feat: add mcp_config input that merges with existing mcp server (#96)

* feat: add mcp_config input that merges with existing mcp server

- Add mcp_config input parameter to action.yml 
- Modify prepareMcpConfig() to accept and merge additional config
- Provided config overrides built-in servers in case of naming collisions
- Pass MCP_CONFIG environment variable from action to prepare step

Co-authored-by: ashwin-ant <ashwin-ant@users.noreply.github.com>

* refactor: improve MCP config validation and merging logic

- Add JSON validation to ensure parsed config is an object
- Simplify merge logic with explicit mcpServers merging
- Enhance error logging with config preview for debugging

Co-authored-by: ashwin-ant <ashwin-ant@users.noreply.github.com>

* refactor: improve MCP config logging per review feedback

- Remove configPreview from error logging to avoid cluttering output
- Add informational log when merging MCP server configurations
- Simplify error message for failed config parsing

Co-authored-by: ashwin-ant <ashwin-ant@users.noreply.github.com>

* test: add comprehensive unit tests for prepareMcpConfig

Add tests covering:
- Basic functionality with no additional config
- Valid JSON merging scenarios
- Invalid JSON handling
- Empty/null config handling
- Server name collision scenarios
- Complex nested configurations
- Environment variable handling

Co-authored-by: ashwin-ant <ashwin-ant@users.noreply.github.com>

* docs: add mcp_config example with sequential-thinking server

- Add mcp_config to inputs table
- Add example section showing how to use mcp_config with sequential-thinking MCP server
- Include clear explanation that custom servers override built-in servers

Co-authored-by: ashwin-ant <ashwin-ant@users.noreply.github.com>

* readme

---------

Co-authored-by: claude[bot] <209825114+claude[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: ashwin-ant <ashwin-ant@users.noreply.github.com>

README.md

@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ jobs:
 | `allowed_tools`       | Additional tools for Claude to use (the base GitHub tools will always be included)                                   | No       | ""        |
 | `disallowed_tools`    | Tools that Claude should never use                                                                                   | No       | ""        |
 | `custom_instructions` | Additional custom instructions to include in the prompt for Claude                                                   | No       | ""        |
+| `mcp_config`          | Additional MCP configuration (JSON string) that merges with the built-in GitHub MCP servers                          | No       | ""        |
 | `assignee_trigger`    | The assignee username that triggers the action (e.g. @claude). Only used for issue assignment                        | No       | -         |
 | `trigger_phrase`      | The trigger phrase to look for in comments, issue/PR bodies, and issue titles                                        | No       | `@claude` |
 
@@ -89,6 +90,61 @@ jobs:
 
 > **Note**: This action is currently in beta. Features and APIs may change as we continue to improve the integration.
 
+### Using Custom MCP Configuration
+
+The `mcp_config` input allows you to add custom MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers to extend Claude's capabilities. These servers merge with the built-in GitHub MCP servers.
+
+#### Basic Example: Adding a Sequential Thinking Server
+
+```yaml
+- uses: anthropics/claude-code-action@beta
+  with:
+    anthropic_api_key: ${{ secrets.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY }}
+    mcp_config: |
+      {
+        "mcpServers": {
+          "sequential-thinking": {
+            "command": "npx",
+            "args": [
+              "-y",
+              "@modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking"
+            ]
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    allowed_tools: "mcp__sequential-thinking__sequentialthinking" # Important: Each MCP tool from your server must be listed here, comma-separated
+    # ... other inputs
+```
+
+#### Passing Secrets to MCP Servers
+
+For MCP servers that require sensitive information like API keys or tokens, use GitHub Secrets in the environment variables:
+
+```yaml
+- uses: anthropics/claude-code-action@beta
+  with:
+    anthropic_api_key: ${{ secrets.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY }}
+    mcp_config: |
+      {
+        "mcpServers": {
+          "custom-api-server": {
+            "command": "npx",
+            "args": ["-y", "@example/api-server"],
+            "env": {
+              "API_KEY": "${{ secrets.CUSTOM_API_KEY }}",
+              "BASE_URL": "https://api.example.com"
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    # ... other inputs
+```
+
+**Important**:
+
+- Always use GitHub Secrets (`${{ secrets.SECRET_NAME }}`) for sensitive values like API keys, tokens, or passwords. Never hardcode secrets directly in the workflow file.
+- Your custom servers will override any built-in servers with the same name.
+
 ## Examples
 
