I'll create a condensed guide specifically for M2 Mac users based on the information provided. credit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ClaudeAI/comments/1ji8ruv/my_claude_workflow_guide_advanced_setup_with_mcp/

Claude Desktop Setup Guide for M2 Mac Users

Requirements

Claude Pro subscription ($20/month)
Claude desktop application
Node.js and npm
Python 3
API keys (free tiers):
- Brave Search: brave.com/search/api
- Tavily: tavily.com

Installation Steps

1. Install Prerequisites

# Install Node.js and npm using Homebrew
brew update
brew install node

# Verify installations
node -v
npm -v
npx -v

# Find npx location (needed for config)
which npx

# Install Python
brew install python

# Verify Python installation
python3 --version

2. Configuration Setup

The Claude desktop application on M2 Macs is typically installed in: /Users/[USERNAME]/Library/Application Support/Claude

Create or edit claude_desktop_config.json in this directory:

{
  "servers": {
    "fetch": {
      "command": "/usr/bin/python3",
      "args": ["-m", "server_fetch"]
    },
    "brave-search": {
      "command": "/opt/homebrew/bin/npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@server/brave-search"],
      "env": {
        "BRAVE_API_KEY": "your-brave-api-key-here",
        "PATH": "/opt/homebrew/bin:/usr/bin:/bin",
        "NODE_PATH": "/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules"
      }
    },
    "tavily": {
      "command": "/opt/homebrew/bin/npx",
      "args": ["-y", "[email protected]"],
      "env": {
        "TAVILY_API_KEY": "your-tavily-api-key-here",
        "PATH": "/opt/homebrew/bin:/usr/bin:/bin",
        "NODE_PATH": "/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules"
      }
    },
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "/opt/homebrew/bin/npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@server/filesystem", "/Users/username/Documents"]
    },
    "sequential-thinking": {
      "command": "/opt/homebrew/bin/npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@server/sequential-thinking"]
    }
  }
}

Important:

Replace username with your actual macOS username
Verify npx path with which npx (for M2 Macs, it's typically in /opt/homebrew/bin/npx)

3. Verify Setup

After completing configuration, completely quit the Claude desktop app:
- Right-click the Claude icon in the menu bar (top right) and select "Quit"
Relaunch the Claude desktop application
Look for the tools icon in the bottom left corner of the interface (wrench icon)
Verify all tools are available

Troubleshooting for M2 Mac

Path Issues

Verify Homebrew paths with echo $PATH
For M2 Macs, ensure /opt/homebrew/bin is in your path
Check your shell profile (~/.zshrc or ~/.bash_profile)

Permission Errors

For permission issues: sudo chown -R $(whoami) $(npm config get prefix)/{lib/node_modules,bin,share}
Or set up local npm prefix: npm config set prefix ~/.npm-global
Update your PATH: export PATH=~/.npm-global/bin:$PATH

API Key Problems

Double-check for typos in your API keys
Verify API keys are active in your accounts
Confirm you haven't exceeded free tier limits (Brave: 2,000 queries/month, Tavily: 1,000 searches/month)

Security Tips

Create a dedicated directory for Claude's file access (e.g., /Users/username/Documents/ClaudeFiles)
Only allow filesystem access to directories you're comfortable with Claude accessing
Keep your API keys secure

Voice Input Integration

Consider using Whisper for voice-to-text functionality with Claude to speed up interaction.

This streamlined setup provides Claude with web search, filesystem access, and enhanced reasoning capabilities - transforming it from a simple chat interface into a powerful assistant for your M2 Mac.

garyblankenship/claudemac.md