home / mcp / shortcut mcp server

Shortcut MCP Server

Provides an MCP server for Shortcut to run and expose a cross-client integration point.

Installation

Add the following to your MCP client configuration file.

Configuration

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ampcome-mcps-shortcut-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@shortcut/mcp@latest"
      ],
      "env": {
        "SHORTCUT_API_TOKEN": "<YOUR_SHORTCUT_API_TOKEN>"
      }
    }
  }
}

You run an MCP server for Shortcut to enable lightweight, cross-client integration with popular MCP clients like Windsurf, Cursor, Claude Code, and Zed. This server hosts the Shortcut MCP endpoint and provides a simple, consistent configuration that those clients can consume to connect to Shortcut services.

How to use

To use the Shortcut MCP server with an MCP client, you configure the client to load the Shortcut MCP server as a managed external service. The MCP client will start the server, maintain the connection, and pass data between the client and Shortcut.

How to install

Prerequisites you need before starting this MCP server are Node.js and npm (or the equivalent Node tooling you use). Install Node.js from the official source for your operating system, which also installs npm.

Install dependencies for the MCP server project.

Build the project to produce a runnable distribution.

Run the MCP server from your development environment or a published build. Use the embedded MCP JSON configuration for the Shortcut server in your MCP client’s settings.

mcpServers configuration

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "shortcut": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@shortcut/mcp@latest"
      ],
      "env": {
        "SHORTCUT_API_TOKEN": "<YOUR_SHORTCUT_API_TOKEN>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Common setup notes

Place the MCP configuration in the appropriate location for your MCP client. For Windsurf, use the MCP Configuration Panel to add a custom server. For Cursor, place the configuration in your home directory under the Cursor path (typically ~/.cursor/mcp.json) or in your project directory. For Claude Code, add the mcpServers configuration under the projects.mcpServers section in your Claude Code configuration. For Zed, add a context_servers shortcut entry with the executable path to your NPX binary and the same environment variable for the API token.

Security and tokens

The server setup requires a Shortcut API token to authenticate requests from the MCP client. Keep this token secure and do not share it publicly.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues when using an MCP manager with this server, ensure you are on the latest version of the MCP client and server. If problems persist, verify the environment variable SHORTCUT_API_TOKEN is set correctly in your client configuration and that the token has the necessary permissions.

If you run into a problematic interaction with Node version management tools (for example, when using MISE), consider installing the MISE extension for your IDE to improve compatibility.

Development notes

If you are testing changes locally, build the project, then reference the local build from your MCP client by pointing to the local dist/index.js via a stdio configuration. After updating, restart the MCP client to pick up changes.

Notes on usage with specific clients

Windsurf, Cursor, Claude Code, and Zed can all load the Shortcut MCP server using the same underlying configuration. Adjust the exact on-disk location of the mcp.json file according to each client’s documentation.