MCP
Connect Cursor, Claude, Claude Code, ChatGPT, or another MCP client to Boarbs through the official hosted Model Context Protocol server.
Boarbs provides a hosted Model Context Protocol (MCP) server at
https://boarbs.com/api/mcp.
Use that URL in every client. The server speaks Streamable HTTP and exposes
the same boards, posts, comments, statuses, tags, roadmaps, and votes
operations as the public API, including the same validation, organization
checks, and read-only or read-write permissions.
If you have never used MCP before: you add this URL in your AI client, sign in or attach an API key, and the client can list and call Boarbs tools instead of you copying data by hand.
Authentication
You can connect with an organization API key or OAuth. Do not commit API keys or paste them into shared chats, tickets, or source control.
Organization API key
Use an API key when the client asks for a Bearer token, a custom header, or a local config file.
- In Boarbs, open Settings → API.
- Create a key and choose a permission:
read-onlyfor list and get operationsread-writewhen the agent must create, update, move, assign, merge, toggle, or delete
- Send the key as a Bearer token:
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_BOARBS_API_KEYOrganization-scoped tools still require the target organizationId. The
key must belong to that organization. Ask your workspace admin for the
organization ID if you do not already have it.
OAuth
Use OAuth when the client can open a browser sign-in (Cursor, Claude.ai, ChatGPT, and Claude Code all can).
- Add
https://boarbs.com/api/mcpas a remote MCP server. - Complete the Boarbs sign-in and authorization screens.
- OAuth access is read-only by default. Approve read-write when the agent must make changes.
Boarbs publishes OAuth authorization and protected-resource discovery metadata, so the client can start the flow from the server URL alone.
Client setup
Cursor
You can connect with OAuth from Cursor Settings, or with an API key in
.cursor/mcp.json.
Open Tools & MCP
- Open Cursor.
- Go to Cursor Settings (
Cmd+,on macOS,Ctrl+,on Windows and Linux). - Open Tools & MCP.
Add the hosted server
- Choose Add a new global MCP server (or New MCP server).
- Select a remote / HTTP / URL server, not a local command.
- Set the server URL to:
https://boarbs.com/api/mcp- Save. Cursor should prompt for OAuth.
- Sign in to Boarbs and approve access. Choose read-write only if the agent must change data.
Or use an API key in .cursor/mcp.json
Create or edit .cursor/mcp.json in your project (or ~/.cursor/mcp.json
for a user-wide server):
{
"mcpServers": {
"boarbs": {
"url": "https://boarbs.com/api/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_BOARBS_API_KEY"
}
}
}
}Replace YOUR_BOARBS_API_KEY with the key from Settings → API. Keep
this file out of git if it contains a real key (add it to .gitignore, or
use a secret manager). After saving, return to Tools & MCP and confirm
the boarbs server is enabled.
Verify the connection
In Cursor chat, ask something like “List my Boarbs boards” and include
organizationId when prompted. If tools do not appear, toggle the server
off and on in Tools & MCP, or restart Cursor.
Claude.ai
Claude.ai connects over OAuth. You do not need an API key for this path.
Open connector settings
- Open claude.ai and sign in.
- Go to Settings.
- Open Connectors (sometimes labeled Integrations).
Add a custom connector
- Choose Add custom connector (or Add more → custom connector).
- Name it
Boarbs. - Paste the server URL:
https://boarbs.com/api/mcp- Save the connector.
Complete OAuth
- When Claude opens the Boarbs authorization screen, sign in.
- Approve access. Leave it read-only unless the chat must write.
- Start a new conversation and ask Claude to list boards or posts. Provide
organizationIdwhen asked.
Custom connectors can be limited by your Claude plan or organization policy. If you do not see Add custom connector, an admin may need to allow it.
Claude Code
Claude Code talks to remote MCP servers over HTTP. Add the server in your
terminal, then finish OAuth from /mcp inside a session.
Add the remote HTTP server
Run this in your terminal, not inside an existing claude session:
claude mcp add --transport http boarbs https://boarbs.com/api/mcpAdd --scope user to make it available in every local project:
claude mcp add --transport http --scope user boarbs https://boarbs.com/api/mcpSign in with OAuth
- Start Claude Code in the project.
