How to Fix “No MCP Servers Installed” in Antigravity

“No MCP servers installed” usually means Antigravity has an empty configured-server list. It does not, by itself, prove that Antigravity is broken. If you expect a server to appear, check the configuration path, JSON structure, transport fields, and then refresh the MCP list or reload the Antigravity window.

The configuration details below come from a third-party setup guide and a project issue report rather than a current official Google schema reference. Field names can vary by Antigravity release and by the MCP server provider, so use the provider’s current installation instructions for your version.

1. Decide whether the message is actually a problem

Open Antigravity’s MCP settings and ask one question: Should a server be listed?

• No server is intended: an empty list is expected. You can continue using Antigravity without installing an MCP server.
• A server should be present: continue with the configuration checks below.
• An agent request also fails: treat that as a separate investigation. A forum report mentioned an agent execution failure while the MCP list was empty, but it did not establish that the empty list caused the failure.

2. Check the MCP configuration file

A setup guide cited in the available research places the configuration at:

~/.gemini/config/mcp_config.json

That path is reported guidance, not a guaranteed schema for every Antigravity release. Confirm the location shown in your Antigravity MCP settings or in the server provider’s instructions.

Validate that the file exists

ls -la ~/.gemini/config/mcp_config.json

If the command reports that the file does not exist, create the parent directory and file:

mkdir -p ~/.gemini/config
touch ~/.gemini/config/mcp_config.json

Validate the JSON syntax

Malformed JSON prevents the application from reading the server list. With Python installed, run:

python -m json.tool ~/.gemini/config/mcp_config.json

Fix any reported line and column before reopening Antigravity. JSON requires double quotes, commas between properties, and no trailing comma after the last property.

3. Use the expected root object

The cited setup guide shows an mcpServers root object. A minimal local-process example is:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "my-local-server": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/absolute/path/to/server.js"],
      "env": {
        "EXAMPLE_SETTING": "value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Use an absolute path for the executable or server script while diagnosing startup problems. Keep secrets out of files you commit, publish, or paste into issue reports.

Remote HTTP server example

An Appwrite issue report describes a remote entry using serverUrl and type:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "remote-server": {
      "serverUrl": "https://example.invalid/mcp",
      "type": "http"
    }
  }
}

The same issue reported that a guide using a servers root key and a url field failed in that case. Do not assume either structure is universal: compare the exact field names with the provider’s current instructions and your installed Antigravity version.

Local versus remote configuration

Server type	Typical fields reported in the research	What to verify
Local process	command, args, optional env	The executable exists, paths are absolute, and the process starts without an interactive prompt.
Remote HTTP	serverUrl, type: "http"	The URL, transport type, authentication method, and provider’s required version-specific fields.

4. Refresh Antigravity after editing

1. Save mcp_config.json.
2. Use the MCP settings control to refresh the server list.
3. If Antigravity was already open when you created the file, reload the Antigravity window or fully restart the application.
4. Return to the MCP list and check whether the configured name appears.

The refresh and reload steps come from the cited setup guide. A restart also removes stale configuration state from the current window.

5. A complete diagnostic example

This sequence checks the file, validates JSON, prints the configured names, and then gives you a point to reload Antigravity:

CONFIG="$HOME/.gemini/config/mcp_config.json"

if [ ! -f "$CONFIG" ]; then
  echo "Missing: $CONFIG"
  exit 1
fi

python -m json.tool "$CONFIG" > /dev/null || {
  echo "Invalid JSON: $CONFIG"
  exit 1
}

python - "$CONFIG" <<'PY'
import json
import sys

path = sys.argv[1]
with open(path, encoding="utf-8") as file:
    data = json.load(file)

servers = data.get("mcpServers")
if not isinstance(servers, dict):
    raise SystemExit("mcpServers is missing or is not an object")

print("Configured servers:")
for name in servers:
    print(f"- {name}")
PY

echo "Now refresh the MCP list or reload Antigravity."

6. Troubleshooting common errors

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix
The list remains empty	Wrong file path, invalid JSON, or the wrong root key	Confirm the path shown by Antigravity, run python -m json.tool, and check for mcpServers.
A local server never starts	Bad executable path, missing dependency, or incorrect arguments	Run the command manually in a terminal, use absolute paths, and copy the provider’s command/args exactly.
A remote server is ignored	Unsupported field names or transport mismatch	Compare serverUrl and type with the provider’s current instructions and your Antigravity version.
Changes are not visible	Window loaded before the file was created or changed	Refresh the MCP list; if that fails, reload or restart Antigravity.
The server appears, then tools fail	Authentication, network access, server startup, or tool-specific error	Read the server’s own logs and documentation. MCP discovery succeeding does not prove every tool call will succeed.
An agent request fails while the list is empty	Possibly unrelated account, model, prompt, or agent execution issue	Reproduce the agent failure separately; available anecdotal evidence does not show that the empty MCP list caused it.

7. Security and reliability checks

• Do not commit API keys, bearer tokens, cookies, or private URLs in mcp_config.json.
• Prefer environment variables or the secret mechanism documented by the server provider.
• Use the smallest set of MCP servers and tools needed for the task.
• For remote servers, verify the hostname and HTTPS certificate before adding credentials.
• For local servers, confirm the command points to code you trust; Antigravity may execute that process with your user permissions.
• After upgrades, recheck the provider’s schema. The research available for this article does not establish a stable, official Google configuration contract.

8. Or skip the browser setup

If your goal is to give an agent or script a clean screenshot, ScreenshotNeo provides an MCP server and a single screenshot API request. It removes cookie and consent banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture. Bot checks, blank pages, failed loads, timeouts, and cache hits are not billed, and the response reports the page verdict and billing status in headers. AI agents can use the MCP tools take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf.

See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for all options. The basic request is:

curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webp

Python

import requests

r = requests.get(
    "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot",
    params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"},
    timeout=90,
)
r.raise_for_status()
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)

Node.js

const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`HTTP ${res.status}`);
const data = await res.arrayBuffer();
await import('node:fs/promises').then(fs => fs.writeFile('shot.webp', Buffer.from(data)));

ScreenshotNeo includes full-page and element capture, device presets, custom viewport and retina scale, dark mode, waits, request blocking, headers, cookies, user agents, geolocation, custom CSS and JavaScript, PDFs, caching, signed links, asynchronous jobs, bulk capture, and a usage API. It offers 1,000 screenshots a month free with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. Create a free ScreenshotNeo account.

9. FAQ

Does this message mean Antigravity is malfunctioning?

No. It commonly indicates that no MCP server is configured. It is only a problem when you expected one to be listed.

Should I use servers or mcpServers?

The research reports mcpServers in the cited setup guide and issue example. Because no current official Google schema reference was found, follow the instructions for your installed version and server.

Can I fix an unrelated agent error by installing an MCP server?

Not necessarily. The available forum anecdote does not prove that an empty MCP list caused the agent error. Diagnose the agent failure independently.

Why does my server work from a terminal but not in Antigravity?

Antigravity may use a different working directory, environment, PATH, credentials, or transport fields. Use absolute paths, define required environment variables explicitly, and compare the provider’s configuration example with your file.