> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cognizo.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Connect a client

> Point Claude, Cursor, VS Code or Windsurf at the Cognizo MCP server.

Everything you need is the URL and your API key:

* **URL:** `https://mcp.cognizo.ai/mcp`
* **Transport:** Streamable HTTP
* **Auth:** your Cognizo API key in the `X-API-KEY` header

<Note>
  Create a key first — Dashboard → **Settings → API Keys**, see
  [Authentication](/guides/authentication). One key per client makes it easy to
  revoke a single machine later.
</Note>

## Connect

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Claude Code">
    ```bash theme={null}
    claude mcp add cognizo --transport http https://mcp.cognizo.ai/mcp \
      --header "X-API-KEY: YOUR_API_KEY"
    ```

    Check it registered with `claude mcp list`.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Claude Desktop">
    **Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector**. Set the URL to
    `https://mcp.cognizo.ai/mcp` and add the header
    `X-API-KEY: YOUR_API_KEY`.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Cursor">
    Settings → **Tools & Integrations → MCP → Add custom MCP**, then:

    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "mcpServers": {
        "cognizo": {
          "url": "https://mcp.cognizo.ai/mcp",
          "headers": { "X-API-KEY": "YOUR_API_KEY" }
        }
      }
    }
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="VS Code">
    Add to `.vscode/mcp.json` (workspace) or your user `mcp.json`:

    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "servers": {
        "cognizo": {
          "type": "http",
          "url": "https://mcp.cognizo.ai/mcp",
          "headers": { "X-API-KEY": "YOUR_API_KEY" }
        }
      }
    }
    ```

    Don't commit a real key — use an input variable or an env var reference if
    the file is checked in.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Windsurf">
    Settings → **MCP → Add Server**. Set the URL to
    `https://mcp.cognizo.ai/mcp` and add a header
    `X-API-KEY: YOUR_API_KEY`.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

Any MCP client that speaks Streamable HTTP and can send a custom header works
— those five are just the ones we test.

## Verify

Ask your assistant:

> List my Cognizo brands.

You should get your brands back. If the client shows a tool call, it'll be
`list_brands`. Nothing? Head to
[Security & troubleshooting](/mcp/troubleshooting).

## First things to try

Once it's connected, these are the questions the tools are shaped for:

> How is Acme doing in AI search this week?

> Which of our tracked prompts have zero visibility?

> Which domains get cited for our space, and are we on them?

> Who's advertising on our prompts, and what are they saying?

The model picks the tools; you can watch which ones it calls in the client's
tool log. The full list is in [Tools](/mcp/tools).