Claude Desktop Extensions: One-click MCP server installation for Claude Desktop

Anthropic's Desktop Extensions package a local MCP server, the software connecting Claude to a tool or data source, into an installable archive. A manifest describes how to launch it and what configuration the user must provide. Claude Desktop can collect required settings through an interface instead of asking users to edit configuration files manually. The application includes Node.js; other extension types declare their runtime requirements. The packaging addresses installation and setup friction. The September 2025 update renamed new bundles from .dxt to .mcpb while retaining compatibility with existing .dxt files.