> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.pods.finance/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# MCP Server Setup

> Connect Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Codex, and other AI agents to the Pods MCP Server

The Pods MCP Server is hosted and ready to use — no installation required. Point your AI host at the server URL and add your API key to start using all 25 tools and 9 prompts.

**Server URL:** `http://mcp.pods.finance/mcp`

## Prerequisites

* A Pods API key — [get one here](https://www.pods.finance/plg/select-plan)
* An MCP-compatible host: Claude Desktop or similar
* Node.js installed (required for `npx`)

***

## Claude Desktop

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the configuration file">
    <Tabs>
      <Tab title="macOS">
        Open `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Windows">
        Open `%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json`
      </Tab>
    </Tabs>

    Create the file if it does not exist.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add the server entry">
    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "mcpServers": {
        "pods": {
          "command": "npx",
          "args": [
            "-y",
            "mcp-remote",
            "https://mcp.pods.finance/mcp",
            "--header",
            "x-api-key:your-api-key"
          ]
        }
      }
    }
    ```

    <Info>
      Claude Desktop uses `mcp-remote` as a bridge to connect to remote HTTP servers. The `--allow-http` flag is required because `mcp-remote` enforces HTTPS by default.
    </Info>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Restart Claude Desktop">
    Close and reopen the app. The Pods tools will appear in the tool picker.

    <Check>
      Ask Claude "what Pods tools are available?" to confirm the connection.
    </Check>
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Claude Code

<Steps>
  <Step title="Add the server">
    <Tabs>
      <Tab title="CLI">
        ```bash theme={null}
        claude mcp add --transport http pods http://mcp.pods.finance/mcp --header "x-api-key:your-api-key"
        ```
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Config file">
        Edit `~/.claude/mcp.json` (global) or `.claude/mcp.json` (project):

        ```json theme={null}
        {
          "mcpServers": {
            "pods": {
              "type": "http",
              "url": "http://mcp.pods.finance/mcp",
              "headers": { "x-api-key": "your-api-key" }
            }
          }
        }
        ```
      </Tab>
    </Tabs>

    <Info>
      Claude Code supports HTTP transport natively — no `mcp-remote` required.
    </Info>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify the connection">
    ```bash theme={null}
    claude mcp list
    ```

    <Check>
      Ask Claude "what Pods tools are available?" to confirm the connection.
    </Check>
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Cursor

<Steps>
  <Step title="Add the server">
    <Tabs>
      <Tab title="Config file">
        Create or edit `.cursor/mcp.json` (project) or `~/.cursor/mcp.json` (global):

        ```json theme={null}
        {
          "mcpServers": {
            "pods": {
              "command": "npx",
              "args": [
                "-y",
                "mcp-remote",
                "http://mcp.pods.finance/mcp",
                "--header",
                "x-api-key:your-api-key",
                "--allow-http"
              ]
            }
          }
        }
        ```
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="UI">
        1. Open **Settings** (`Cmd+Shift+J`) → **Features** → **Model Context Protocol**
        2. Click **Add new MCP server**
        3. Fill in Name `pods`, Command `npx`, and the args above
        4. Toggle the server **on**
      </Tab>
    </Tabs>

    <Info>
      The `--allow-http` flag is required because `mcp-remote` enforces HTTPS by default.
    </Info>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify the connection">
    Open Cursor and ask in the chat "what Pods tools are available?" to confirm the connection.

    <Check>
      The Pods tools will appear in the tool picker.
    </Check>
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Google Gemini CLI

<Steps>
  <Step title="Add the server">
    <Tabs>
      <Tab title="CLI">
        ```bash theme={null}
        gemini mcp add --transport http \
          --header "x-api-key:your-api-key" \
          pods http://mcp.pods.finance/mcp
        ```
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Config file">
        Edit `~/.gemini/settings.json`:

        ```json theme={null}
        {
          "mcpServers": {
            "pods": {
              "command": "npx",
              "args": [
                "-y",
                "mcp-remote",
                "http://mcp.pods.finance/mcp",
                "--header",
                "x-api-key:your-api-key",
                "--allow-http"
              ]
            }
          }
        }
        ```
      </Tab>
    </Tabs>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify the connection">
    ```bash theme={null}
    gemini mcp list
    ```

    Or, inside a Gemini chat session, run `/mcp enable pods`.

    <Check>
      Ask Gemini "what Pods tools are available?" to confirm the connection.
    </Check>
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## OpenAI Codex

<Steps>
  <Step title="Add the server">
    <Tabs>
      <Tab title="CLI">
        ```bash theme={null}
        codex mcp add pods -- npx -y mcp-remote http://mcp.pods.finance/mcp --header x-api-key:your-api-key --allow-http
        ```
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Config file">
        Edit `~/.codex/config.toml`:

        ```toml theme={null}
        [mcp_servers.pods]
        command = "npx"
        args = ["-y", "mcp-remote", "http://mcp.pods.finance/mcp", "--header", "x-api-key:your-api-key", "--allow-http"]
        ```
      </Tab>
    </Tabs>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify the connection">
    ```bash theme={null}
    codex mcp list
    ```

    <Check>
      Ask Codex "what Pods tools are available?" to confirm the connection.
    </Check>
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Other Agents

Any MCP-compatible host that accepts a `mcpServers` JSON config can connect to the Pods server using `mcp-remote`:

```json theme={null}
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pods": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "mcp-remote",
        "http://mcp.pods.finance/mcp",
        "--header",
        "x-api-key:your-api-key",
        "--allow-http"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

<Info>
  Replace `your-api-key` with your Pods API key. The `--allow-http` flag is required because `mcp-remote` enforces HTTPS by default.
</Info>

***

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Tools Reference" icon="list" href="/ai-tools/mcp-tools-reference">
    Browse all 25 tools and 9 prompts with inputs and outputs
  </Card>

  <Card title="MCP Server Overview" icon="plug" href="/ai-tools/mcp-server">
    Learn what the server does and when to use it
  </Card>
</CardGroup>