Getting Started with Claude Code

This guide will help you set up the Bing Webmaster Tools MCP server with Claude Code.

Prerequisites

• Claude Code CLI installed (Download here)
• Node.js 16+ installed
• Bing Webmaster API key (Get it here)

Setup Steps

1. Add the MCP Server with API Key

Choose one of the following methods:

Option A: Inline Environment Variable (Recommended)

Add the server with your API key in one command:

claude mcp add bing-webmaster -e BING_WEBMASTER_API_KEY=your_api_key_here -- npx -y @isiahw1/mcp-server-bing-webmaster@latest

Option B: Using System Environment Variable

First set the environment variable:

export BING_WEBMASTER_API_KEY="your_api_key_here"

Then add the server:

claude mcp add bing-webmaster -- npx -y @isiahw1/mcp-server-bing-webmaster@latest

Option C: Using .env File

Create a .env file in your project directory:

BING_WEBMASTER_API_KEY=your_api_key_here

Then add the server:

claude mcp add bing-webmaster -- npx -y @isiahw1/mcp-server-bing-webmaster@latest

2. Launch Claude Code

claude

Verify Installation

Once launched, try these commands to verify the setup:

"Show me all my sites in Bing Webmaster Tools"
"What's my URL submission quota?"

Troubleshooting

Enable Debug Mode

If you're experiencing issues, run Claude Code with debug logging:

claude --mcp-debug

Common Issues

"Cannot find MCP server" error:

• Ensure you've run the claude mcp add command
• Check that Node.js is installed: node --version

"Invalid API key" error:

• Verify your API key is correct
• Make sure the environment variable is set: echo $BING_WEBMASTER_API_KEY

"spawn ENOENT" error:

• This usually means npx can't be found
• Ensure Node.js and npm are in your PATH

Checking Logs

Look for messages like:

MCP server "bing-webmaster" Server stderr: Starting Bing Webmaster MCP server...

Advanced Usage

Using a Specific Version

claude mcp add bing-webmaster -e BING_WEBMASTER_API_KEY=your_api_key_here -- npx -y @isiahw1/mcp-server-bing-webmaster@1.0.1

Using Local Development Version

# From your development directory
cd /path/to/mcp-server-bing-webmaster
claude mcp add bing-webmaster-dev -e BING_WEBMASTER_API_KEY=your_api_key_here -- uv run python -m mcp_server_bwt

Multiple Environment Variables

You can pass multiple environment variables using multiple -e flags:

claude mcp add bing-webmaster \
  -e BING_WEBMASTER_API_KEY=your_api_key_here \
  -e LOG_LEVEL=debug \
  -- npx -y @isiahw1/mcp-server-bing-webmaster@latest

Next Steps

• Explore the full list of available tools
• Check out usage examples
• Learn about API quotas and limits

Support

If you encounter issues:

1. Check the troubleshooting section
2. Review GitHub Issues
3. Open a new issue with debug logs