Confluence MCP Server: Setup Guide, Use Cases & Limitations

What Is Confluence MCP Server?

Confluence MCP Server connects Claude to your Confluence instance, enabling search and read operations across pages and spaces directly from Claude Desktop or Claude Code. It is maintained by francescofanderl and available as an npm package.

Quick Facts

What You Can Do With It

• Documentation search: Query your Confluence instance by keyword to locate relevant pages without leaving your Claude session.
• Page reading: Retrieve the full content of a specific Confluence page to reference technical documentation or internal guides inline.
• Knowledge base access: Pull information from your organization’s knowledge base to answer questions or generate summaries grounded in internal content.
• Team wiki queries: Browse and query team spaces to surface process documentation, runbooks, or meeting notes on demand.

How to Set It Up

Prerequisites: Node.js installed, and Confluence API credentials (URL, username, and API token).

Step 1 — Test the package runs:

npx mcp-confluence
**Step 2 — Add to Claude Desktop config.**

Open or create `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json` (macOS) and add the server entry:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "confluence": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["mcp-confluence"],
      "env": {
        "CONFLUENCE_URL": "https://your-domain.atlassian.net",
        "CONFLUENCE_USERNAME": "your-email@example.com",
        "CONFLUENCE_API_TOKEN": "your-api-token"
      }
    }
  }
}

Step 3 — Add to Claude Code.

For Claude Code, add the same block to .claude/mcp.json in your project root, or run:

claude mcp add confluence npx mcp-confluence \
  -e CONFLUENCE_URL=https://your-domain.atlassian.net \
  -e CONFLUENCE_USERNAME=your-email@example.com \
  -e CONFLUENCE_API_TOKEN=your-api-token

Restart Claude Desktop or reload your Claude Code session after making config changes.

Works Best With

This server is documented as compatible with Claude Desktop and Claude Code. Both clients support the MCP protocol and can consume the search and read tools this server exposes. Claude Code is the better fit for developer workflows where you want to pull internal documentation while working in a codebase. Claude Desktop works well for ad-hoc knowledge base queries outside a coding context.

Known Limitations

• Read-only: The server is scoped to search and read operations. Creating, editing, or deleting Confluence pages is not a documented capability.
• Authentication required: You must generate a Confluence API token and supply credentials via environment variables. Without valid credentials the server will not connect.
• Atlassian API rate limits apply: Confluence Cloud enforces REST API rate limits. Heavy or automated querying may result in throttled responses; the server does not appear to implement built-in retry logic.
• Cloud vs. Server/Data Center: Verify compatibility with your Confluence deployment type. Atlassian Cloud (atlassian.net) is the most likely tested target; self-hosted Confluence Server or Data Center may require endpoint adjustments.
• Content fidelity: Confluence pages with complex macros or embedded content may not render fully in plain-text output returned to Claude.

Community Resources

• GitHub Issues: https://github.com/francescofanderl/mcp-confluence/issues — report bugs or check known problems here.
• npm package page: https://www.npmjs.com/package/mcp-confluence — version history and download stats.
• MCP server listings and discussion: Search mcp-confluence on the Claude subreddit or the Anthropic Discord for community usage threads.