MCP Setup Guide

This guide walks you through adding Apart Intelligence to every major AI tool that supports MCP. Each section includes the exact config, file path, and our recommendation for the best way to use Apart Intelligence with that tool.

Quick Recommendations

Claude Code

Claude Code is a terminal-based AI tool from Anthropic. We recommend using both the CLI skills and the MCP for the best experience. The CLI skills give you slash commands like /capture, /document, and /sync. The MCP gives Claude full tool access to search, create, and manage knowledge.

Install CLI skills (recommended)

ai codebase init

Add the MCP server

Use the claude mcp add command. All flags must come before the server name, and use -- to separate the name from the command:

claude mcp add \
  --transport stdio \
  --env APART_API_URL=https://api.intelligence.apart.tech \
  --env APART_API_KEY=apart_your-api-key \
  apart-intelligence -- npx -y @apart-tech/intelligence-mcp

To share the MCP config with your team, add it at project scope instead. Create a .mcp.json file in the project root:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apart-intelligence": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@apart-tech/intelligence-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "APART_API_URL": "https://api.intelligence.apart.tech",
        "APART_API_KEY": "apart_your-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}

Cursor

Cursor supports MCP via project-level and global config files. For a per-project setup, create .cursor/mcp.json in the project root. For global access, use ~/.cursor/mcp.json.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apart-intelligence": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@apart-tech/intelligence-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "APART_API_URL": "https://api.intelligence.apart.tech",
        "APART_API_KEY": "apart_your-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}

VS Code (GitHub Copilot)

VS Code requires version 1.99+ and uses a different config format than most other tools. The top-level key is servers (not mcpServers), and each server needs an explicit type field.

Create .vscode/mcp.json in the project root (commit it to share with your team), or configure via VS Code Settings.

{
  "inputs": [
    {
      "type": "promptString",
      "id": "apart-api-key",
      "description": "Apart Intelligence API Key",
      "password": true
    }
  ],
  "servers": {
    "apart-intelligence": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@apart-tech/intelligence-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "APART_API_URL": "https://api.intelligence.apart.tech",
        "APART_API_KEY": "${input:apart-api-key}"
      }
    }
  }
}

Windsurf

Windsurf stores MCP config globally. Edit the config file at:

• macOS/Linux: ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json
• Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.codeium\windsurf\mcp_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apart-intelligence": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@apart-tech/intelligence-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "APART_API_URL": "https://api.intelligence.apart.tech",
        "APART_API_KEY": "apart_your-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}

You can also install MCP servers from the Cascade panel's MCP Marketplace.

Claude Desktop

Claude Desktop is great for non-coding workflows — searching knowledge, capturing decisions, and reviewing graph health. Edit the config file:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apart-intelligence": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@apart-tech/intelligence-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "APART_API_URL": "https://api.intelligence.apart.tech",
        "APART_API_KEY": "apart_your-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}

OpenAI Codex CLI

Codex CLI is a terminal-based tool similar to Claude Code. Like Claude Code, we recommend pairing the CLI with the MCP for the best experience. Codex uses TOML (not JSON) for config.

Add to ~/.codex/config.toml (user-level) or .codex/config.toml (project-level):

[mcp_servers.apart-intelligence]
command = "npx"
args = ["-y", "@apart-tech/intelligence-mcp"]
env = { "APART_API_URL" = "https://api.intelligence.apart.tech", "APART_API_KEY" = "apart_your-api-key" }

Or add it via the CLI:

codex mcp add apart-intelligence -- npx -y @apart-tech/intelligence-mcp

Gemini CLI

Google's Gemini CLI supports MCP via its settings file. Add to ~/.gemini/settings.json (global) or .gemini/settings.json (project-level):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apart-intelligence": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@apart-tech/intelligence-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "APART_API_URL": "https://api.intelligence.apart.tech",
        "APART_API_KEY": "apart_your-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}

Cline

Cline is a VS Code extension with its own MCP configuration. The easiest way is via the Cline MCP panel in VS Code, but you can also edit the config file directly:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/globalStorage/saoudrizwan.claude-dev/settings/cline_mcp_settings.json
• Linux: ~/.config/Code/User/globalStorage/saoudrizwan.claude-dev/settings/cline_mcp_settings.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%/Code/User/globalStorage/saoudrizwan.claude-dev/settings/cline_mcp_settings.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apart-intelligence": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@apart-tech/intelligence-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "APART_API_URL": "https://api.intelligence.apart.tech",
        "APART_API_KEY": "apart_your-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}

JetBrains IDEs

IntelliJ IDEA, WebStorm, PyCharm, and other JetBrains IDEs (2025.2+) support MCP via Settings > Tools > AI Assistant > Model Context Protocol. For project-level config, create .junie/mcp/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apart-intelligence": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@apart-tech/intelligence-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "APART_API_URL": "https://api.intelligence.apart.tech",
        "APART_API_KEY": "apart_your-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}

Zed

Zed uses a different config key than other tools. Open Zed > Settings > Open Settings and add:

{
  "context_servers": {
    "apart-intelligence": {
      "source": "custom",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@apart-tech/intelligence-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "APART_API_URL": "https://api.intelligence.apart.tech",
        "APART_API_KEY": "apart_your-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}

Windows Note

On Windows, some tools may have trouble running npx directly. If you see "Connection closed" errors, wrap the command:

"command": "cmd",
"args": ["/c", "npx", "-y", "@apart-tech/intelligence-mcp"]

This applies to Claude Desktop, Cursor, and any tool using stdio transport on Windows.

Troubleshooting