MCP Setup Guide

This guide walks you through connecting the Votel Publisher MCP tool to your AI client. There are two ways to connect:

Method	How it works	Best for
Remote (OAuth)	Connect via URL — no install needed. Your AI client handles login automatically.	Claude.ai, ChatGPT, VS Code, web-based clients
Local (API Key)	Run the tool on your machine with an API key. Requires Node.js.	Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline

Pick the tab that matches your client below.

Remote Setup (OAuth)

No API key or Node.js required. Your AI client connects to the Votel MCP server directly and authenticates via OAuth.

Claude.ai
ChatGPT
VS Code

Requirements: Claude Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise plan.

Go to Claude.ai Settings > Integrations > MCP Servers
Click Add Server and enter this URL:

https://app.votel.ai/mcp

Claude will open a Votel login page — sign in and click Allow
Done! Ask Claude "List my websites" to verify

Free plan

Claude.ai Free tier does not support remote MCP servers. Use the Local setup with Claude Code or Claude Desktop instead.

Requirements: ChatGPT Pro, Plus, Business, Enterprise, or Education account.

In ChatGPT, go to Settings > MCP Servers
Add a new MCP server with this URL:

https://app.votel.ai/mcp

Complete the OAuth authorization when prompted
Votel tools will appear in ChatGPT's tool list

VS Code supports remote MCP servers with OAuth via Copilot Chat.

Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P)
Search for "MCP: Add Server"
Choose HTTP transport and enter:

https://app.votel.ai/mcp

VS Code will open a browser window for OAuth login
Authorize and the tools will be available in Copilot Chat

tip

You can also use the local API key setup below if you prefer not to use OAuth.

Local Setup (API Key)

Run the Votel MCP tool locally on your machine. This works with any client that supports stdio MCP servers.

Before You Start

Make sure Node.js 18+ is installed — run node --version to check
Go to Settings > API Keys in Votel
Click Create API Key, give it a name like "AI Publishing", select the Admin role
Copy the sk_... key — you'll need it below

Installation

Claude Code is a terminal-based AI assistant. Setup takes one command.

Run this in your terminal:

claude mcp add votel-mcp \
  -e VOTEL_API_KEY=sk_your_api_key_here \
  -e VOTEL_API_URL=https://app.votel.ai \
  -- npx -y votel-mcp@latest

Replace sk_your_api_key_here with your actual API key.

Verify it works:

claude mcp list

You should see votel-mcp in the list. Start a new Claude Code session and ask "List my websites".

To remove:

claude mcp remove votel-mcp

Remote OAuth with Claude Code

Claude Code also supports remote OAuth servers. If you prefer not to manage an API key:

claude mcp add --transport http votel https://app.votel.ai/mcp

Claude Desktop is the macOS/Windows chat app from Anthropic.

Step 1: Find the Config File

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

If the file doesn't exist, create it.

Step 2: Add the Configuration

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "votel-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "votel-mcp@latest"],
      "env": {
        "VOTEL_API_KEY": "sk_your_api_key_here",
        "VOTEL_API_URL": "https://app.votel.ai"
      }
    }
  }
}

Merging with Existing Config

If you already have other MCP servers configured, add the "votel-mcp" entry inside the existing "mcpServers" object. Don't create a second "mcpServers" key.

Step 3: Restart Claude Desktop

Quit and reopen Claude Desktop. The Votel Publisher tools will appear in the tools menu (hammer icon).

Remote alternative

Claude Desktop Pro/Max/Team users can also connect via OAuth: go to Customize > Connectors and add https://app.votel.ai/mcp as a remote server.

Cursor is an AI-powered code editor with built-in MCP support.

Step 1: Create the Config File

In your project root, create .cursor/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "votel-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "votel-mcp@latest"],
      "env": {
        "VOTEL_API_KEY": "sk_your_api_key_here",
        "VOTEL_API_URL": "https://app.votel.ai"
      }
    }
  }
}

Step 2: Reload Cursor

Restart Cursor or reload the window. The Votel Publisher tools will be available in Cursor's AI chat.

Project vs Global

The .cursor/mcp.json file is per-project. If you want it available in all projects, add it to your global Cursor settings instead. Cursor also supports remote OAuth servers — add https://app.votel.ai/mcp in Cursor's MCP settings.

Windsurf supports MCP servers through its settings.

