# Cursor MCP: how to add MCP servers to Cursor

Cursor reads MCP servers from a JSON file — one per project, or one for everything. You can also click through **Settings → MCP → Add new MCP server**; it writes to the same file.

Check the server exists first: 212 of 234 brands ship an official one ([full index](https://mcpyet.com/browse.md)).

## Where the config lives

| Path | Scope | Good for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `.cursor/mcp.json` | This project | Repo-specific tools; commit it to share with the team |
| `~/.cursor/mcp.json` | Every project | Docs search, personal utilities |

## Remote (hosted) server

Vendor-run servers need only a URL — Cursor handles the sign-in flow:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "linear": {
      "url": "https://mcp.linear.app/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

Ready to paste right now: [fal.ai](https://mcpyet.com/mcp/fal-ai.md), [Atlassian](https://mcpyet.com/mcp/atlassian.md), [Datadog](https://mcpyet.com/mcp/datadog.md), [Buffer](https://mcpyet.com/mcp/buffer.md), [Google Drive](https://mcpyet.com/mcp/google-drive.md) — each page has the exact URL.

## Local (stdio) server

Local servers are launched by Cursor as a subprocess:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "example": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@vendor/mcp-server"],
      "env": { "VENDOR_API_KEY": "sk-…" }
    }
  }
}
```

Python servers use `uvx` as the command. Package names, arguments and required environment variables come from each server's README, which is linked from its verdict page.

## Using it

Enable the server in **Settings → MCP** — a green dot means it connected and its tools were listed. Then just describe what you want in the agent panel; Cursor picks tools on its own, or you can name the server directly. Tool calls ask for approval unless you turn on auto-run, which is worth leaving off for anything that writes.

## When the dot stays red

| Symptom | Usual cause | Fix |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Red dot, no tools | Command not found | Use an absolute path from `which npx` — Cursor's PATH isn't your shell's |
| Connects, then drops | Server exits on startup | Run the command manually; a missing API key is the usual culprit |
| Config ignored | Wrong filename or location | It's `.cursor/mcp.json` at the project root, not `.cursor/mcp.jsonc` |
| Agent never uses the tool | Too many servers enabled | Disable unused servers, or name the tool explicitly in your prompt |

## Questions

**Project config or global config?**
Use .cursor/mcp.json inside a repo when the server is specific to that codebase — it can be committed so teammates get it too. Use ~/.cursor/mcp.json for servers you want everywhere, like docs search.

**Why is the dot next to my server red?**
Cursor couldn't start the process or reach the URL. For local servers, run the exact command from your config in a terminal — you'll see the real error immediately, usually a missing binary on PATH or an unset API key.

**Can I keep API keys out of the config file?**
Reference environment variables in the env block rather than pasting secrets, and keep .cursor/mcp.json out of version control if it contains anything sensitive. A leaked MCP config is a leaked credential.

**How many servers can I add?**
Technically many, but every server's tools are injected into the model's context, so a dozen chatty servers crowd out the room for your actual code. Enable what a project needs and disable the rest.

Related guides: [Claude](https://mcpyet.com/connect/claude.md) · [ChatGPT](https://mcpyet.com/connect/chatgpt.md) · [What is MCP?](https://mcpyet.com/what-is-mcp.md)

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Source: https://mcpyet.com/connect/cursor/ — data refreshed 2026-08-11