> ## Documentation index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://contextrepo.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use it to find every page before exploring further.

# Other MCP Clients

> Connect Context Repo to MCP clients that support authenticated Streamable HTTP or can launch a local stdio server.

Context Repo can connect to clients that support the
[Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/) through one of its
two connection paths. The client must either support authenticated Streamable
HTTP connections or be able to launch a local stdio server with environment
variables. If your client isn't covered by our
[Cursor](https://contextrepo.com/docs/mcp/setup-guides/cursor),
[Claude Desktop](https://contextrepo.com/docs/mcp/setup-guides/claude-desktop),
[VS Code](https://contextrepo.com/docs/mcp/setup-guides/vs-code), or
[Windsurf](https://contextrepo.com/docs/mcp/setup-guides/windsurf) guides, check its MCP configuration
options against the paths below.

## Transport options

Context Repo supports two ways to connect:

| Transport                         | URL / Command                 | Best for                                                               |
| --------------------------------- | ----------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Streamable HTTP** (recommended) | `https://contextrepo.com/mcp` | Remote clients that support MCP OAuth or custom authorization headers  |
| **stdio** (local bridge)          | `npx -y context-repo-mcp`     | Clients that can launch a local command and pass environment variables |

> **Which should you pick?** Streamable HTTP is the recommended transport. It
> doesn't require Node.js on your machine. Use stdio if your client only supports
> local servers or doesn't support the hosted endpoint's authentication options.

## Streamable HTTP setup (recommended)

### Choose authentication

If your client implements remote MCP OAuth, configure the endpoint URL and
follow the client's sign-in flow. You don't need to create an API key.

If your client supports custom authorization headers instead, go to
**Dashboard > Settings > API Keys** and click **New API Key**. Select the
`prompts.read` and `documents.read` permissions, then copy the generated key.

### Configure your client

Point your MCP client at the Streamable HTTP endpoint:

```
https://contextrepo.com/mcp
```

For API-key setup, set the `Authorization` header:

```
Authorization: API-Key gm_your_api_key_here
```

The exact configuration depends on your client. Here's a generic JSON config example:

```json title="mcp-config.json"
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "context-repo": {
      "url": "https://contextrepo.com/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "API-Key gm_your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

Replace `gm_your_api_key_here` with your actual API key. For OAuth setup,
configure only the URL and let the client start the authorization flow.

### Verify the connection

Ask your AI assistant:

```
List my prompts
```

You should see your Context Repo prompts listed. If you haven't created any yet, the assistant will tell you the list is empty — that still confirms the connection is working.

## stdio setup (local)

### Install Node.js

The stdio command runs a network-dependent bridge to the hosted MCP Server.
You'll need Node.js 18 or later and network access to `contextrepo.com`.

```bash
node --version
# Should print v18.x.x or higher
```

### Get your API key

Go to **Dashboard > Settings > API Keys** and click **New API Key** with `prompts.read` and `documents.read` permissions.

### Configure your client

Set up your client to run the Context Repo MCP server via `npx`:

- **Command:** `npx`
- **Arguments:** `-y context-repo-mcp`
- **Environment variable:** `CONTEXTREPO_API_KEY` set to your API key

Generic JSON config example:

```json title="mcp-config.json"
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "context-repo": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "context-repo-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "CONTEXTREPO_API_KEY": "gm_your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

Replace `gm_your_api_key_here` with your actual API key.

### Verify the connection

Ask your AI assistant:

```
List my prompts
```

If you see your prompts (or an empty list confirmation), the connection is working.

## Troubleshooting

### Server not starting (stdio)

Make sure Node.js 18+ is installed and `npx` is available on your system PATH. If you're using nvm, switch to a supported version with `nvm use 18`.

### Authentication errors

Double-check that your API key is correct and hasn't been revoked. Generate a new key from **Dashboard > Settings > API Keys** if needed. Ensure there are no extra spaces or line breaks in your key.

### Connection refused (HTTP)

Verify that your client can reach `https://contextrepo.com`. Check for proxy or firewall settings that might block outbound HTTPS connections.

- [Cursor Setup](https://contextrepo.com/docs/mcp/setup-guides/cursor): One-click setup for Cursor.
- [Claude Desktop Setup](https://contextrepo.com/docs/mcp/setup-guides/claude-desktop): Step-by-step Claude Desktop configuration.
- [MCP Tools Reference](https://contextrepo.com/docs/mcp/tools-reference): See the current tools available through the hosted MCP Server.