Step 1: Open Settings

Open Windsurf settings and navigate to the MCP servers section.

Step 2: Add the Configuration

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "votel-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "votel-mcp@latest"],
      "env": {
        "VOTEL_API_KEY": "sk_your_api_key_here",
        "VOTEL_API_URL": "https://app.votel.ai"
      }
    }
  }
}

Step 3: Restart Windsurf

Restart the editor to load the new MCP server.

VS Code supports MCP servers via Copilot Chat (generally available since VS Code 1.102).

Step 1: Add MCP Server

Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P) and search for "MCP: Add Server". Choose Command (stdio) and enter:

npx -y votel-mcp@latest

Step 2: Set Environment Variables

VS Code will create a .vscode/mcp.json file. Add the environment variables:

{
  "servers": {
    "votel-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "votel-mcp@latest"],
      "env": {
        "VOTEL_API_KEY": "sk_your_api_key_here",
        "VOTEL_API_URL": "https://app.votel.ai"
      }
    }
  }
}

tip

You can also use the remote OAuth setup instead — see the VS Code tab under Remote Setup above.

Cline is a VS Code extension for autonomous coding with MCP support.

Step 1: Open Cline Settings

In VS Code with Cline installed, open Cline's MCP server settings.

Step 2: Add Configuration

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "votel-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "votel-mcp@latest"],
      "env": {
        "VOTEL_API_KEY": "sk_your_api_key_here",
        "VOTEL_API_URL": "https://app.votel.ai"
      }
    }
  }
}

Cline will auto-detect the new server and make the tools available.

Client Compatibility

Client	Local (API Key)	Remote (OAuth)	Notes
Claude.ai	--	Yes	Pro+ plans only
ChatGPT	--	Yes	Pro+ accounts
Claude Code	Yes	Yes	Both modes supported
Claude Desktop	Yes	Yes	Remote requires Pro+ plan
Cursor	Yes	Yes	Both modes supported
Windsurf	Yes	Yes	Both modes supported
VS Code	Yes	Yes	Both modes supported
Cline	Yes	Yes	VS Code extension

Environment Variables Reference

Variable	Required	Default	Description
`VOTEL_API_KEY`	Yes (local only)	--	Your Votel API key (`sk_...`). Create at Settings > API Keys.
`VOTEL_API_URL`	No	`https://app.votel.ai`	Base URL of the Votel API. Only change for development setups.

Available Tools

Once connected, your AI assistant can use these tools:

Tool	Description
`list_websites`	List all websites for your account
`create_website`	Create a new website with CDN provisioning
`get_website`	Get website details, domains, and configuration
`delete_website`	Permanently delete a website and its resources
`add_domain`	Add a custom domain with DNS instructions
`remove_domain`	Remove a custom domain
`verify_domain`	Check DNS propagation and SSL status
`purge_cache`	Clear CDN cache (full or specific URLs)
`get_analytics`	View traffic, bandwidth, and cache stats
`get_storage_credentials`	Get credentials for direct file uploads

Verifying Your Setup

After configuring any client, test with these prompts:

"List my websites" — should return your existing sites (or say none found)
"Create a website called Test Site" — should provision a new site and return the CDN URL
"Delete the Test Site website" — should clean up the test site

If all three work, your setup is complete.

Common Issues

`npx` not found

Make sure Node.js (v18+) is installed. Run node --version to check. Install from nodejs.org if needed. This only applies to the local (API key) setup — remote OAuth doesn't need Node.js.

Permission denied

On macOS/Linux, you may need to allow the npx command in your system security settings the first time it runs.

API key not working

Make sure you copied the full key (starts with sk_)
Check that the key hasn't expired (Settings > API Keys shows expiration)
Verify the key has Admin or higher role

Make sure you're using a paid plan (Claude Pro+, ChatGPT Pro+)
Check that the URL is exactly https://app.votel.ai/mcp
Try clearing your browser cache and reconnecting

"Session not found" after connecting

The MCP server session may have expired. Disconnect and reconnect the server in your client settings.

Remote Setup (OAuth)​

Local Setup (API Key)​

Before You Start​

Installation​

Client Compatibility​

Environment Variables Reference​

Available Tools​

Verifying Your Setup​

Common Issues​

npx not found​

Permission denied​

API key not working​

OAuth login page doesn't appear​

"Session not found" after connecting​