Cursor is an AI-powered code editor built on VS Code with deep AI integration. It supports MCP servers using the same JSON format as Claude Desktop — an mcpServers root key with stdio and remote server configs — making it one of the easiest apps to migrate between. Cursor supports both a global config at ~/.cursor/mcp.json for servers available across all projects, and a project-level config at .cursor/mcp.json for workspace-specific servers. Project configs take precedence and can be checked into source control. When Cursor detects an MCP server, its AI features (Composer, Chat) can call the server's tools to perform actions like reading files, querying databases, or running searches.
Quick Install with getmcp
The fastest way to install MCP servers in Cursor is with the getmcp CLI:
▸Server not appearing in Cursor: Restart Cursor after editing the config file. Cursor reads the MCP config on startup.
▸Project vs global config conflict: If the same server name exists in both .cursor/mcp.json and ~/.cursor/mcp.json, the project-level config takes precedence.
▸Error: spawn npx ENOENT: Cursor may not inherit your shell's PATH. Specify the full path to node or npx, or set it in the env block of the server config.
▸MCP tools not available in Composer: Open Cursor Settings, go to Features > MCP, and verify the server status shows a green indicator. Toggle the server off and on to force a reconnect.
▸Rate limits from the AI model: MCP tool calls count toward your Cursor AI usage. If you hit limits, check your Cursor subscription and usage dashboard.
