Back
Marketplace/Ref

TL;DR

Ref is a Developer Tools MCP server that lets Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf and any MCP-compatible AI agent up-to-date documentation for your coding agent. Install in 1 minute with mcpizy install ref-tools.

📖

Ref

Developer Tools

Last updated May 30, 2026 · By MCPizy team

Up-to-date documentation for your coding agent. Always-fresh library references.

Install Ref

Via MCPizy CLI (recommended):
mcpizy install ref-tools
Or run directly:
npx -y @ref-tools/mcp
View on GitHub

Works with

Claude Code
Claude Desktop
Cursor
Windsurf
VS Code + Copilot
Any MCP Client

More Developer Tools MCPs

📚

Context7

Live documentation for any library or framework

🔑

SSH

Remote server control via SSH protocol

💻

VS Code

Read workspace structure and diagnostics

🧠

Memory

Knowledge graph for persistent entity storage

Alternatives to Ref

If Ref doesn't fit your stack, these Developer Tools MCP servers solve similar problems.

📁

Filesystem

Local filesystem operations — read, write, search

🧩

Sequential Thinking

Structured step-by-step reasoning

🔗

Fetch

HTTP fetch for web content retrieval

Key Takeaways

  • Ref exposes an MCP interface for developer tools workflows in Claude Code, Cursor and Windsurf.
  • No authentication required — works out of the box once installed.
  • Install in 1 command: mcpizy install ref-tools — config written to your client automatically.
  • Free and open source (GitHub source linked above) — verified compatible with every MCP client (Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code + Copilot).
  • Best use case: automate developer tools workflows from your AI agent without leaving the editor.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Ref MCP server?

The Ref MCP server is an Developer Tools Model Context Protocol server that lets Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code with Copilot, and other MCP-compatible AI agents up-to-date documentation for your coding agent. It exposes Ref's capabilities as tools the AI can call directly from your editor or CLI.

How do I install Ref MCP with Claude Code?

The fastest way is the MCPizy CLI: run `mcpizy install ref-tools` and MCPizy will add the server to your `.claude.json` automatically. You can also install it manually by adding an entry under `mcpServers` in `.claude.json` with the command `npx -y @ref-tools/mcp` and restarting Claude Code.

Is Ref MCP free?

Yes. The Ref MCP server is free and open source (see the GitHub repository linked on this page). You may still need a Ref account or API key to connect the server to the underlying service, but the MCP layer itself has no MCPizy subscription cost.

Does Ref MCP work with Cursor and Windsurf?

Yes. Any MCP-compatible client works — including Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor (via `.cursor/mcp.json`), Windsurf, VS Code with Copilot Chat, and custom agents built on the MCP SDK. The same install command targets all of them; only the config file path differs.

Manage all your MCPs in one place

Monitor usage, track costs, and discover new MCPs.

Get Started Free
What can I do with Ref MCP?

Once installed, your AI agent can up-to-date documentation for your coding agent directly inside your conversation. Typical use cases include asking Claude Code or Cursor to run Ref operations, inspect results, chain Ref with other MCP servers (see our Workflow Recipes), and automate repetitive developer tools tasks without leaving your editor.