Quick Configuration
Choose the setup that matches your environment.
Before You Start
- Confirm you have the account, endpoint, or API key required for Sequential Thinking.
- Start with minimum scopes and read-only access where possible.
- Keep secrets in environment variables instead of hardcoding them in JSON.
Last verified: 2026-04-27
Environment: Node.js 18+, @modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking over stdio
Install command:
npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinkingLocal config
JSON Local config json
{
"sequential-thinking": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking"],
"env": {
"DISABLE_THOUGHT_LOGGING": "true"
}
}
}Verify prompt
Plan a risky database migration step by step, revising the plan if downtime exceeds 5 minutes.
Expected success output
Your MCP inspector or host logs should show repeated sequential_thinking tool calls.
Common Pitfalls & Fixes
- ⚠️ Watch out: When to enable; chain-of-thought safety.
- 🔑 Always store API keys in environment variables, never hardcode them in JSON.
- 🛡️ Start with read-only scopes if available to verify connection safely.
Security checklist
- Do not treat reasoning traces as secret storage; logs can be retained by your host.
- Use it for planning and verification, not as a substitute for tests or human review.
Common errors
| Error | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
Tool does not appear | The host was not restarted after adding the MCP server. | Reload OpenClaw and confirm sequential_thinking appears in the MCP tool list. |
npx failed | Node.js or npm is missing, blocked, or too old. | Install Node.js 18+ and rerun the install command from a terminal. |
Verbose thought logs | The server logs thought payloads by default in some environments. | Keep DISABLE_THOUGHT_LOGGING=true when logs may be shared. |
Example Prompts
Once connected, try these prompts to test capabilities:
- Break down a complex task into clear steps.
- Compare two approaches and list tradeoffs.
- Draft a decision checklist for a new MCP setup.
Verification Checklist
- Run 1-2 real prompts to confirm Sequential Thinking returns usable data.
- Check that error messages are clear enough for troubleshooting.
- Document the required scopes, dependencies, and env vars for future reuse.