Integrate with AI clients

Once your MCP server is published, you connect it to an AI client by adding a small JSON config. This page covers setup for Claude Desktop, Cursor, ChatGPT, and VS Code.

The config snippet with your exact server URL is on the Distribute → MCP clients page in FlowCP — copy it from there rather than constructing it manually. The page shows the active branch's URL (production once deployed, otherwise the development URL) and a copy-ready config per client. Each client tab is self-contained: config-file clients show a copyable JSON snippet, and URL-based clients (such as ChatGPT) show the server URL with its own copy button.

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Claude Desktop

Claude Desktop reads MCP server config from claude_desktop_config.json.

Location:

OS	Path
macOS	~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows	%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Add the snippet:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "my-app": {
      "url": "https://runtime.flowcp.io/mcp/<server-id>",
      "type": "http"
    }
  }
}

If claude_desktop_config.json does not exist, create it. If it already contains an mcpServers key, add the new entry inside that object.

After saving, quit and relaunch Claude Desktop. Your tools appear in the tools panel (the wrench icon in the message composer).

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Cursor

Cursor supports MCP servers via a project-level or global config file.

Project-level (applies only to the current workspace):

Create or edit .cursor/mcp.json in your project root:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "my-app": {
      "url": "https://runtime.flowcp.io/mcp/<server-id>",
      "transport": "http"
    }
  }
}

Global (applies to all Cursor projects):

Open Cursor Settings → MCP and add the server from the UI, or edit the global mcp.json at:

OS	Path
macOS	~/.cursor/mcp.json
Windows	%USERPROFILE%\.cursor\mcp.json

Restart Cursor after saving. Your tools appear in Cursor's Composer panel when the MCP server is connected.

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ChatGPT

The ChatGPT desktop app (macOS and Windows) supports MCP servers.

Open ChatGPT desktop app → Settings → Tools & integrations → Add MCP server, and enter:

• Name: my-app (or any label)

• URL: https://runtime.flowcp.io/mcp/<server-id>

• Transport: Streamable HTTP

Or paste the JSON snippet directly if the app offers a JSON import option:

{
  "servers": [
    {
      "name": "my-bubble-app",
      "url": "https://runtime.flowcp.io/mcp/<server-id>",
      "transport": "streamable-http"
    }
  ]
}

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VS Code

VS Code (with GitHub Copilot agent mode) supports MCP servers via an mcp.json config file.

Run MCP: Add Server from the Command Palette, or create .vscode/mcp.json in your project:

{
  "servers": {
    "my-app": {
      "url": "https://runtime.flowcp.io/mcp/<server-id>",
      "type": "http"
    }
  }
}

Start the server from the MCP view, then use its tools from Copilot Chat in agent mode.

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End-user OAuth on first use

When an end user calls a FlowCP tool for the first time from an AI client, FlowCP checks whether it has a valid access token for that user. If not, the response includes an authorization URL. The AI client typically surfaces this as a prompt: "Please authorize access to your account."

The user clicks the link, logs in with your API's provider, and grants access. After that, all subsequent tool calls from that client use their access token automatically.

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Verifying the connection

In the AI client, look for your tools in the tools list (exact UI varies by client). If the server does not appear:

1. Confirm the server status is published on the FlowCP Deploy page.

2. Check that the URL in the config points to the MCP runtime (e.g. runtime.flowcp.io), not the dashboard.

3. Restart the AI client — most clients only reload MCP config on startup.

See Troubleshooting for more.