Connect MCP Servers to Windsurf (Step-by-Step)

Windsurf Supports MCP Servers

Windsurf (by Codeium) supports MCP servers in Cascade, its AI assistant. Any SSE-based MCP server works out of the box, giving Cascade access to external tools, APIs, and data sources during conversations.

Prerequisites

• Windsurf IDE (latest version)
• An MCP server URL (create one at DataFaucet or use any SSE endpoint)

Step 1: Open MCP Settings

In Windsurf, open the command palette (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + P) and search for "MCP" or navigate to:

Settings > Cascade > MCP Servers

Step 2: Add Your Server

Add your MCP server configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "my-tool": {
      "serverUrl": "https://datafaucet.dev/api/mcp/YOUR_SERVER_ID/sse"
    }
  }
}

Alternatively, create a .windsurf/mcp.json file in your project root for workspace-level config.

Step 3: Verify in Cascade

Open Cascade (Ctrl/Cmd + L) and check that your tools appear. You can ask:

What tools do you have access to?

Cascade lists all available MCP tools with their descriptions and parameters.

Step 4: Use Tools

Ask Cascade questions that require your connected tools:

Check our latest deployment status
Pull the open issues from our tracker
What were yesterday's revenue numbers?

Cascade calls the appropriate tool automatically and returns results inline.

Multiple Servers

Connect several tools at once:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "jira": {
      "serverUrl": "https://datafaucet.dev/api/mcp/SERVER_1/sse"
    },
    "stripe": {
      "serverUrl": "https://datafaucet.dev/api/mcp/SERVER_2/sse"
    },
    "analytics": {
      "serverUrl": "https://datafaucet.dev/api/mcp/SERVER_3/sse"
    }
  }
}

Windsurf vs Cursor MCP Config

Both editors support MCP, but config format differs slightly:

DataFaucet servers work with both since they expose standard SSE endpoints.

Troubleshooting

Tools not showing: Restart Windsurf after adding config. Check Output panel for MCP connection logs.

Auth errors: DataFaucet handles auth internally (captured during browser session). No additional tokens needed in config.

Slow responses: First tool call may take 1-2 seconds for cold start. Subsequent calls are faster.

Create Your First Server

1. Go to DataFaucet
2. Enter any URL (internal tool, SaaS app, API)
3. Browse for 30 seconds in the cloud browser
4. Deploy and copy the SSE URL into your Windsurf config

Works with Cursor, Claude Desktop, GitHub Copilot, and every MCP client.