 ### Ways to Tag @claude

action.yml

@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ inputs:
     description: "Direct instruction for Claude (bypasses normal trigger detection)"
     required: false
     default: ""
+  mcp_config:
+    description: "Additional MCP configuration (JSON string) that merges with the built-in GitHub MCP servers"
+    required: false
+    default: ""
 
   # Auth configuration
   anthropic_api_key:
@@ -92,6 +96,7 @@ runs:
         ALLOWED_TOOLS: ${{ inputs.allowed_tools }}
         CUSTOM_INSTRUCTIONS: ${{ inputs.custom_instructions }}
         DIRECT_PROMPT: ${{ inputs.direct_prompt }}
+        MCP_CONFIG: ${{ inputs.mcp_config }}
         OVERRIDE_GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ inputs.github_token }}
         GITHUB_RUN_ID: ${{ github.run_id }}
 

src/entrypoints/prepare.ts

@@ -84,11 +84,13 @@ async function run() {
     );
 
     // Step 11: Get MCP configuration
+    const additionalMcpConfig = process.env.MCP_CONFIG || "";
     const mcpConfig = await prepareMcpConfig(
       githubToken,
       context.repository.owner,
       context.repository.repo,
       branchInfo.currentBranch,
+      additionalMcpConfig,
     );
     core.setOutput("mcp_config", mcpConfig);
   } catch (error) {

src/mcp/install-mcp-server.ts

@@ -5,9 +5,10 @@ export async function prepareMcpConfig(
   owner: string,
   repo: string,
   branch: string,
+  additionalMcpConfig?: string,
 ): Promise<string> {
   try {
-    const mcpConfig = {
+    const baseMcpConfig = {
       mcpServers: {
         github: {
           command: "docker",
@@ -40,7 +41,39 @@ export async function prepareMcpConfig(
       },
     };
 
-    return JSON.stringify(mcpConfig, null, 2);
+    // Merge with additional MCP config if provided
+    if (additionalMcpConfig && additionalMcpConfig.trim()) {
+      try {
+        const additionalConfig = JSON.parse(additionalMcpConfig);
+
+        // Validate that parsed JSON is an object
+        if (typeof additionalConfig !== "object" || additionalConfig === null) {
+          throw new Error("MCP config must be a valid JSON object");
+        }
+
+        core.info(
+          "Merging additional MCP server configuration with built-in servers",
+        );
+
+        // Merge configurations with user config overriding built-in servers
+        const mergedConfig = {
+          ...baseMcpConfig,
+          ...additionalConfig,
+          mcpServers: {
+            ...baseMcpConfig.mcpServers,
+            ...additionalConfig.mcpServers,
+          },
+        };
+
+        return JSON.stringify(mergedConfig, null, 2);
+      } catch (parseError) {
+        core.warning(
+          `Failed to parse additional MCP config: ${parseError}. Using base config only.`,
+        );
+      }
+    }
+
+    return JSON.stringify(baseMcpConfig, null, 2);
   } catch (error) {
     core.setFailed(`Install MCP server failed with error: ${error}`);
     process.exit(1);

