---
title: "Getting started - Chat Thing Documentation"
canonical_url: "https://chatthing.ai/docs/mcp-getting-started"
last_updated: "2026-07-13T16:51:23.442Z"
meta:
  description: "Connect Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf or any MCP client to Chat Thing and build your bots straight from your AI agent."
  "og:description": "Connect Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf or any MCP client to Chat Thing and build your bots straight from your AI agent."
  "og:title": "Getting started"
  "twitter:description": "Connect Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf or any MCP client to Chat Thing and build your bots straight from your AI agent."
  "twitter:title": "Getting started"
---

**MCP**

# Getting started

The Chat Thing MCP server lets your AI agent build and manage your bots for you. Instead of clicking around the dashboard, you connect a client like Claude Code or Cursor once and then ask it to create bots, add data sources, configure power-ups, set up channels and run tests - all through the same tools you use in the app.

MCP (the [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io)) is an open standard for connecting AI agents to external tools. Chat Thing exposes its capabilities as MCP tools, so any MCP-capable client can drive your account with the permissions you grant it.

## What you need

- A Chat Thing account. If you do not have one yet, [create one for free](https://app.chatthing.ai/app/auth/register) - access requires an account.
- An MCP client that supports the streamable HTTP transport, such as Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.

## The endpoint

Every client connects to the same URL:

```
https://app.chatthing.ai/mcp
```

You do not paste a key to connect over OAuth - your client opens a browser window where you approve access. See [Authentication](https://chatthing.ai/docs/mcp-authentication) for the full picture, including the API-key path for CI and headless agents.

## Connect your client

Pick your client below. On first use the client opens a browser consent screen where you approve which team the agent can access - once you approve, you are connected.

Editors and CLI agents connect by adding a few lines to a config file. Desktop and web apps connect by pasting the endpoint into their connectors panel - jump to [Desktop and web apps](#desktop-and-web-apps) if that is you.

### Claude Code

Run this in your terminal:

```
claude mcp add chatthing --transport http https://app.chatthing.ai/mcp
```

### Codex CLI

Add the server to `~/.codex/config.toml`:

```
[mcp_servers.chatthing]
url = "https://app.chatthing.ai/mcp"
```

Prefer the Codex desktop app? See [Codex app](#codex-app) below - it uses the same config under the hood but adds it from a settings screen.

### Cursor

Add the server to `~/.cursor/mcp.json`:

```
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "chatthing": {
      "url": "https://app.chatthing.ai/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### Windsurf

Add the server to `~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json`:

```
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "chatthing": {
      "serverUrl": "https://app.chatthing.ai/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### VS Code

Add the server to `.vscode/mcp.json` in your workspace:

```
{
  "servers": {
    "chatthing": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://app.chatthing.ai/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### Zed

Add the server to your Zed `settings.json` (open it with `zed: open settings file`):

```
{
  "context_servers": {
    "chatthing": {
      "url": "https://app.chatthing.ai/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

When no `Authorization` header is set, Zed prompts you to sign in with the standard OAuth flow.

### Cline

Add the server to Cline's MCP settings (`cline_mcp_settings.json`). Set `type` to `streamableHttp` so it uses the modern transport:

```
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "chatthing": {
      "type": "streamableHttp",
      "url": "https://app.chatthing.ai/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

## Desktop and web apps

These clients do not use a config file - you add Chat Thing from a settings screen and approve access in the same window. Use the endpoint `https://app.chatthing.ai/mcp` wherever a URL is asked for.

### Claude Desktop and Claude.ai

The Claude desktop app and Claude.ai both use the same connectors flow. This is Claude the _app_, which is separate from the [Claude Code](#claude-code) CLI above - you can use either or both.

1. Open **Settings → Connectors**.
2. Click **Add** and choose **Add custom connector**.![Claude Connectors panel with the Add menu open showing Add custom connector](https://res.cloudinary.com/djyjvrw5u/image/upload/v1783956443/docs/mcp/claude-connectors-add-menu.png)
3. Name it `Chat Thing`, paste the URL `https://app.chatthing.ai/mcp`, and click **Add**. You can leave the Advanced settings (OAuth client ID and secret) blank - Chat Thing registers your client automatically.![Claude Add custom connector dialog with Chat Thing name and the Chat Thing MCP URL filled in](https://res.cloudinary.com/djyjvrw5u/image/upload/v1783956445/docs/mcp/claude-add-custom-connector.png)
4. Click **Connect** on the new connector. Claude opens the OAuth consent screen - approve the team you want the agent to act on, and you are connected.

Chat Thing then appears in the connectors list, and its tools are available to Claude in a new chat.

### Codex app

The [Codex](https://developers.openai.com/codex) desktop app adds MCP servers from its settings, and stores them in the same `~/.codex/config.toml` as the [Codex CLI](#codex-cli).

1. Open **Settings → Plugins**, then select the **MCPs** tab and click **Add server**.![Codex Plugins settings on the MCPs tab with the Add server button](https://res.cloudinary.com/djyjvrw5u/image/upload/v1783956448/docs/mcp/codex-mcps-add-server.png)
2. Name it `Chat Thing`, set **Type** to **Streamable HTTP**, and paste the URL `https://app.chatthing.ai/mcp`. Leave the bearer-token and header fields empty to connect over OAuth (fill in a bearer token only if you are using an [API key](https://chatthing.ai/docs/mcp-authentication#api-key)). Click **Save**.![Codex Connect to a custom MCP form set to Streamable HTTP with the Chat Thing MCP URL](https://res.cloudinary.com/djyjvrw5u/image/upload/v1783956449/docs/mcp/codex-connect-custom-mcp.png)
3. Restart the server if Codex prompts you, then approve access on the Chat Thing consent screen.

### ChatGPT

ChatGPT is a different product from Codex, and it connects to MCP servers through its developer mode:

1. Open **Settings → Apps & Connectors → Advanced settings** and turn on **Developer mode**.
2. Back on **Apps & Connectors**, click **Create** to add a new connector.
3. Name it `Chat Thing`, paste the URL `https://app.chatthing.ai/mcp`, choose **OAuth** for authentication, and create it.
4. Approve access on the Chat Thing consent screen.

ℹ️

Any MCP client works

Chat Thing follows the MCP standard, so any client that speaks streamable HTTP can connect to the same endpoint. If your client is not listed, point it at `https://app.chatthing.ai/mcp` and use its normal way of adding an HTTP MCP server.

## Your first request

Once connected, ask your agent to list what is in your account to confirm the connection works. For example:

> List my Chat Thing bots.

Your agent will call the `list_bots` tool and show what it can see. From here you can ask it to build something - head to [Build a bot](https://chatthing.ai/docs/mcp-build-a-bot) for a guided walkthrough, or browse the full [tool reference](https://chatthing.ai/docs/mcp-tools) to see everything the agent can do.

## Prefer to script it?

If you are connecting from CI, a script, or a client that cannot open a browser, use an API key instead of OAuth. See [Authentication](https://chatthing.ai/docs/mcp-authentication#api-key) for how to generate a key and pass it as a bearer token.