html? ──────────────┐
 │ Claude Code                                                  │
 │ Cursor                                                       │
 └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

 ┌ Which agents need AI guidelines for html? ───────────────────┐
 │ Claude Code                                                  │
 │ Cursor                                                       │
 └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘


 Adding 13 guidelines to your selected agents
 ╭────────────────────────┬────────────────────────┬────────────────────────┬────────────────────────┬────────────────────────┬────────────────────────╮
 │ boost                  │ filament/core          │ inertia-laravel/core   │ inertia-laravel/v2     │ laravel/core           │ laravel/v12            │
 ├────────────────────────┼────────────────────────┼────────────────────────┼────────────────────────┼────────────────────────┼────────────────────────┤
 │ livewire/core          │ livewire/v3            │ pest/core              │ pint/core              │ tailwindcss/core       │ tailwindcss/v3         │
 ├────────────────────────┼────────────────────────┼────────────────────────┼────────────────────────┼────────────────────────┼────────────────────────┤
 │ tests                  │                        │                        │                        │                        │                        │
 ╰────────────────────────┴────────────────────────┴────────────────────────┴────────────────────────┴────────────────────────┴────────────────────────╯

  Claude Code... ✓
  Cursor     ... ✓


 Installing MCP servers to your selected IDEs

  Claude Code... ✗ Boost
  Cursor     ... ✓ Boost

✗ Some MCP servers failed to install:
  - Claude Code (boost): Failed to write configuration
                                                           Enjoy the boost 🚀 https://boost.laravel.com/installed

Steps To Reproduce

sail composer require laravel/boost --dev
sail php artisan boost:install

[ashleyhindle]

Ah, there are a lot more docker aficionados than I thought 😁

We try to add the claude MCP server using the CLI through claude mcp, but I guess you're running claude on your host?

Does your host have PHP to be able to run php artisan boost:mcp, or would you need claude to run it through docker sail php artisan boost:mcp?

Either way the guidelines for Claude on https://boost.laravel.com/installed should help 👌

[abobus-2288]

@ashleyhindle i have almost similar issue. The install command was successful, but running sail artisan boost:mcp does not respond at all. Mine issue is here: #44

[bradleybernard]

Thanks Ashley! With sail, I try to do all things via sail so I don't have to remember to do anything with my host tools (yarn, php, etc.). However I am of course running claude on host machine, so I can see a bit of trouble here maybe?

I wonder if we can run the boost MCP server, inside the docker container, but still have CC connect to it?
sail artisan boost:mcp --> Inside docker

I followed the docs to get it installed via claude mcp:

claude mcp add -s local -t stdio laravel-boost php ./artisan boost:mcp

Which gets me a successful connection in /mcp within CC:

However when I ask it to use any boost tool, it always seems to fail for some reason:

Do you know why this is? Seems like the docs/rules are instructing CC to use it, but when it actually comes down to using it, it says it's not there. I think the MCP server isn't fully working with my current set up, because if I select it within claude it only shows reconnect instead of the other MCP options (View tools) to inspect an MCP server:

Here's playwright which has correct options:

Seems like docs/rules got injected but no dice on MCP server (php artisan boost) in my host env? I think maybe it's hanging? Not too sure

[graphem]

claude mcp add -s local -t stdio laravel-boost php ./artisan boost:mcp

This works for me, I had same issue, not running sail

[gkimpson]

same issues with Claude - I have around 7 MCP servers pre-installed if that makes a a difference.

-- UPDATE --
This also worked for me (not running Sail, just apps via Herd)
claude mcp add -s local -t stdio laravel-boost php ./artisan boost:mcp

[nickpoulos]

Yes I also have this issue during installation, I am running Laravel Sail.

  Claude Code... ✓


 Installing MCP servers to your selected IDEs

  Claude Code... ✗ Boost

✗ Some MCP servers failed to install:
  - Claude Code (boost): Failed to write configuration

Typially in my CLAUDE.md I have to say this application is running in Laravel Sail, always prefix commands like npm install, composer require with "sail ".

[bm2ilabs]

claude mcp add -s local -t stdio laravel-boost ddev php artisan boost:mcp this fixed for ddev

[calebdw]

This is failing because it's trying to write to your ~/.claude.json file which obviously doesn't exist in the docker container

[calebdw]

This should really be writing to a project specific claude config file instead of trying to write to the user's global config...

[calebdw]

Should be fixed by #76