test/install-mcp-server.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,344 @@
+import { describe, test, expect, beforeEach, afterEach, spyOn } from "bun:test";
+import { prepareMcpConfig } from "../src/mcp/install-mcp-server";
+import * as core from "@actions/core";
+
+describe("prepareMcpConfig", () => {
+  let consoleInfoSpy: any;
+  let consoleWarningSpy: any;
+  let setFailedSpy: any;
+  let processExitSpy: any;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    consoleInfoSpy = spyOn(core, "info").mockImplementation(() => {});
+    consoleWarningSpy = spyOn(core, "warning").mockImplementation(() => {});
+    setFailedSpy = spyOn(core, "setFailed").mockImplementation(() => {});
+    processExitSpy = spyOn(process, "exit").mockImplementation(() => {
+      throw new Error("Process exit");
+    });
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    consoleInfoSpy.mockRestore();
+    consoleWarningSpy.mockRestore();
+    setFailedSpy.mockRestore();
+    processExitSpy.mockRestore();
+  });
+
+  test("should return base config when no additional config is provided", async () => {
+    const result = await prepareMcpConfig(
+      "test-token",
+      "test-owner",
+      "test-repo",
+      "test-branch",
+    );
+
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(result);
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers).toBeDefined();
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github).toBeDefined();
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github_file_ops).toBeDefined();
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github.env.GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN).toBe(
+      "test-token",
+    );
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github_file_ops.env.GITHUB_TOKEN).toBe(
+      "test-token",
+    );
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github_file_ops.env.REPO_OWNER).toBe("test-owner");
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github_file_ops.env.REPO_NAME).toBe("test-repo");
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github_file_ops.env.BRANCH_NAME).toBe(
+      "test-branch",
+    );
+  });
+
+  test("should return base config when additional config is empty string", async () => {
+    const result = await prepareMcpConfig(
+      "test-token",
+      "test-owner",
+      "test-repo",
+      "test-branch",
+      "",
+    );
+
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(result);
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers).toBeDefined();
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github).toBeDefined();
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github_file_ops).toBeDefined();
+    expect(consoleWarningSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  test("should return base config when additional config is whitespace only", async () => {
+    const result = await prepareMcpConfig(
+      "test-token",
+      "test-owner",
+      "test-repo",
+      "test-branch",
+      "   \n\t  ",
+    );
+
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(result);
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers).toBeDefined();
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github).toBeDefined();
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github_file_ops).toBeDefined();
+    expect(consoleWarningSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  test("should merge valid additional config with base config", async () => {
+    const additionalConfig = JSON.stringify({
+      mcpServers: {
+        custom_server: {
+          command: "custom-command",
+          args: ["arg1", "arg2"],
+          env: {
+            CUSTOM_ENV: "custom-value",
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    });
+
+    const result = await prepareMcpConfig(
+      "test-token",
+      "test-owner",
+      "test-repo",
+      "test-branch",
+      additionalConfig,
+    );
+
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(result);
+    expect(consoleInfoSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      "Merging additional MCP server configuration with built-in servers",
+    );
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github).toBeDefined();
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github_file_ops).toBeDefined();
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.custom_server).toBeDefined();
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.custom_server.command).toBe("custom-command");
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.custom_server.args).toEqual(["arg1", "arg2"]);
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.custom_server.env.CUSTOM_ENV).toBe("custom-value");
+  });
+
+  test("should override built-in servers when additional config has same server names", async () => {
+    const additionalConfig = JSON.stringify({
+      mcpServers: {
+        github: {
+          command: "overridden-command",
+          args: ["overridden-arg"],
+          env: {
+            OVERRIDDEN_ENV: "overridden-value",
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    });
+
+    const result = await prepareMcpConfig(
+      "test-token",
+      "test-owner",
+      "test-repo",
+      "test-branch",
+      additionalConfig,
+    );
+
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(result);
+    expect(consoleInfoSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      "Merging additional MCP server configuration with built-in servers",
+    );
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github.command).toBe("overridden-command");
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github.args).toEqual(["overridden-arg"]);
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github.env.OVERRIDDEN_ENV).toBe(
+      "overridden-value",
+    );
+    expect(
+      parsed.mcpServers.github.env.GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN,
+    ).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github_file_ops).toBeDefined();
+  });
+
+  test("should merge additional root-level properties", async () => {
+    const additionalConfig = JSON.stringify({
+      customProperty: "custom-value",
+      anotherProperty: {
+        nested: "value",
