MCP client - Anysphere - verified October 18, 2026

How to add an MCP server to Cursor

Name: Cursor
Author: Anysphere

Where to add MCP servers in Cursor: Project: .cursor/mcp.json; Global: ~/.cursor/mcp.json. Its docs list support for stdio, Streamable HTTP and SSE. It handles OAuth sign-in for remote servers.

Cursor homepage - Cursor in our tools directory - Compare all MCP clients

Kind: Editor
stdio: Yes
Streamable HTTP: Yes
SSE: Yes

Add a server

Where the config lives: Project: .cursor/mcp.json; Global: ~/.cursor/mcp.json

The example from the Cursor docs, copied verbatim. Swap in your server's name, command or URL.

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "server-name": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "API_KEY": "value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Source: cursor.com/docs/mcp

Which server?

Pick a server from the verified directory of official MCP servers. Each one lists its transport, auth and the setup snippets its vendor publishes, so you can match it to what Cursor supports.

MCP support

What the Cursor docs say it supports. Not stated means the docs do not say either way.

Cursor MCP features, transports and OAuth, each with its source
Feature	Value	Source
ToolsCalls the functions a server exposes.	Yes	cursor.com/docs/mcp
ResourcesReads data and files a server exposes as resources.	Yes	cursor.com/docs/mcp
PromptsOffers a server's prompt templates to the user.	Yes	cursor.com/docs/mcp
SamplingLets a server ask the client's model for a completion.	Not stated	Docs do not say
RootsTells a server which directories it may work in.	Yes	cursor.com/docs/mcp
ElicitationLets a server ask the user for input mid-task.	Yes	cursor.com/docs/mcp
DiscoveryPicks up tools, prompts or resources a server adds or removes while connected.	Not stated	Docs do not say
InstructionsUses the instructions a server sends when it connects.	Not stated	Docs do not say
stdioStarts a local server as a subprocess.	Yes	cursor.com/docs/mcp
Streamable HTTPConnects to a remote server over the current HTTP transport.	Yes	cursor.com/docs/mcp
SSEConnects over the older HTTP+SSE transport.	Yes	cursor.com/docs/mcp
OAuthSigns in to remote servers with OAuth.	Yes	cursor.com/docs/mcp

Worth knowing

Cursor's MCP docs list Tools, Prompts, Resources, Roots, Elicitation and the MCP Apps extension as supported and do not mention sampling.

FAQ

Where is the Cursor MCP config?

Project: .cursor/mcp.json; Global: ~/.cursor/mcp.json. The example on this page is copied from https://cursor.com/docs/mcp

Does Cursor support remote MCP servers over Streamable HTTP?

Yes, per https://cursor.com/docs/mcp. Its docs list support for stdio, Streamable HTTP and SSE.

Does Cursor support OAuth for MCP servers?

Yes. It handles OAuth sign-in for remote servers. Source: https://cursor.com/docs/mcp

Which MCP features does Cursor support?

Its docs list Tools, Resources, Prompts, Roots and Elicitation. They do not state Sampling, Discovery and Instructions.

Sources

Last verified October 18, 2026 from the pages below.

Cursor Docs: Model Context Protocol (MCP) - cursor.com
MCP Extension Support Matrix - modelcontextprotocol.io
modelcontextprotocol.io/clients (redirects to the intro page, no feature matrix as of 2026-10-18) - modelcontextprotocol.io

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