Connect an AI Client

Set up Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Claude.ai, or ChatGPT to use the Kognitos MCP server.

Follow the steps for your AI client below. All clients connect to the same server URL: https://mcp.us-1.kognitos.com/.

Prerequisites

• A Kognitos account

• One of the supported MCP clients installed

• An API key (only if you plan to authenticate with a key instead of OAuth)

Claude Desktop

1

Open the configuration file

On your machine, open the Claude Desktop configuration file:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

• Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

If the file does not exist, create it with an empty {} object.

2

Add the Kognitos server

Add the kognitos entry to the mcpServers object. Choose the tab that matches your preferred authentication method.

OAuth

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kognitos": {
      "url": "https://mcp.us-1.kognitos.com/",
      "oauth": {
        "callbackPort": 3777
      }
    }
  }
}

API Key

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kognitos": {
      "url": "https://mcp.us-1.kognitos.com/",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

3

Restart Claude Desktop

Quit and reopen Claude Desktop. The first time you use a Kognitos tool with the OAuth variant, your browser will open to the Kognitos login screen. Sign in and approve the connection.

4

Verify the connection

In a new Claude Desktop chat, send:

List my Kognitos workspaces.

Claude will use the kognitos_list_workspaces tool to respond. If the tool does not appear to run, see the sign-in note below.

If your OAuth session expires, Claude Desktop will prompt you to sign in again the next time you use a Kognitos tool. No configuration change is needed.

Claude Code

1

Add the MCP server

Run one of the following commands from your terminal.

OAuth

claude mcp add --transport http --callback-port 3777 kognitos https://mcp.us-1.kognitos.com/

API Key

claude mcp add --transport http kognitos https://mcp.us-1.kognitos.com/ \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

2

Verify the connection

List your configured MCP servers to confirm kognitos is registered:

claude mcp list

Then start Claude Code and send:

List my Kognitos workspaces.

If you chose OAuth, Claude Code opens your browser on the first tool call so you can sign in and approve the connection.

The --callback-port 3777 flag (or callbackPort in Claude Desktop) tells the client which port to use for the OAuth callback. This port is pre-registered with the Kognitos authentication service. Omitting it may cause a "Callback URL mismatch" error during sign-in.

Claude.ai

1

Open Connectors

In Claude.ai, open Settings → Connectors.

2

Add the Kognitos connector

Click Add custom connector and fill in the form:

• Name: Kognitos

• Remote MCP server URL: https://mcp.us-1.kognitos.com/

Leave the other fields at their defaults. The server URL is the only value you need to provide. Claude.ai discovers the rest automatically.

3

Sign in to Kognitos

Click Connect. Claude.ai will redirect you to the Kognitos login screen. Sign in with your Kognitos account and approve the connection.

You do not share any Kognitos credentials with Claude.ai. Authentication happens in your browser, and Claude.ai only receives a short-lived access token tied to your user account.

4

Verify the connection

Start a new chat, enable the Kognitos connector in the chat composer, and send:

List my Kognitos workspaces.

ChatGPT

1

Enable Developer mode

In ChatGPT, open Settings → Connectors → Advanced settings and turn on Developer mode. This is required to add custom MCP connectors. Return to the Connectors page when done.

2

Add the Kognitos connector

Click Create and fill in the form:

• Name: Kognitos

• MCP server URL: https://mcp.us-1.kognitos.com/

• Authentication: OAuth

Click Create to save the connector.

3

Sign in to Kognitos

Click Connect on the new connector. ChatGPT will redirect you to the Kognitos login screen. Sign in with your Kognitos account and approve the connection.

You do not share any Kognitos credentials with ChatGPT. Authentication happens in your browser, and ChatGPT only receives a short-lived access token tied to your user account.

4

Verify the connection

Start a new chat with the Kognitos connector enabled and send:

List my Kognitos workspaces.

ChatGPT caches OAuth client registration for each connector. If you change authentication settings on the server side, or if a previously working connector starts returning "unauthorized", remove the connector and re-add it to force a fresh registration.

Other MCP clients

The Kognitos MCP server uses the standard Streamable HTTP transport and works with any compliant MCP client, including Cursor, Visual Studio Code, and Windsurf. In the client's MCP configuration, use:

• Server URL: https://mcp.us-1.kognitos.com/

• Transport: Streamable HTTP

• Authentication: OAuth (automatic discovery) or an Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY header

• OAuth callback port: 3777 (configure in your client's MCP settings when using OAuth)

Refer to your client's documentation for where to enter these values.