What is the key difference between Xdebug and Chrome Debugger MCP?

Xdebug belongs to the Developer Tools category with local stdio execution, while Chrome Debugger MCP belongs to the Developer Tools category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Xdebug or Chrome Debugger 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 Xdebug and Chrome Debugger MCP free or paid?

Xdebug operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). Chrome Debugger MCP operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Xdebug lists 0 tools with 0 views and 25 GitHub stars. Chrome Debugger MCP lists 0 tools with 1 views and 1 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Xdebug and Chrome Debugger 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

Xdebug vs Chrome Debugger MCP

In-depth architectural comparison of the Xdebug and Chrome Debugger 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

Xdebug

Developer Tools · Local stdio

Quality: 40/100 (Fair) | Auth: No auth required

Chrome Debugger MCP

Developer Tools · Local stdio

Quality: 40/100 (Fair) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose Xdebug if you need specialized Developer Tools tools running via a local process. Choose Chrome Debugger MCP if your workspace requires Developer Tools integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Xdebug when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).

Explore Xdebug Details

Choose Chrome Debugger MCP when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).

Explore Chrome Debugger MCP Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Xdebug Developer Tools	Chrome Debugger MCP Developer Tools
Summary	MCP server for PHP Xdebug debugging with breakpoints, stepping, and variable inspection	Chrome breakpoint debugging MCP server for inspecting runtime values and stepping through code
Category & Scope	Developer Tools	Developer Tools
Quality signal

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Xdebug Tools (0)

No explicit tool names declared in metadata yet. Check project README on main listing page.

Chrome Debugger MCP Tools (0)

No explicit tool names declared in metadata yet. Check project README on main listing page.

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).

Xdebug Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "xdebug": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "xdebug-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Chrome Debugger MCP Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "chrome-debugger-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "chrome-debugger-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Xdebug is categorized under Developer Tools and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Chrome Debugger MCP belongs to Developer Tools using local stdio subprocess. Select Xdebug when you need capabilities focused on developer tools and Chrome Debugger MCP when you require tools for developer tools.

More alternatives to Xdebug More alternatives to Chrome Debugger MCP Developer Tools category hub Canonical compare URL