---
title: MCP Server
subtitle: Connect AI assistants to browser automation via Model Context Protocol
slug: going-to-production/mcp
---

The Skyvern MCP server lets AI assistants like Claude Desktop, Cursor, and Windsurf control a browser. Your AI can fill out forms, extract data, download files, and run multi-step workflows, all through natural language.

<Note>
Requires Python 3.11, 3.12, or 3.13.
</Note>

## What you can do

The MCP server exposes 31 tools across 5 categories:

| Category | Key tools | What they do |
|----------|-----------|--------------|
| **Session management** | `session_create`, `session_close`, `session_list`, `session_connect` | Open, manage, and reuse browser sessions |
| **Browser actions** | `act`, `navigate`, `click`, `type`, `scroll`, `select_option`, `press_key`, `wait` | Control the browser with natural language or CSS/XPath selectors |
| **Data extraction** | `extract`, `screenshot`, `evaluate` | Pull structured data from pages, capture screenshots, run JavaScript |
| **Validation** | `validate` | Check page conditions using AI (returns true/false) |
| **Workflows** | `workflow_create`, `workflow_run`, `workflow_status`, `workflow_get`, `workflow_update`, `workflow_delete` | Build and execute multi-step automations |

Your AI assistant decides which tools to call based on your instructions. For example, asking "go to Hacker News and get the top post title" triggers `session_create`, `navigate`, `extract`, and `session_close` automatically.

## Setup

### Option A: Setup wizard (recommended)

```bash
pip install skyvern
skyvern init
```

The wizard will:
1. Ask whether to use Skyvern Cloud or a local server
2. Configure your LLM provider (if local)
3. Detect your MCP clients (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf)
4. Write the MCP configuration file for each client automatically

<Tip>
If you chose local mode, start the server before using MCP:

```bash
skyvern run server
```
</Tip>

### Option B: Manual configuration

Add this to your MCP client's configuration file:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "Skyvern": {
      "env": {
        "SKYVERN_BASE_URL": "https://api.skyvern.com",
        "SKYVERN_API_KEY": "YOUR_SKYVERN_API_KEY"
      },
      "command": "/usr/bin/python3",
      "args": ["-m", "skyvern", "run", "mcp"]
    }
  }
}
```

Replace `/usr/bin/python3` with the output of `which python3` on your machine. For local mode, set `SKYVERN_BASE_URL` to `http://localhost:8000` and find your API key in the `.env` file after running `skyvern init`.

<Accordion title="Config file locations by client">

| Client | Path |
|--------|------|
| **Claude Desktop** (macOS) | `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json` |
| **Claude Desktop** (Linux) | `~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json` |
| **Cursor** | `~/.cursor/mcp.json` |
| **Windsurf** | `~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json` |

</Accordion>

## See it in action

**Claude Desktop** looking up the top Hacker News posts:

<video style={{ aspectRatio: '16 / 9', width: '100%' }} controls>
  <source src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/0c10dd96-c6ff-4b99-ad99-f34a5afd04fe" type="video/mp4" />
</video>

**Cursor** finding programming jobs:

<video style={{ aspectRatio: '16 / 9', width: '100%' }} controls>
  <source src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/084c89c9-6229-4bac-adc9-6ad69b41327d" type="video/mp4" />
</video>

**Windsurf** searching Form 5500 and downloading files:

<video style={{ aspectRatio: '16 / 9', width: '100%' }} controls>
  <source src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/70cfe310-24dc-431a-adde-e72691f198a7" type="video/mp4" />
</video>

## Troubleshooting

<Accordion title="Python version errors">
The Skyvern MCP server requires Python 3.11, 3.12, or 3.13. Check your version with `python3 --version`. If you have multiple Python versions installed, make sure the `command` in your MCP config points to a supported version:

```bash
which python3.11
# Use this path in your MCP config
```

You can also use `pipx` to install in an isolated environment:

```bash
pipx install skyvern
```
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Connection refused (local mode)">
Make sure the Skyvern server is running before using MCP tools:

```bash
skyvern run server
```

Confirm the server is reachable at `http://localhost:8000`. If you changed the port, update `SKYVERN_BASE_URL` in your MCP config to match.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="MCP client doesn't detect Skyvern">
Verify that the `command` path in your MCP config is correct:

```bash
which python3
```

Use the full absolute path (e.g., `/usr/bin/python3` or `/Users/you/.pyenv/shims/python3`), not just `python3`. Restart your MCP client after editing the config file.
</Accordion>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card
    title="Run a Task"
    icon="play"
    href="/running-automations/run-a-task"
  >
    Learn the API for running browser automations
  </Card>
  <Card
    title="API Quickstart"
    icon="rocket"
    href="/getting-started/quickstart"
  >
    Get started with the Skyvern SDK
  </Card>
</CardGroup>