Stage 3: Configure your environment & run the server

Prepare credentials

Ensure that your Patchworks API key is to hand, ready to copy/paste later in this task.

Change into the required folder

In a terminal window, run the following command:

cd ~/patchworks-mcp

Copy and rename the .env.example file

Run the following command:

cp .env.example .env

The copied file is now named .env.

Open the .env file in edit mode

Run the following command:

nano .env

The .env opens and will look similar to the example below:

Apply your Patchworks API key

Use your arrow keys to move down to the end of the PATCHWORKS_TOKEN= XXXXXXXXXXXXXX line:

Then use your backspace key to delete the XXXXXXXXXXXXXX element:

Now paste your Patchworks API key - for example:

Press CTRL+X to exit. When prompted, enter Y to save changes, then press Enter to confirm the .env filename.

Run the server

In the same terminal window (at the patchworks-mcp directory), run the following command:

uv run python server.py

You should see confirmation that a virtual environment is created and packages are installed - for example:

At this point, you can terminate the session.

Configure your MCP client

Go to Stage 4: Configure your MCP client.