What is the key difference between Terraform MCP Server and Awslabs MCP?

Terraform MCP Server belongs to the Cloud Platforms category with local stdio execution, while Awslabs MCP belongs to the Cloud Platforms category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Terraform MCP Server or Awslabs MCP in Claude Desktop or Cursor?

Copy the mcpServers JSON configuration snippet provided on this page into your claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json file and restart your AI client.

Are Terraform MCP Server and Awslabs MCP free or paid?

Terraform MCP Server operates under a Free / Open Source model (API Key required). Awslabs MCP operates under a BYOK (Pay Provider Direct) model (API Key required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Terraform MCP Server lists 5 tools with 2 views and 1,531 GitHub stars. Awslabs MCP lists 5 tools with 1 views and 9,716 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Terraform MCP Server and Awslabs MCP together in the same MCP host?

Yes! MCP hosts like Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and VS Code support configuring multiple servers under the mcpServers object simultaneously.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

Terraform MCP Server vs Awslabs MCP

In-depth architectural comparison of the Terraform MCP Server and Awslabs MCP MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

At a Glance & Executive Verdict

Terraform MCP Server

Cloud Platforms · Local stdio

Quality: 74/100 (Great) | Auth: API Key required

Awslabs MCP

Cloud Platforms · Local stdio

Quality: 48/100 (Fair) | Auth: API Key required

Verdict Summary: Choose Terraform MCP Server if you need specialized Cloud Platforms tools running via a local process. Choose Awslabs MCP if your workspace requires Cloud Platforms integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Terraform MCP Server when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Cloud Platforms domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: API Key required (Free / Open Source).
You have access to required keys: TFE_ADDRESS, TFE_TOKEN, TF_MCP_SHARED_SECRET, TFE_SKIP_TLS_VERIFY, LOG_LEVEL, LOG_FORMAT, TRANSPORT_MODE, TRANSPORT_HOST.
Primary tools included: Supports stdio and streamable HTTP transports, Direct integration with public Terraform Registry APIs, Full workspace and run management for Terraform Enterprise/HCP.

Explore Terraform MCP Server Details

Choose Awslabs MCP when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Cloud Platforms domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: API Key required (BYOK (Pay Provider Direct)).

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Terraform MCP Server hashicorp VerifiedCloud Platforms	Awslabs MCP awslabs Cloud Platforms
Summary	The official Terraform MCP Server seamlessly integrates with the Terraform ecosystem, enabling provider discovery, module analysis, and direct Registry API integration for advanced Infrastructure as Code workflows.	AWS MCP servers for seamless integration with AWS services and resources.
Category & Scope

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Terraform MCP Server Tools (5)

Supports stdio and streamable HTTP transports

Direct integration with public Terraform Registry APIs

Full workspace and run management for Terraform Enterprise/HCP

OpenTelemetry metrics for usage monitoring

Configurable TLS and CORS settings for secure deployment

Awslabs MCP Tools (5)

Open source MCP servers specialized for AWS

Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations

Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

Terraform MCP Server Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "hashicorp-terraform-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "hashicorp-terraform-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "TFE_ADDRESS": "YOUR_TFE_ADDRESS_HERE",
        "TFE_TOKEN": "YOUR_TFE_TOKEN_HERE",
        "TF_MCP_SHARED_SECRET": "YOUR_TF_MCP_SHARED_SECRET_HERE",
        "TFE_SKIP_TLS_VERIFY": "YOUR_TFE_SKIP_TLS_VERIFY_HERE",
        "LOG_LEVEL": "YOUR_LOG_LEVEL_HERE",
        "LOG_FORMAT": "YOUR_LOG_FORMAT_HERE",
        "TRANSPORT_MODE": "YOUR_TRANSPORT_MODE_HERE",
        "TRANSPORT_HOST": "YOUR_TRANSPORT_HOST_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

Awslabs MCP Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "awslabs-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "awslabs.aws-api-mcp-server@latest"
      ],
      "env": {
        "AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID": "YOUR_AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID_HERE",
        "AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY": "YOUR_AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY_HERE",
        "AWS_REGION": "YOUR_AWS_REGION_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Terraform MCP Server is categorized under Cloud Platforms and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Awslabs MCP belongs to Cloud Platforms using local stdio subprocess. Select Terraform MCP Server when you need capabilities focused on cloud platforms and Awslabs MCP when you require tools for cloud platforms.

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