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Keep one MCP config source and confirm which file each tool reads

AgentArmorHQ team2 min read

You will pick one place for MCP server definitions and confirm which file Cline and Continue actually read. This keeps the two tools from drifting apart with different server lists.

  1. Pick source of truthOne team-owned server list
  2. Update Cline fileCline reads cline_mcp_settings.json, not .vscode/mcp.json
  3. Update Continue configOpen config.json via the MCP servers icon
  4. Test each toolRun one server from a task in each tool

Why it matters

Teams often keep MCP server definitions in .vscode/mcp.json so several tools can share them, only to find that Cline ignores that file and reads its own cline_mcp_settings.json instead. In Cline issue #3144 (opens external site), a user reported that even a symlink failed, because VS Code expects a "servers" key while Cline expects "mcpServers". As of the thread's last comment in December 2025, there is no supported way to share one file between the two.

Steps

  1. Decide which file is the source of truth for your team. Since Cline does not read .vscode/mcp.json, plan to maintain Cline's file separately, or generate it from one master copy with a small script you write yourself. The thread did not provide a working script, so treat that part as your own work.

  2. Locate Cline's config file on disk. Per the thread, Cline reads cline_mcp_settings.json from the extension's global storage directory, not from your workspace. Find that directory for your operating system and confirm the file is there before you edit it.

  3. Keep the top-level key in mind when you convert between formats. VS Code uses servers and Cline uses mcpServers. Do not symlink the two files, because the key mismatch means the server list will not load.

  4. Add your servers to Cline's file. The thread does not say how Cline picks up edits, so check your own results after saving by running one of the servers from a Cline task.

  5. For Continue, open its config through the MCP servers icon in the chat interface. The thread says this is the direct route to config.json when the gear icon opens the settings UI instead.

  6. Make the same server list in Continue's config, then compare the two tools side by side. Each one reads its own file, so check both lists match your source of truth.

  7. Write down the sync step in your repo's README so the next person knows which file to edit first and which one to regenerate.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming a symlink will work because both tools use JSON. The differing top-level key breaks it.
  • Editing .vscode/mcp.json and expecting Cline to pick up the change.
  • Pasting config.json contents into chat or logs. It can hold provider credentials, so keep it out of shared text.
  • Assuming an edit took effect without testing a server from the tool afterward.

Notes

General advice: keep credentials out of MCP config files where you can, and rotate any token that has been pasted somewhere it should not be.

Checklist

0 of 8 done

Sources

  1. Why won't Cline read MCP servers from VS Code's .vscode/mcp.json?
  2. Cline + Azure GPT-5: how to fix 'temperature not allowed' error?
  3. How do I open config.json in Continue when the gear icon opens the settings UI?
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