To connect Cursor to MCPifex, add one entry to Cursor's mcp.json with the gateway URL and your API key. There's nothing to install. VS Code, Windsurf, Cline and Zed connect the same way, but each names its config file and fields a little differently, so Cursor's JSON won't always work as pasted.
How do you add MCPifex to Cursor?
Open your project's .cursor/mcp.json, or Cursor's global MCP settings file. Merge this entry into the top-level mcpServers object. Add a comma after any existing entry, and keep the file strict JSON with no comments:
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcpifex": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://mcp.mcpifex.com/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer <YOUR_MCPX_KEY>"
}
}
}
}Replace <YOUR_MCPX_KEY> with the API key from your instance in the MCPifex portal. API keys and authentication explains where to find it. Save the file, then reload or restart Cursor. For a longer walkthrough, see the Cursor connection guide.
What changes in other editors?
VS Code, Windsurf, Cline and Zed all use the same URL and the same Authorization: Bearer header. What differs is the file location, the top-level key and a field or two:
| Editor | Config file | Top-level key | What differs from Cursor |
|---|---|---|---|
| VS Code | .vscode/mcp.json (or the user profile MCP file) | servers | Same fields as Cursor. Only the top-level key changes. |
| Windsurf | ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json | mcpServers | The address field is serverUrl, not url. Some versions ignore url without an error. |
| Cline | Its MCP settings file, opened from the extension panel | mcpServers | Set the transport type to "streamableHttp", not "http". Otherwise it falls back to legacy SSE or fails to connect. |
| Zed | settings.json (user, or .zed/settings.json in a project) | context_servers | A different top-level key. The entry needs only url and headers, with no type. |
Check your editor's MCP settings screen against the table before you save.
What if your editor can't send headers?
Some editors only give you a URL field. MCPifex accepts the same key as the first path segment, so use https://mcp.mcpifex.com/mcp/<YOUR_MCPX_KEY> instead. Treat that URL like a password, because anyone who has it can use every tool enabled on the key.
How do you check it worked?
After the editor reloads, ask its AI chat to list its tools, or open the editor's MCP status panel. You should see the tools you enabled for that instance in the portal and nothing else.
If the list is empty, run Test connection on the instance in the portal. The quickstart walks through the full setup, and the marketplace shows which servers you can add: PostgreSQL, Google Trends, Google Search Console, App Store Connect and WhatsApp. The Cursor connect page has the short version.
Why doesn't your editor show any tools?
- Wrong config file. Project and global MCP configs are separate. Confirm which one the editor loaded.
- Editor not restarted. Most editors read the file on startup or on an explicit reload.
- No tools enabled. Destructive tools start off, and you may not have switched any on yet.
- Bad key. A
401means themcpx_key is wrong or was revoked.
The error reference has fixes for each gateway error.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Cursor connects to Streamable HTTP MCP servers, and the MCPifex gateway at https://mcp.mcpifex.com/mcp is one. Add an mcpifex entry to Cursor's mcp.json with the gateway URL and your API key in an Authorization header.
Either the project-level .cursor/mcp.json or Cursor's global MCP settings file. Both use the same mcpServers shape, so add the entry to whichever one you want the connection to apply to.
Usually the editor wasn't restarted, it's reading a different config file, or every tool on the instance is still switched off. A 401 means the API key is wrong or was revoked.
Yes, with small changes. VS Code uses servers as the top-level key. Windsurf uses serverUrl instead of url. Cline needs the type set to streamableHttp. Zed uses context_servers. The table on this page lists each one.
Sources
- VS Code: MCP configuration reference
- Windsurf: Cascade MCP integration
- Cline: MCP overview
- Zed: Model Context Protocol
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