MCP

Connect to the DevOps AI Toolkit Engine via MCP protocol from your preferred coding assistant.

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open protocol that lets AI coding assistants connect to external tools and data sources. When you connect your coding assistant to the DevOps AI Toolkit via MCP, all toolkit tools become available directly in your editor — no context switching required.

Alternative: The CLI provides command-line access to all toolkit capabilities — for AI agents (with lower token overhead), scripting, CI/CD pipelines, and direct resource access beyond what MCP exposes.

Prerequisites

• DevOps AI Toolkit Engine deployed to Kubernetes — see AI Engine Deployment
• An MCP-compatible client (Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, Cline, etc.)
• Your server URL from the deployment step
• Authentication — a static token (DOT_AI_AUTH_TOKEN) or OAuth credentials. See Authentication for both modes.

Step 1: Configure Your Client

Create an .mcp.json file in your project root:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dot-ai": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "http://dot-ai.127.0.0.1.nip.io",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer <your-auth-token>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Replace <your-auth-token> with the token from your deployment (run echo $DOT_AI_AUTH_TOKEN to view it).

Notes:

• Replace the URL with your actual hostname if you changed ingress.host during deployment.
• For production deployments with TLS, use https:// in the URL.

Step 2: Start Your Client

Start your MCP client. It will automatically connect to the server.

• Claude Code: Run claude in the directory containing .mcp.json
• Cursor: The MCP connection activates when you open the project
• VS Code / Cline: The MCP connection activates based on your extension settings

Step 3: Verify the Connection

In your MCP client, ask:

Show dot-ai status

You should see comprehensive system status including Kubernetes connectivity, vector database, and all available tools.

OAuth Authentication

If your deployment has OAuth enabled (the default), MCP clients that support OAuth can authenticate via browser login instead of a static token. This gives each user their own identity for audit trails and future access control.

Some clients open the login page automatically. If yours doesn't, go to your client's MCP server configuration and select the option to authenticate (e.g., in Claude Code: /mcp → select server → Authenticate). Tokens are cached across sessions — you only re-authenticate when they expire.

For OAuth, your .mcp.json does not need an Authorization header — the client handles authentication automatically:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dot-ai": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "http://dot-ai.127.0.0.1.nip.io"
    }
  }
}

Client OAuth Support

Client	OAuth Support	Notes
Claude Code	Yes	Run /mcp → select server → Authenticate. Tokens cached across sessions.
ChatGPT	Yes	Browser opens automatically.
Windsurf	Yes	Browser opens automatically.
VS Code Copilot	Yes (v1.101+)	Supported in recent versions.
Cursor	Partial	Platform-dependent; use static token if OAuth doesn't work.
Cline	No	Use static token.

For full details on authentication modes, user management, and identity provider setup, see the Authentication Guide.

Client Compatibility

The DevOps AI Toolkit works with any MCP-compatible coding agent or development tool.

Popular MCP Clients

Claude Code

• Save .mcp.json in your project root
• Start with claude — tools are automatically available
• Supports OAuth: run /mcp → select server → Authenticate

Cursor

• Settings -> "MCP Servers" -> Add configuration -> Restart

Cline (VS Code Extension)

• Configure in VS Code settings or extension preferences

VS Code (with MCP Extension)

• Add configuration to settings.json under mcp.servers

Other MCP Clients

• Any client supporting the Model Context Protocol standard
• Use the HTTP configuration pattern shown in Step 1
• If your client supports OAuth, omit the Authorization header — see OAuth Authentication

Next Steps

• Tools Overview — Explore all available tools and how they work together
• Authentication — Understand OAuth vs static token, manage users, configure identity providers