> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.nected.ai/nected-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.nected.ai/nected-docs/integrations/integrations-libraries/mcp-server.md).

# MCP Server

Nected now supports connecting to remote **MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers** as a first-class integration. Once connected, an MCP server's tools can be pulled directly into a workflow's **AI Agent** node, letting the agent call external tools (e.g., Notion, internal APIs, custom MCP servers) as part of its reasoning - without you having to hand-wire a REST call for every action the agent might need to take.

This doc covers two things:

1. **Creating an MCP Server connector** under Integrations.
2. **Using that connector inside a Workflow**, via the AI Agent node's **MCP Connectors** setting (available when the agent's model provider is **Claude / Anthropic**).

### Where can you find it?

MCP Server is listed alongside REST API under **API & MCP Tools** on the Integrations page:

<figure><img src="https://4290782554-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FLg716fCfV8IUwXQygkTG%2Fuploads%2FyokTpl1d08XYqB4osS8n%2Fimage.png?alt=media&amp;token=d69152c0-107c-4843-8b88-8c92b90de6ed" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Existing MCP Server connectors (once created) show up as cards in this same section, with their environment status (**Draft / Staging / Production**) just like every other connector type in Nected.

### Prerequisites

* A running, reachable **MCP server endpoint** (remote/hosted - not `localhost`). If the server sits behind a firewall or allow-list, you'll need to permit Nected's outbound IP (shown in the connector form - see below).
* OAuth **Client ID / Client Secret** for the MCP server, if it requires authenticated access. These are optional - leave them blank for MCP servers that don't require auth.

### How to Connect your MCP Server?

1. Open **Integrations** from the left nav.
2. Scroll to the **API & MCP Tools** section and click **+ Add** on the **MCP Server** card.<br>

   <figure><img src="https://4290782554-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FLg716fCfV8IUwXQygkTG%2Fuploads%2F7pDk8Gbwx4kB7HEjkH97%2Fimage.png?alt=media&amp;token=3ad9473c-0b0e-4627-987d-36946580e2e6" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
3. A side panel opens, titled **MCP Server**, with **Staging** / **Production** tabs at the top (a connector is configured and tested independently per environment - the panel notes *"Here, Integration is only tested in Staging. Click on Production tab to test in Production."*).
4. Fill in the fields:
   * **Name** - a unique, identifiable name for this connector (this is the name you'll later pick from the AI Agent node's MCP Connectors dropdown, so name it after the server/purpose, e.g. `Notion MCP`, `Internal Tools MCP`).
   * **Server URL** - the remote MCP server's endpoint (placeholder text: *"Remote MCP server URL"*).
   * **Client ID** *(optional)* - OAuth client ID, if the server requires authenticated access.
   * **Client Secret** *(optional)* - OAuth client secret, masked like a password field.
5. If the target server restricts inbound traffic by IP, expand **"Expand to see the IP addresses to add to your allow-list"** and add the listed IP(s) (e.g. `43.205.43.45`) to the server's allow-list before testing.
6. Click **Connect**.
7. Click **Test Connection** to confirm Nected can reach and authenticate against the server.
8. Once the test passes, click **Publish in Staging**. Repeat on the **Production** tab (its own Test Connection + Publish) when you're ready to promote it.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Tip:** Give the connector a name that clearly identifies *which* MCP server it points to (`Notion MCP`, `Zendesk MCP`, etc.) rather than something generic like `MCP1` - the AI Agent node's MCP Connectors picker only shows the name, not the URL, so a clear name is the only way to tell connectors apart at a glance.
{% endhint %}

<a href="/nected-docs/workflow/add-node/action-nodes/ai-agent-node/custom-ai-agent.md#how-to-setup-mcp-server-within-the-ai-node" class="button primary">Setup MCP Server within Workflow</a>

### Testing & publishing

Both the connector and the workflow follow Nected's normal **Staging → Production** promotion flow:

* A new MCP Server connector must pass **Test Connection** in Staging before it can be published to Staging, and the same for Production.
* A workflow using an MCP connector should be **Test Run** in Staging first - this actually invokes the MCP server, so use a non-destructive test prompt if the connected tools can mutate data (e.g. creating/editing pages in Notion).
* Only **published** MCP connectors are selectable from the AI Agent node's MCP Connectors dropdown - a connector left in Draft won't show up there.

### Wrap-up

The MCP Server connector slots into Nected's existing integrations model - same Staging/Production lifecycle, same connector-card UI as REST API, databases, and AI providers. The payoff is in the AI Agent node: once a connector is published, Claude can reach for that MCP server's tools mid-conversation, turning a single agent node into a much more capable, tool-using assistant instead of a plain prompt-in/text-out block.