> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://runpod-b18f5ded-promptless-hosted-mcp-server-setup.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Use Runpod's MCP servers

> Connect AI tools to Runpod using the Model Context Protocol for infrastructure management and documentation access.

Runpod provides two [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/getting-started/intro) servers that connect AI tools and coding agents directly to Runpod:

* **[Runpod API MCP server](#runpod-api-mcp-server):** Manage Pods, endpoints, templates, volumes, and registries through the Runpod REST API. Authenticate with Sign in with Runpod or a [Runpod API key](/get-started/api-keys).
* **[Runpod docs MCP server](#runpod-docs-mcp-server):** Search Runpod documentation for features, code examples, and guides. No authentication required.

## Runpod API MCP server

The Runpod API MCP server gives AI tools access to the [Runpod REST API](/api-reference/overview), letting you create and manage Pods, Serverless endpoints, templates, network volumes, and container registries through natural language.

**Hosted endpoint:** `https://mcp.getrunpod.io/` (Streamable HTTP transport)

**Local package:** `@runpod/mcp-server` (via npx)

**Source code:** [github.com/runpod/runpod-mcp](https://github.com/runpod/runpod-mcp)

**Authentication:** Sign in with Runpod (OAuth) for the hosted server, or a [Runpod API key](/get-started/api-keys) for the local server or as a hosted-server override.

You can connect in two ways: the recommended hosted server, or a local server that runs from an npm package with an API key.

### Hosted server (recommended)

The hosted server runs at `https://mcp.getrunpod.io/` and provides the same capabilities as the local server. OAuth-capable clients run a "Sign in with Runpod" flow on first connect: a browser opens, you log in to the Runpod console and approve the request, and the server obtains a session-scoped API key. Nothing is stored on disk.

The guided installer is the recommended path for supported clients. It detects your installed clients — Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code — and configures each one, handling client-specific config-key differences automatically:

```bash theme={null}
npx @runpod/mcp-server@latest add
```

To undo these changes, run `npx @runpod/mcp-server@latest remove`.

#### Claude Code (hosted)

```bash theme={null}
claude mcp add --transport http runpod -s user https://mcp.getrunpod.io/
```

#### Claude Desktop (hosted)

1. Open **Settings** in Claude Desktop.
2. Navigate to **Connectors** and select **Add custom connector**.
3. Enter `https://mcp.getrunpod.io/` as the URL and click **Add**.

#### VS Code with Copilot (hosted)

1. Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows/Linux or Cmd+Shift+P on macOS).
2. Run **MCP: Add Server** and select **HTTP**.
3. Enter `https://mcp.getrunpod.io/` as the URL and `Runpod` as the name.
4. Select **Global** or **Workspace** and click **Add**.

#### Other clients (hosted)

For any other MCP-compatible client, use the remote URL `https://mcp.getrunpod.io/`:

```json theme={null}
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "runpod": {
      "url": "https://mcp.getrunpod.io/"
    }
  }
}
```

Clients differ in the exact key name they use for a remote server URL. For the clients the guided installer supports, it writes the correct configuration automatically; for any other client, consult that client's MCP documentation for how to add a remote HTTP server, using the URL above.

<Note>
  To skip the OAuth flow, pass your API key as a bearer header. For example, in Claude Code:

  ```bash theme={null}
  claude mcp add --transport http runpod -s user https://mcp.getrunpod.io/ \
    --header "Authorization: Bearer $RUNPOD_API_KEY"
  ```

  Clients configured with JSON use a `headers` block instead.
</Note>

### Local server (API key)

Use this method to run the server locally with an API key stored in your client config — for example, if your client doesn't support the hosted server's sign-in flow, or you prefer to manage the credential yourself.

#### Supported clients

* [Claude Code](#claude-code)
* [Codex CLI](#codex-cli)
* [Cursor](#cursor)
* [VS Code with Copilot](#vs-code-with-copilot)
* [Claude Desktop](#claude-desktop)
* [Windsurf](#windsurf)
* [Cline](#cline)
* [Gemini CLI](#gemini-cli)

#### Claude Code

```bash theme={null}
claude mcp add runpod --scope user -e RUNPOD_API_KEY=your_api_key_here -- npx -y @runpod/mcp-server@latest
```

Replace `your_api_key_here` with your Runpod API key. The `--scope user` flag makes the server available across all your projects. Run `/mcp` inside Claude Code to verify the connection.

