Configuring Your First MCP Server

Understanding Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that enables AI agents like Cascade to seamlessly connect with external tools, data sources, and services. By implementing MCP, you can significantly enhance Cascade's capabilities and keep yourself in a flow state by reducing context switching.

What MCP Solves

Developers typically juggle multiple information sources while coding:

• • Database schemas and queries
• • API documentation
• • Internal knowledge bases
• • Third-party services
• • Project-specific resources

MCP eliminates the need to constantly switch between these sources by allowing Cascade to directly access them on your behalf.

MCP Architecture

Finding and Installing MCP Servers

Built-in MCP Servers

Windsurf comes with several pre-configured MCP servers that you can easily set up:

1. 1. Open Windsurf and click the Plugins icon in the sidebar
2. 2. Browse the available MCP servers
3. 3. Select a server (e.g., Supabase) and click Install
4. 4. Enter your API key or authentication credentials
5. 5. Click Save to complete the installation

External MCP Servers

For servers not included in Windsurf by default:

1. 1. Visit the GitHub List of MCP Servers or any other MCP directory.
2. 2. Find the server you want to integrate and copy the server configuration
3. 3. In Windsurf, go to Plugins → Manage plugins → View raw config
4. 4. Paste the configuration and add your API key
5. 5. Save the file and refresh Windsurf

Practical MCP Integration Examples

Database Access with Supabase

With the Supabase MCP server configured, Cascade can:

• • Query your database tables
• • Understand your schema
• • Generate SQL queries
• • Visualize data relationships

Documentation Access with Notion

After setting up the Notion MCP server, Cascade can:

• • Reference internal documentation
• • Pull in project requirements
• • Access team knowledge bases
• • Update documentation as you code

Best Practices for MCP Usage

• • Security: Only use API keys with appropriate permission scopes
• • Organization: Group related MCP servers for specific projects
• • Documentation: Keep track of which MCP servers you've configured
• • Updates: Periodically check for updates to your MCP servers

Extending with Custom MCP Servers

For specialized needs, you can create custom MCP servers that connect to your unique tools and services:

1. 1. Follow the MCP specification to create a server
2. 2. Host your server where Windsurf can access it
3. 3. Configure the connection in Windsurf's plugin settings

By leveraging MCP servers, you can transform Cascade from a general-purpose coding assistant into a specialized tool that understands your specific development environment and resources.