Top MCPs I Can't Live Without

Discover the 4 essential Model Context Protocols (MCP) that transform my daily workflow as a software engineer, and learn how to run any MCP with a single click.

Islem Maboud
Islem Maboud
Founder
May 14, 2025

Introduction

As a software engineer, having a set of preferred Model Context Protocols (MCPs) is essential for maximum productivity in your daily workflow. Today, I'm sharing the four MCPs I use almost every day that dramatically boost my efficiency and output quality.

But first, let's address the elephant in the room – running MCPs is often a painful experience. It typically involves cloning repositories, installing numerous dependencies, and dealing with reliability issues. That's why I built a solution to simplify this process.

How to discover and run MCPs with one click

I created OneMCP, an application that allows you to run hundreds of MCPs with a single click.

The app is currently available for Mac (Windows version coming soon) and is completely free for a limited time. After installing OneMCP, you'll have access to an extensive directory of MCPs that you can deploy instantly.

Here's what makes OneMCP stand out:

  • Instant access to hundreds of MCPs
  • One-click server deployment
  • Simple client installation
  • Access to MCPs' documentation
  • No more dependency management headaches

Now, let's explore the four MCPs I rely on daily.

1. Sequential Thinking MCP

The Sequential Thinking MCP provides a structured approach to problem-solving through a dynamic thinking process. This tool significantly improves LLM efficiency when dealing with code, problem solving, and feature planning.

Key capabilities:

  • Breaking down complex problems into manageable steps
  • Revising and refining thoughts as understanding deepens
  • Branching to alternative paths of reasoning
  • Adjusting the total number of thoughts dynamically
  • Generating and verifying solution hypotheses

Running this MCP via OneMCP is straightforward:

  1. Search for "Sequential Thinking" in the OneMCP app
  2. Click to start the server
  3. Install it on your client (e.g., Cursor)

When used with AI tools like Cursor, Sequential Thinking provides a much more structured and thorough approach to problem-solving. For instance, when I asked it to design a CTA section for a website, it provided a comprehensive plan including HTML structure, CSS styling, content strategy, and implementation steps.

2. Browser Tools MCP

The Browser Tools MCP establishes full integration between your IDE and development browser, giving you unprecedented debugging capabilities. This MCP is a lifesaver for web developers.

Key capabilities:

  • Reading console logs
  • Analyzing network logs
  • Taking screenshots
  • Analyzing selected elements
  • Running various audits:
    • Accessibility audit
    • Performance audit
    • SEO audit
    • Next.js audit

Setting up Browser Tools MCP requires:

  1. Running the MCP server (via OneMCP)
  2. Installing a Chrome extension
  3. Running a separate server (using a simple command)

Once configured, you can use this MCP to perform tasks like taking screenshots of your web page, checking for failed network calls, and running performance audits—all directly from your IDE. This seamless integration between your code editor and browser dramatically simplifies debugging and optimization.

3. Figma Developer MCP

The Figma Developer MCP converts Figma designs into production-ready code with remarkable accuracy. Simply provide a Figma link, and this MCP will transform the design into functional code for your project.

Setting up this MCP requires:

  1. Search for "Figma" in the OneMCP app
  2. Provide your Figma API key
  3. Start the server and install on your client

When you have a Figma design you want to implement:

  1. Right-click on the frame you want to convert
  2. Copy the link to the selection
  3. Ask your AI to convert the design to code using the Figma link

The results are impressive, often delivering 80-90% accurate implementations that include:

  • Complete layout structure
  • Reusable components
  • Styling that matches the original design

While you may need to make minor adjustments to images and some styling elements, the time saved is substantial.

4. Playwright MCP

The Playwright MCP provides powerful browser automation capabilities. It's especially useful for scraping data, testing web applications, and automating repetitive browser tasks.

Key features:

  • Starting and controlling browsers
  • Navigating websites
  • Downloading images and data
  • Form filling and submission
  • Headless browsing for improved performance

Running Playwright MCP via OneMCP:

  1. Search for "Playwright" in the OneMCP app
  2. Enable vision mode and headless browser for optimal performance
  3. Start the server and install on your client

One practical example of using this MCP is scraping Unsplash for royalty-free images. With a simple prompt asking the AI to "scrape the Unsplash website for hiking images and save them into the asset folder," the MCP automatically navigates to Unsplash, searches for hiking images, and downloads them to your specified folder.

This is particularly valuable when you need test data or want to quickly gather resources without manually searching and downloading.

Conclusion

These four MCPs have transformed my daily workflow as a software engineer, enabling me to work more efficiently and focus on creative tasks while automating routine operations.

To try these MCPs and many more with one click, visit onemcp.io and download the application. It's currently free and available for Mac, with Windows support coming soon.

By integrating these powerful tools into your workflow, you'll experience a significant boost in productivity and enjoy a more seamless development experience.

MCPs without the complexity