#### Codex CLI

[Codex CLI](https://github.com/openai/codex) is OpenAI's terminal-based coding agent.

```bash theme={null}
codex mcp add runpod --env RUNPOD_API_KEY=your_api_key_here -- npx -y @runpod/mcp-server@latest
```

#### Cursor

Add the following to `.cursor/mcp.json` (project-level) or `~/.cursor/mcp.json` (global). This configuration works with both the Cursor IDE and the [Cursor Agent](https://cursor.com/docs/cli/mcp):

```json theme={null}
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "runpod": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@runpod/mcp-server@latest"],
      "env": {
        "RUNPOD_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

#### VS Code with Copilot

1. Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows/Linux or Cmd+Shift+P on macOS).
2. Run **MCP: Add Server** and select **stdio**.
3. Enter the following details:
   * **Name:** `Runpod`
   * **Command:** `npx`
   * **Arguments:** `-y @runpod/mcp-server@latest`
4. Add environment variable `RUNPOD_API_KEY` with your Runpod API key.
5. Select **Global** or **Workspace** and click **Add**.

#### Claude Desktop

Add the following to your Claude Desktop config file:

* **macOS**: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
* **Windows**: `%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json`

```json theme={null}
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "runpod": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@runpod/mcp-server@latest"],
      "env": {
        "RUNPOD_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

Restart Claude Desktop after saving the file.

#### Windsurf

Edit `~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json` (or open from **Settings** > **Cascade** > **MCP Servers** > **View raw config**):

```json theme={null}
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "runpod": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@runpod/mcp-server@latest"],
      "env": {
        "RUNPOD_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

#### Cline

Open the Cline sidebar in VS Code, click the **MCP Servers** icon, then select **Configure MCP Servers** to edit `cline_mcp_settings.json`:

```json theme={null}
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "runpod": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@runpod/mcp-server@latest"],
      "env": {
        "RUNPOD_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
      },
      "disabled": false
    }
  }
}
```

#### Gemini CLI

Add to `~/.gemini/settings.json` (global) or `.gemini/settings.json` (project-level):

```json theme={null}
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "runpod": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@runpod/mcp-server@latest"],
      "env": {
        "RUNPOD_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

#### Other clients

For any other MCP-compatible client, use the following connection details:

* **Command:** `npx`
* **Args:** `-y @runpod/mcp-server@latest`
* **Environment:** `RUNPOD_API_KEY=your_api_key_here`

### Usage examples

Once connected, you can interact with your Runpod resources using natural language:

```
List all my Runpod Pods
```

```
Create a new Runpod Pod with the following specifications:
- Name: ml-training-pod
- Image: runpod/pytorch:2.1.0-py3.10-cuda11.8.0-devel-ubuntu22.04
- GPU Type: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
- GPU Count: 1
- Cloud Type: SECURE
```

```
Create a Runpod Serverless endpoint with the following configuration:
- Name: image-generation-endpoint
- Template ID: 30zmvf89kd
- Minimum workers: 0
- Maximum workers: 5
```

```
Stop the Pod named "ml-training-pod"
```

## Runpod docs MCP server

The Runpod docs MCP server provides access to Runpod's documentation knowledge base, making it easier to get answers about features and how to use them.

**Endpoint:** `https://docs.runpod.io/mcp`

**Authentication:** None required

### Claude Code

```bash theme={null}
claude mcp add runpod-docs --scope user --transport http https://docs.runpod.io/mcp
```

### Codex CLI

```bash theme={null}
codex mcp add runpod-docs --url https://docs.runpod.io/mcp
```

### Cursor

Add to your `.cursor/mcp.json` file:

```json theme={null}
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "runpod-docs": {
      "url": "https://docs.runpod.io/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### VS Code with Copilot

1. Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows/Linux or Cmd+Shift+P on macOS).
2. Run **MCP: Add Server** and select **HTTP**.
3. Enter `https://docs.runpod.io/mcp` as the URL and `Runpod Docs` as the name.
4. Select **Global** or **Workspace** and click **Add**.

### Claude Desktop

1. Open **Settings** in Claude Desktop.
2. Navigate to **Connectors** and select **Add custom connector**.
3. Enter `https://docs.runpod.io/mcp` as the URL and click **Add**.

### Windsurf

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

```json theme={null}
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "runpod-docs": {
      "serverUrl": "https://docs.runpod.io/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### Cline

Add to `cline_mcp_settings.json`:

```json theme={null}
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "runpod-docs": {
      "url": "https://docs.runpod.io/mcp",
      "disabled": false
    }
  }
}
```

### Gemini CLI

Add to `~/.gemini/settings.json`. Note that Gemini CLI uses `httpUrl` instead of `url`:

```json theme={null}
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "runpod-docs": {
      "httpUrl": "https://docs.runpod.io/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### Other clients

For any other MCP-compatible client, use URL `https://docs.runpod.io/mcp` (HTTP transport).

### Usage examples

With the docs MCP server connected, you can ask questions about Runpod features:

```
Explain the Runpod Serverless model caching feature
```

```
How do I configure environment variables for a Serverless endpoint?
```

```
How does global networking work in Runpod?
```