# Examples of MCP Servers Used by Claude Plugins: TRES Finance, TestDino, and QuickDesign

> Discover MCP server examples powering Claude plugins like TRES Finance for blockchain, TestDino for testing, and QuickDesign for video generation. Learn about real-world applications.

- Repository: [Anthropic/claude-plugins-community](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community)
- Tags: examples
- Published: 2026-09-08

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**Claude plugins communicate with external services through MCP (Model Context Protocol) endpoints, with concrete production implementations including TRES Finance for blockchain accounting, TestDino for automated testing, and QuickDesign for video generation.**

The `anthropics/claude-plugins-community` repository demonstrates how **MCP servers** act as secure bridges between Claude's skill system and diverse backends. These servers enable standardized tool invocations without hardcoding secrets or endpoint URLs directly in skill definitions.

## What Are MCP Servers in Claude Plugins?

MCP servers provide a protocol layer that abstracts external API communication. Each plugin declares its **MCP server** configuration—including URLs, authentication, and permissions—in a [`.mcp.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.mcp.json) file, allowing skills to invoke tools by symbolic identifier rather than managing raw network requests.

This architecture separates business logic from infrastructure concerns. Skills reference server names like `user-tres-finance` or `testdino-mcp`, while the underlying MCP layer handles routing to concrete endpoints such as `https://ai.tres.finance/mcp` or `https://mcp.testdino.com`.

## Real-World Examples of MCP Servers

The community repository contains three documented **MCP server** implementations that demonstrate different integration patterns for GraphQL and HTTP-based services.

### TRES Finance MCP Server

The TRES Finance plugin bundles an MCP server at `https://ai.tres.finance/mcp` that exposes GraphQL tools for blockchain accounting. According to [`tres-finance-plugin/README.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/tres-finance-plugin/README.md) (line 126), this server provides methods including `build_query`, `execute`, and `introspect` for ledger management and transaction analysis.

Skills reference this server using the identifier `user-tres-finance` as defined in [`tres-finance-plugin/.mcp.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/tres-finance-plugin/.mcp.json). This configuration enables secure GraphQL operations against blockchain data without embedding API credentials in skill YAML.

### TestDino MCP Server

TestDino connects to `https://mcp.testdino.com` to provide Playwright-based test automation capabilities. As documented in [`testdino/README.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/testdino/README.md) (line 14), this remote MCP server exposes tools for test-run inspection, audit trails, and manual test management.

The server is configured in [`testdino/.mcp.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/testdino/.mcp.json) with the identifier `testdino-mcp`. This setup allows Claude to retrieve run reports and analyze test results through standardized tool invocations rather than direct browser automation code.

### QuickDesign MCP Server

QuickDesign's MCP server operates at `https://app.quickdesign.io/api/mcp`, offering HTTP-based video generation and asset creation. The connector documentation in [`quickdesign/skills/quickdesign/references/connecting-claude-ai-via-mcp.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/quickdesign/skills/quickdesign/references/connecting-claude-ai-via-mcp.md) (line 11) describes commands like `quickdesign_generate_video` for automated content production.

Configured in [`quickdesign/.mcp.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/quickdesign/.mcp.json) under the identifier `quickdesign`, this server handles media processing workflows including video upscaling and style transfer operations through a unified interface.

## How Skills Invoke MCP Servers

Skills communicate with **MCP servers** through YAML-defined tool invocations that specify the server identifier in the `args` block. This pattern appears consistently across the repository's skill definitions.

### Querying Blockchain Data via TRES Finance

The following snippet from [`tres-wallets-upload/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/tres-wallets-upload/SKILL.md) demonstrates calling the `execute` tool against the TRES Finance MCP server:

```yaml
description: |
  Upload and onboard multiple on-chain wallets or exchange accounts into TRES.
  All GraphQL calls use the **TRES Finance MCP** server.

steps:
  - name: List available wallets
    tool: execute
    args:
      server: "user-tres-finance"
      query: |
        query getWallets { wallets { id name } }

```

The `user-tres-finance` value resolves to `https://ai.tres.finance/mcp` through the [`.mcp.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.mcp.json) configuration, enabling secure GraphQL execution without URL hardcoding.

