CS Student4 MCP serversMCP 2025-06-18 Stable

CS Student Loadout

4 MCP servers for coursework, projects, and learning

Last verified:

Read your assignment files, version code on GitHub, persist what you've learned with Memory, and pull docs/articles via Fetch. A pragmatic loadout for students who want to learn faster without paying for premium tools.

Install CS Student Loadout

Paste into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/Users/you/coursework"]
    },
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
      "env": { "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "ghp_..." }
    },
    "memory": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-memory"]
    },
    "fetch": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-fetch"]
    }
  }
}

After pasting, fully restart your MCP client. Replace placeholders (paths, API keys) with your own values.

What's in this loadout

  • Filesystem MCP Server
    coremcp

    Read assignment files, lecture notes, scratch projects.

  • GitHub MCP Server
    coremcp

    Submit assignments, version side projects, contribute to open source.

  • Memory MCP Server
    optionalmcp

    Persist what you've learned across sessions — concepts, patterns, mistakes.

  • Fetch MCP
    optionalmcp

    Pull official docs, blog posts, Stack Overflow threads as grounding for answers.

What you can do with it

  • Explain my own code

    Read /Users/me/cs101/assignment-3.py and explain what each function does, then point out the two patterns that differ from the textbook style.

  • Submit and document

    I just finished /Users/me/cs101/lab-5/. Commit the files, push through github to the assignments repo, and save a short reflection in memory about what I struggled with.

  • Learn from docs

    Fetch the official Python asyncio docs and explain event loops with a small example I can run. Save the explanation in memory under "asyncio".

Client compatibility

  • Claude Desktop 0.7.4
    Tested ✓
  • Cursor 0.42+
    Tested ✓
  • Windsurf 1.4
    Tested ✓
  • Continue 0.9
    Untested

Variants

Heavy version

Adds Postgres or SQLite for database coursework and Brave Search for research-heavy classes.

Adds: mcp-server-sqlite, mcp-server-brave-search

Lite version

Just Filesystem + GitHub. The two things every CS student needs.

Removes: mcp-server-memory, mcp-server-fetch

FAQ — CS Student Loadout

  • What is the CS Student Loadout?

    Read your assignment files, version code on GitHub, persist what you've learned with Memory, and pull docs/articles via Fetch. A pragmatic loadout for students who want to learn faster without paying for premium tools. It includes 4 MCP servers: Filesystem MCP Server, GitHub MCP Server, Memory MCP Server, Fetch MCP.

  • Does this loadout work with Cursor and Windsurf?

    Yes. The config block above is one JSON object that drops into Claude Desktop's, Cursor's, or Windsurf's MCP config. Each client uses the same mcpServers schema; only the file path differs.

  • How long does setup take?

    About 3 minutes the first time: copy the config, paste it into your client's MCP configuration file, replace placeholder API keys with your own, and restart the client.

  • Can I customise this loadout?

    Yes. Use the Lite version if you want fewer servers, or the Heavy version to add 2 more for advanced workflows. You can also remove any individual server by deleting its entry from the JSON.

  • How much does it cost?

    Loadout itself is free. Most listed servers are open-source and free to run. Servers that talk to paid SaaS (Stripe, SendGrid, Linear, etc.) follow that vendor's pricing.

  • When was this loadout last verified?

    Last verified on 2026-04-24. We re-test featured loadouts at least monthly and update the config when MCP servers ship breaking changes.