Installing PAPI

July 13, 2026 · View on GitHub

PAPI connects to your AI tool as an MCP server. There are two transports:

  • Remote (recommended). Your tool talks to mcp.getpapi.ai over HTTPS. Nothing runs on your machine, sign-in happens in the browser, and updates reach you automatically.
  • Local (advanced). Your tool runs @papi-ai/server from npm locally. Useful when you want the process under your own control.

Pick your tool below. Every path ends the same way: run setup once, then orient at the start of every session.

Claude Code

Connecting is two steps. Step 2 is the one people miss — without it the connection is registered but unusable.

Step 1 — add the server. Paste this into a terminal (works from any directory):

claude mcp add --transport http papi https://mcp.getpapi.ai/mcp

This registers PAPI. It does not sign you in, and no browser opens. The server will show ! Needs authentication.

Step 2 — authenticate. In Claude Code:

Run /mcp, choose papi, and pick Authenticate. A browser tab opens — sign in, and you're connected.

There is no CLI command for this. Only you can approve it.

Once connected:

Run the setup tool to scaffold this project. After setup completes, run orient and tell me which cycle this project is on.

Prefer to never touch a terminal? Paste this prompt into Claude Code instead:

Please add PAPI as an MCP server. Run this; it works from any directory: claude mcp add --transport http papi https://mcp.getpapi.ai/mcp That registers it but does not sign me in — so then tell me to run /mcp, choose papi, and pick Authenticate (you can't do that step for me). Once I confirm I'm authenticated, call the setup tool to scaffold this project, then run orient and tell me which cycle this project is on.

Cursor

Settings → MCP → Add new server, or create .cursor/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "papi": {
      "url": "https://mcp.getpapi.ai/mcp"
    }
  }
}

On first connection the server sits unauthenticated until you complete the sign-in prompt for papi in the MCP settings panel. It will not sign you in on its own.

VS Code (Copilot MCP)

Add to your MCP config (note VS Code uses servers, not mcpServers):

{
  "servers": {
    "papi": {
      "url": "https://mcp.getpapi.ai/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Windsurf

Add to Windsurf's MCP settings:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "papi": {
      "url": "https://mcp.getpapi.ai/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Codex CLI

Add to ~/.codex/config.toml:

[mcp_servers.papi]
url = "https://mcp.getpapi.ai/mcp"

Any other MCP client

Use the generic endpoint https://mcp.getpapi.ai/mcp. Clients that support OAuth discovery will walk you through sign-in. Clients that only support static headers can use an API key from the getpapi.ai Connect panel:

{
  "url": "https://mcp.getpapi.ai/mcp",
  "headers": {
    "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_CONNECTION_TOKEN",
    "x-papi-project-id": "YOUR_PROJECT_ID"
  }
}

Keep the token out of version control. It is revocable from the dashboard.

Local runtime (advanced)

Runs the server on your machine via npx. You need a project id and API key from the dashboard's Connect panel.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "papi": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@papi-ai/server"],
      "env": {
        "PAPI_PROJECT_ID": "YOUR_PROJECT_ID",
        "PAPI_DATA_API_KEY": "YOUR_CONNECTION_TOKEN"
      }
    }
  }
}

After installing

  1. setup scaffolds the project (first time only).
  2. orient tells you which cycle you're on and what to do next. Run it at the start of every session.
  3. plan creates your first cycle when you're ready.

If anything fails, see troubleshooting.md.