### Retrieving Test Reports via TestDino

Skills fetch Playwright execution data by targeting the TestDino MCP server identifier:

```yaml
description: Retrieve a Playwright run report from the TestDino MCP.

steps:
  - name: Get run details
    tool: get_run_report
    args:
      server: "testdino-mcp"
      run_id: "{{user_input.run_id}}"

```

The `testdino-mcp` server value routes this request to `https://mcp.testdino.com`, where the MCP protocol handles the HTTP communication with TestDino's backend testing infrastructure.

### Generating Media via QuickDesign

For content creation workflows, skills invoke the QuickDesign MCP server using specialized media generation tools:

```yaml
description: Generate a marketing video via the QuickDesign MCP.

steps:
  - name: Create video
    tool: quickdesign_generate_video
    args:
      server: "quickdesign"
      prompt: "A sleek AI-powered fitness app"
      style: "modern"

```

This configuration points to `https://app.quickdesign.io/api/mcp`, allowing Claude to trigger video rendering pipelines through the standardized MCP interface.

## MCP Server Configuration Architecture

Each plugin defines its **MCP server** connections in a [`.mcp.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.mcp.json) file at the plugin root. These configuration files map symbolic server names to concrete URLs and permission scopes, creating a portable and secure architecture.

Key configuration files include:

- [`tres-finance-plugin/.mcp.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/tres-finance-plugin/.mcp.json) – Declares the GraphQL endpoint and required OAuth scopes for blockchain operations
- [`testdino/.mcp.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/testdino/.mcp.json) – Configures the remote MCP endpoint for test automation tools  
- [`quickdesign/.mcp.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/quickdesign/.mcp.json) – Maps the `quickdesign` identifier to the video generation API

Plugin manifests such as [`testdino/.claude-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/testdino/.claude-plugin/plugin.json) and [`quickdesign/.claude-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/quickdesign/.claude-plugin/plugin.json) reference these MCP definitions, ensuring skills remain agnostic of specific API implementations while maintaining secure credential management.

## Summary

- **MCP servers** provide standardized endpoints for Claude plugins to interact with external GraphQL and HTTP APIs without embedding credentials in skill code.
- The `anthropics/claude-plugins-community` repository demonstrates three production patterns: TRES Finance (`https://ai.tres.finance/mcp`) for blockchain accounting, TestDino (`https://mcp.testdino.com`) for Playwright testing, and QuickDesign (`https://app.quickdesign.io/api/mcp`) for video generation.
- Skills invoke MCP servers by referencing symbolic identifiers (e.g., `user-tres-finance`, `testdino-mcp`) in YAML tool definitions, with actual URLs and authentication managed in [`.mcp.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.mcp.json) configuration files.
- This architecture separates business logic from infrastructure concerns, enabling secure, portable plugin development across diverse backend services.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What does MCP stand for in Claude plugins?

MCP stands for **Model Context Protocol**, sometimes referred to as Claude Plugin Server in documentation. It defines a standardized way for Claude skills to communicate with external services through configured endpoints, handling authentication and request routing automatically without exposing secrets in skill definitions.

### How do I configure a custom MCP server for my Claude plugin?

Create a [`.mcp.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.mcp.json) file in your plugin's root directory that maps a server identifier to a URL and required permissions. For example, the TRES Finance plugin defines its server in [`tres-finance-plugin/.mcp.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/tres-finance-plugin/.mcp.json), allowing skills to reference `user-tres-finance` instead of hardcoding `https://ai.tres.finance/mcp` directly in YAML files.

### Can Claude plugins use multiple MCP servers simultaneously?

Yes, a single plugin can declare multiple **MCP servers** in its [`.mcp.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.mcp.json) configuration, and individual skills can target different servers within the same workflow. Each tool invocation specifies its target server in the `args` block using the configured identifier, enabling complex workflows that combine multiple external services.

### What types of APIs can MCP servers wrap?

MCP servers can wrap any HTTP-based API, including GraphQL endpoints (like TRES Finance's blockchain interface), REST APIs, and specialized media processing services (like QuickDesign's video generation). The protocol handles the translation between Claude's tool invocations and the underlying API format, making it compatible with diverse backend architectures.