IntegrationDeveloper WorkflowVerified Last verified 2026-07-24

Cursor MCP Integration

by Anysphere

Cursor supports the Model Context Protocol, letting its agent call external tools — GitHub, databases, browsers, docs — exposed by MCP servers. You register servers in `.cursor/mcp.json` (project) or `~/.cursor/mcp.json` (global); Cursor then surfaces the servers' tools to the agent, which asks before invoking them.

Official page

Works with

Cursor Any MCP Client

MCP servers, rules, and VS Code-compatible extensions.

When to use it

When you want Cursor's agent to act on real systems, not just edit files
Reusing an MCP server you already run in Claude or Cline inside Cursor

When not to

Connecting servers that expose write access to production without guardrails

What it does

Register local (stdio) or remote MCP servers for the agent to use
Scope servers per-project or globally across all Cursor projects
Give the agent live tools (repos, DBs, browsers) instead of stale pasted context

How to install

Setup steps with copy-paste config. Sources are cited under each method.

Register a server (project scope)

Cursor

Requires: Cursor installed · An MCP server command or remote URL

Create .cursor/mcp.json

Add a project-scoped config so the server is available whenever this repo is open.

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"]
    }
  }
}

Enable and verify
Open Cursor Settings → MCP, confirm the server is listed and its tools are enabled, then ask the agent to use it.

Cursor MCP — documentation · Anysphere · Documentation · accessed 2026-07-24

How to prompt it

Copy-paste prompts written to exercise this plugin, with what to expect.

Use a connected tool

You've added the GitHub MCP server and want the agent to work from live issues.

Using the GitHub tools, list my assigned open issues in this repo and draft a plan for the highest-priority one.

What to expect: Cursor calls the MCP server's tools (with your approval) and returns a plan grounded in real issue data rather than guesses.

Approve tool calls deliberately at first so you see exactly what the server can do.

Tips for getting the most out of it

Prefer project-scoped `.cursor/mcp.json` for repo-specific tools; use the global file for personal utilities.
Treat tool output (issue text, web pages) as untrusted — it can carry prompt-injection.