Cursor MCP Installer

Cursor MCP Installer lets you easily configure and deploy MCP servers from npm packages or local directories, turning your Cursor IDE into a powerful hub for managing Model Context Protocol servers with minimal setup.

How to use

You use the MCP Installer inside Cursor to add and manage MCP servers. After you configure it, restart Cursor to apply changes. Then you can ask Claude to install specific MCP servers for you, either from npm packages or from local paths. Once installed, the MCP Installer appears in the sidebar and provides three main capabilities: install MCP servers from npm packages or repositories, install MCP servers from local directories, and add custom MCP server configurations.

How to install

Prerequisites you need before using the MCP Installer: Node.js (for npm packages) and Cursor IDE.

Choose one of the following installation methods and then configure Cursor to use the installed tool.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "MCP Installer": {
      "command": "npx",
      "type": "stdio",
      "args": [
        "cursor-mcp-installer-free@0.1.3",
        "index.mjs"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Alternatively, install globally and reference the executable in your Cursor MCP configuration:

npm install -g cursor-mcp-installer-free@0.1.3

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "MCP Installer": {
      "command": "cursor-mcp-installer-free",
      "type": "stdio",
      "args": [
        "index.mjs"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Additional setup from local or GitHub sources

If you prefer building the installer from source, clone the repository, install dependencies, and build locally. Then configure Cursor to use your local installation path for the MCP Installer.

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/matthewdcage/cursor-mcp-installer.git
cd cursor-mcp-installer

# Install dependencies and build
npm install
npm run build

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "MCP Installer": {
      "command": "node",
      "type": "stdio",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/cursor-mcp-installer/lib/index.mjs"
      ]
    }
  }
}

What you can install with the MCP Installer

The MCP Installer exposes three main tools that you will use from Cursor: install_repo_mcp_server, install_local_mcp_server, and add_to_cursor_config. These tools let you install MCP servers from npm packages or repositories, install MCP servers from local directories, and add custom MCP server configurations to your Cursor setup.

Where to configure the installer in Cursor

Your Cursor MCP configuration file is typically located at your home directory under .cursor/mcp.json. If the file does not exist, you create it and add one of the installation configurations shown above.

Security and notes

Only install MCP servers from trusted sources. The installer will run MCP servers locally via stdio or reference remote MCP endpoints via http when configured. Do not place secrets or API keys directly in your configuration file; use environment variables or secure secret management as appropriate for your setup.

Troubleshooting tips

If the MCP Installer does not appear after restarting Cursor, double-check that your mcp.json file is in the correct location and that the JSON is valid. Confirm that the command and arguments exactly match one of the supported configurations shown in the installation steps.

Examples of available tools and capabilities

- install_repo_mcp_server: Install MCP servers from npm packages or repositories
- install_local_mcp_server: Install MCP servers from local directories
- add_to_cursor_config: Add custom MCP server configurations to Cursor

Notes on updates

Updates to the MCP Installer improve path handling, OpenAPI schema detection, and server discovery within local directories. These improvements make it easier to install a wide range of MCP servers and manage schemas across different environments.

Available tools

install_repo_mcp_server

Install MCP servers from npm packages or repositories by locating and provisioning the requested MCP server package.

install_local_mcp_server

Install MCP servers from local directories by discovering and wiring up local server entry points.

add_to_cursor_config

Add or update a custom MCP server configuration in Cursor so you can reuse installed MCP servers.