- Run
/mcp. - Select the
boarbsserver and complete authentication. - Sign in to Boarbs in the browser and approve access.
OAuth is read-only by default. Approve read-write when the agent must create or update records.
Or authenticate with an API key
If you cannot use OAuth, pass a Bearer header. Prefer an environment variable over putting the key in the command history:
claude mcp add --transport http boarbs https://boarbs.com/api/mcp \
--header "Authorization: Bearer ${BOARBS_API_KEY}"You can also commit a project .mcp.json that reads the key from the
environment. Claude Code requires "type": "http" for a URL entry:
{
"mcpServers": {
"boarbs": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://boarbs.com/api/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer ${BOARBS_API_KEY}"
}
}
}
}Export BOARBS_API_KEY in the same shell that starts Claude Code. Do not
commit the raw key.
Verify
claude mcp listThe boarbs server should appear. In a Claude Code session, /mcp should
show it as connected. Then ask it to list boards for your
organizationId.
ChatGPT
ChatGPT connects with OAuth through a custom connector. Availability depends on your plan and workspace policy.
Enable developer mode
- Open chatgpt.com and sign in.
- Go to Settings → Apps & Connectors.
- Open Advanced (or Advanced settings) and enable developer mode if you are asked to.
MCP custom connectors typically require a paid ChatGPT plan (Plus, Pro, Team, or Enterprise). Workspace admins can disable connectors.
Create the connector
- Choose Create (or Add connector).
- Select a custom / MCP connector.
- Paste the server URL:
https://boarbs.com/api/mcp- Choose OAuth as the authentication method.
- Save.
Authorize and try it
- Complete the Boarbs sign-in and permission screen.
- Start a new chat and enable the Boarbs connector if ChatGPT asks you to pick apps.
- Ask it to list boards or posts and provide
organizationIdwhen prompted.
If you do not see Apps & Connectors or custom connectors, your plan or organization policy does not allow them yet.
Other MCP clients
Any client that supports remote Streamable HTTP MCP can connect.
Point the client at the hosted URL
Use this endpoint:
https://boarbs.com/api/mcpTransport: Streamable HTTP (sometimes labeled http or
streamable-http). Do not configure a local npx / stdio command for the
hosted server.
Authenticate
Prefer the client's OAuth / remote authorization flow. If the client only supports a static header, send:
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_BOARBS_API_KEYExample generic config:
{
"url": "https://boarbs.com/api/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_BOARBS_API_KEY"
},
"transport": "streamable-http"
}Organization-scoped tools still need organizationId.
Available tools
Tool names follow <resource>_<operation> and are generated from the
public oRPC router.
Boards
boards_listboards_getboards_getPublicboards_createboards_updateboards_deleteboards_addUser
Posts
posts_listposts_getposts_listPublicposts_getPublicposts_listActivitiesposts_listMergesposts_createposts_updateposts_moveposts_assignposts_updateDependenciesposts_attachmentUploadUrlposts_similarposts_similarPublicposts_mergeposts_unmergeposts_markSpamposts_delete
Comments
comments_listcomments_createcomments_createInternalcomments_updatecomments_delete
Statuses
statuses_liststatuses_createstatuses_updatestatuses_delete
Tags
tags_listtags_createtags_updatetags_delete
Roadmaps
roadmaps_listroadmaps_getroadmaps_createroadmaps_updateroadmaps_deleteroadmaps_createColumnroadmaps_updateColumnroadmaps_deleteColumn
Votes
votes_listvotes_listForPostvotes_togglevotes_ensure
Changelog
changelog_listchangelog_listPublicchangelog_listByPostchangelog_getchangelog_createchangelog_updatechangelog_deletechangelog_searchPostschangelog_mediaUploadUrlchangelog_createFromPostchangelog_draftFromPost
The public API also exposes embed_createSession for creating
authenticated embed sessions.
Choosing MCP, REST, or CLI
- Use MCP when an AI agent should discover and call Boarbs operations.
- Use the API and the API Explorer for REST endpoints and schemas.
- Use the CLI for terminal and CI workflows.
All three surfaces retain the access checks of the underlying API procedures.