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TL;DR

Windsurf (by Codeium) is an agentic IDE with a powerful 'Cascade' agent that shines on multi-step tasks. Configure MCPs in `~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json` — same JSON shape as Claude Code. Pairs especially well with GitHub, Supabase, and Linear MCPs for full-feature development flows.

AI Client

Best MCPs for Windsurf

Codeium's agentic IDE — a deeply AI-integrated editor with Cascade agent and MCP support

Official siteJSON config

Setup: add an MCP server to Windsurf

  1. 1
    Download Windsurf from windsurf.com (formerly codeium.com/windsurf) and install
  2. 2
    Open Windsurf, go to Settings → Windsurf Settings → Cascade → Model Context Protocol (MCP) Servers
  3. 3
    Click 'Add Custom MCP Server' to edit `~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json`
  4. 4
    Paste your MCP config under the `mcpServers` key and save. Windsurf auto-detects changes.
  5. 5
    Open Cascade (Ctrl/Cmd+L), and the MCP tools will appear in the agent's available actions
Config file~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

Config example

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
      "env": {
        "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "ghp_..."
      }
    },
    "supabase": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@supabase/mcp-server-supabase@latest"],
      "env": {
        "SUPABASE_URL": "https://your-project.supabase.co",
        "SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY": "sbp_..."
      }
    }
  }
}

Real secrets should never be committed — use environment variables or your editor's secrets manager.

Top 10 MCPs for Windsurf

1🐙

GitHub

View MCP

Cascade's agentic mode pairs beautifully with GitHub MCP — full 'plan → branch → code → PR' flow in one session.

2🟢

Supabase

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Windsurf's long-context cascade keeps schema context loaded, so Supabase queries chain cleanly across many steps.

3🐘

Postgres

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Same reasoning as Supabase — Cascade's memory of past queries makes Postgres MCP especially powerful here.

4💳

Stripe

View MCP

SaaS builders love Windsurf + Stripe MCP for implementing and testing billing flows end-to-end.

5📐

Linear

View MCP

Cascade can break a Linear ticket into subtasks, implement each, open PR, and close the ticket.

6📝

Notion

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Spec-driven development: point Cascade at a Notion spec and it implements iteratively with context.

7🔥

Firecrawl

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Scrape docs and API references into Cascade's context. Pairs well with Windsurf's long-context window.

8🔮

Perplexity

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Research during implementation — 'how does library X handle Y?' gets a cited answer without leaving Cascade.

9▲

Vercel

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Deploy and debug Vercel projects inline. Cascade can follow a deploy from commit to live URL.

10🎭

Playwright

View MCP

E2E test writing and execution. Cascade's step-by-step agent mode is ideal for iterative test writing.

What Windsurf does well

  • Cascade agent mode — multi-step, long-horizon tasks with MCP tools as building blocks
  • Supercomplete + MCP — autocomplete suggestions can leverage MCP tool outputs
  • Flows UI — visual representation of what Cascade is doing with each MCP tool call
  • Enterprise SSO and permissions built in — easier to roll out across a team than Claude Code
  • Same JSON config shape as Claude Code/Cursor — trivial migration

Honest limitations

  • Cascade agent can be expensive in MCP tool-call volume — monitor your MCP server rate limits
  • MCP config changes sometimes require a Windsurf restart (not always auto-picked up)
  • Slightly smaller community MCP catalog than Cursor (still growing fast)

Frequently asked questions

What's the best MCP for Windsurf?

GitHub MCP is first for most users. After that, pick based on workflow: Supabase/Postgres for data-heavy apps, Linear + Notion for spec-driven teams, Firecrawl + Perplexity for research-heavy work.

Where is Windsurf's MCP config?

`~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json`. Edit it directly or go to Settings → Cascade → MCP Servers → 'Add Custom MCP Server' for a guided form.

Does Windsurf support per-project MCP config?

Not officially yet — MCP config is global per user. Workaround: use a wrapper script that reads a project-specific env var, then configure the MCP server with that env in the global config.

Can Cascade invoke MCP tools in a loop?

Yes — that's one of Cascade's main strengths. It can plan a 10-step workflow, execute MCP tools at each step, inspect outputs, and replan. Great for non-trivial refactors or migrations.

Does Windsurf work with Claude models?

Yes. Windsurf defaults to Codeium's hosted models but supports bring-your-own Claude/GPT keys. MCP servers work the same regardless of model choice.

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Install your first MCP on Windsurf

Pick from the top 10 curated above, or browse the full marketplace of 100+ MCPs.

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