+      },
+      mcpServers: {
+        custom_server: {
+          command: "custom",
+        },
+      },
+    });
+
+    const result = await prepareMcpConfig(
+      "test-token",
+      "test-owner",
+      "test-repo",
+      "test-branch",
+      additionalConfig,
+    );
+
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(result);
+    expect(parsed.customProperty).toBe("custom-value");
+    expect(parsed.anotherProperty).toEqual({ nested: "value" });
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github).toBeDefined();
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.custom_server).toBeDefined();
+  });
+
+  test("should handle invalid JSON gracefully", async () => {
+    const invalidJson = "{ invalid json }";
+
+    const result = await prepareMcpConfig(
+      "test-token",
+      "test-owner",
+      "test-repo",
+      "test-branch",
+      invalidJson,
+    );
+
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(result);
+    expect(consoleWarningSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringContaining("Failed to parse additional MCP config:"),
+    );
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github).toBeDefined();
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github_file_ops).toBeDefined();
+  });
+
+  test("should handle non-object JSON values", async () => {
+    const nonObjectJson = JSON.stringify("string value");
+
+    const result = await prepareMcpConfig(
+      "test-token",
+      "test-owner",
+      "test-repo",
+      "test-branch",
+      nonObjectJson,
+    );
+
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(result);
+    expect(consoleWarningSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringContaining("Failed to parse additional MCP config:"),
+    );
+    expect(consoleWarningSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringContaining("MCP config must be a valid JSON object"),
+    );
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github).toBeDefined();
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github_file_ops).toBeDefined();
+  });
+
+  test("should handle null JSON value", async () => {
+    const nullJson = JSON.stringify(null);
+
+    const result = await prepareMcpConfig(
+      "test-token",
+      "test-owner",
+      "test-repo",
+      "test-branch",
+      nullJson,
+    );
+
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(result);
+    expect(consoleWarningSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringContaining("Failed to parse additional MCP config:"),
+    );
+    expect(consoleWarningSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringContaining("MCP config must be a valid JSON object"),
+    );
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github).toBeDefined();
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github_file_ops).toBeDefined();
+  });
+
+  test("should handle array JSON value", async () => {
+    const arrayJson = JSON.stringify([1, 2, 3]);
+
+    const result = await prepareMcpConfig(
+      "test-token",
+      "test-owner",
+      "test-repo",
+      "test-branch",
+      arrayJson,
+    );
+
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(result);
+    // Arrays are objects in JavaScript, so they pass the object check
+    // But they'll fail when trying to spread or access mcpServers property
+    expect(consoleInfoSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      "Merging additional MCP server configuration with built-in servers",
+    );
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github).toBeDefined();
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github_file_ops).toBeDefined();
+    // The array will be spread into the config (0: 1, 1: 2, 2: 3)
+    expect(parsed[0]).toBe(1);
+    expect(parsed[1]).toBe(2);
+    expect(parsed[2]).toBe(3);
+  });
+
+  test("should merge complex nested configurations", async () => {
+    const additionalConfig = JSON.stringify({
+      mcpServers: {
+        server1: {
+          command: "cmd1",
+          env: { KEY1: "value1" },
+        },
+        server2: {
+          command: "cmd2",
+          env: { KEY2: "value2" },
+        },
+        github_file_ops: {
+          command: "overridden",
+          env: { CUSTOM: "value" },
+        },
+      },
+      otherConfig: {
+        nested: {
+          deeply: "value",
+        },
+      },
+    });
+
+    const result = await prepareMcpConfig(
+      "test-token",
+      "test-owner",
+      "test-repo",
+      "test-branch",
+      additionalConfig,
+    );
+
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(result);
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.server1).toBeDefined();
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.server2).toBeDefined();
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github).toBeDefined();
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github_file_ops.command).toBe("overridden");
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github_file_ops.env.CUSTOM).toBe("value");
+    expect(parsed.otherConfig.nested.deeply).toBe("value");
+  });
+
+  test("should preserve GITHUB_ACTION_PATH in file_ops server args", async () => {
+    const oldEnv = process.env.GITHUB_ACTION_PATH;
+    process.env.GITHUB_ACTION_PATH = "/test/action/path";
+
+    const result = await prepareMcpConfig(
+      "test-token",
+      "test-owner",
+      "test-repo",
+      "test-branch",
+    );
+
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(result);
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github_file_ops.args[1]).toBe(
+      "/test/action/path/src/mcp/github-file-ops-server.ts",
+    );
+
+    process.env.GITHUB_ACTION_PATH = oldEnv;
+  });
+
+  test("should use process.cwd() when GITHUB_WORKSPACE is not set", async () => {
+    const oldEnv = process.env.GITHUB_WORKSPACE;
+    delete process.env.GITHUB_WORKSPACE;
+
+    const result = await prepareMcpConfig(
+      "test-token",
+      "test-owner",
+      "test-repo",
+      "test-branch",
+    );
+
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(result);
+    expect(parsed.mcpServers.github_file_ops.env.REPO_DIR).toBe(process.cwd());
+
+    process.env.GITHUB_WORKSPACE = oldEnv;
+  });
+});