How to Use the ArcGIS MCP in Claude

Map coordinates, calculate drive times, and solve routing problems directly from Claude Desktop.

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Connect ArcGIS MCP to Claude Desktop

Create your Vinkius account to connect ArcGIS to Claude Desktop and route execution through our secure gateway. The platform manages server hosting, runtime updates, and security layers. Configuration requires no manual server provisioning.

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Setup ArcGIS with Claude Desktop

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Turn addresses into coordinates with Claude Desktop

The `find_address_candidates` tool takes raw text like 1600 Pennsylvania Ave and returns exact latitude and longitude points. You just ask your AI client to locate a place, and it pulls the spatial data immediately. When you have a massive list, `batch_geocode_addresses` handles up to 1000 records at once using the MCP server batch endpoint. Finding places outside your immediate area requires precision. Passing a three-letter code to `find_address_country` forces the search into specific geographic boundaries. If you only have coordinates, `reverse_geocode` flips the process to discover the nearest physical street address.

Plan vehicle fleets and navigation paths

The `solve_vehicle_routing` tool maps out complex delivery networks by reading an ArcGIS Orders JSON string. Your agent feeds it the stop details, and the server returns the optimized sequence for your entire fleet. Single-trip planning works just as fast. Getting from point A to point B requires `solve_nav_route`. You hand it a semicolon-separated list of coordinates, and it generates turn-by-turn directions. The response includes exact travel times and total distances between every stop on the itinerary.

Calculate ArcGIS service areas via MCP Server

The `calculate_service_area` tool defines exact drive-time or walk-time polygons around a specific facility coordinate. You tell Claude to check how far a delivery truck can travel in 15 minutes. The resulting boundaries show exactly who falls inside your coverage zone. Matrix calculations happen through `calculate_od_matrix`. This operation measures travel times and distances across multiple origins and destinations simultaneously. Before running heavy queries, `suggest_geocoding` catches typos by offering autocomplete suggestions for partial place names.

Setup guide

Set up ArcGIS MCP in Claude Web or Desktop

1

Open Claude Settings

Go to claude.ai, click your profile icon, then navigate to Customize → Connectors.
2

Add Custom Connector

Click the "+" button and select Add custom connector. Paste your Vinkius endpoint URL: https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your token from cloud.vinkius.com. For OAuth-protected servers, expand Advanced settings to add credentials.
3

Start a conversation

Open a new chat. The ArcGIS MCP tools are available immediately — no restart needed.

Endpoint URL

https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp

No configuration file needed — paste the URL directly in the Claude web interface.

Available on Free (1 connector), Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans.

Prerequisites

Claude Desktop installed (macOS or Windows)
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open Claude Desktop Settings

Click the menu icon at the top-left corner, go to Settings → Developer → Edit Config. This opens claude_desktop_config.json in your default text editor.
2

Paste the ArcGIS MCP configuration

Copy the JSON snippet on the right into the mcpServers object. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com.
3

Restart Claude Desktop

Close and reopen the application. Claude needs a full restart to load new MCPs — refreshing a conversation is not enough.
4

Verify the connection

Open a new conversation. Click the 🔌 icon at the bottom of the message input. You should see tools listed under arcgis-mcp.

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "arcgis-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Get your connection token →

Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by ArcGIS. All third-party trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this website is strictly for informational purposes to identify service compatibility and interoperability.

Why Choose Vinkius

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Common questions about ArcGIS MCP in Claude Desktop

Open Settings, go to Developer, and click Edit Config to open your claude_desktop_config.json file. Add the server command under the mcpServers key, save it, and restart the app.

Yes, you can process up to 1000 addresses per request. The client formats your list into an ArcGIS-compatible JSON array and sends it to the server.

Custom Connectors let you plug the remote endpoint URL straight into claude.ai. Go to Settings, pick Integrations, and paste the endpoint to start mapping without local installation.

You probably formatted the coordinates wrong. The route solver requires a strict lon,lat;lon,lat sequence.

Vinkius runs your spatial queries inside a V8 Isolate Sandbox. The exact latitude, longitude, and street addresses you send are wiped the millisecond the route calculation finishes.

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