MCP registry

Pro-tier customers using IAM Identity Center can have MCP server access controlled through an MCP registry. When configured by administrators, users can only use MCP servers explicitly allowed in the registry.

Without Registry (default):

• Users can add any MCP server
• Servers configured in agent files or via CLI
• No central control

With Registry (enterprise):

• Administrator configures allowed servers
• Users select from registry list
• Cannot add custom servers through the /mcp add picker (personal servers in mcp.json still load)
• Centralized governance and security

When a registry is active, personal MCP servers you define in mcp.json (global ~/.kiro/mcp.json or workspace .kiro/mcp.json) load alongside the registry-managed servers. You get both your own servers and the servers your organization provides through the registry in the same session - define them directly in mcp.json, since the /mcp add picker only lists registry servers.

Even with registry mode enabled, you can customize servers using registry overrides in your agent configuration or in an mcp.json file (global ~/.kiro/mcp.json or workspace .kiro/mcp.json). Your values are merged on top of registry defaults - for example, if the registry sets NODE_ENV=development and your override sets NODE_ENV=production, the server runs with NODE_ENV=production. The env and headers objects merge per-key, so registry defaults you don't override are preserved.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "type": "registry",
      "env": {
        "GITHUB_TOKEN": "$GITHUB_TOKEN",
        "GITHUB_ORG": "my-org"
      },
      "timeout": 60000
    }
  }
}

Override fields:

• Local (stdio) servers - env (environment variables), timeout (request timeout in ms)
• Remote (HTTP) servers - headers (HTTP headers), timeout (request timeout in ms)

The env, headers, and timeout overrides you define for a registry-type entry flow through to the launched server, so the running process uses your customized values.