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Setup
Choose your client, copy the config, then fill in any required environment variables.
Local
claude mcp add exa --env EXA_API_KEY='<EXA_API_KEY>' -- npx -y exa-mcp-server '--tools={{config.TOOLS}}'~/.codex/config.toml
[mcp_servers.exa]
command = "npx"
args = ["-y", "exa-mcp-server", "--tools={{config.TOOLS}}"]
env = { EXA_API_KEY = "<EXA_API_KEY>" }
# codex mcp add exa --env EXA_API_KEY='<EXA_API_KEY>' -- npx -y exa-mcp-server '--tools={{config.TOOLS}}'~/.cursor/mcp.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"exa": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"exa-mcp-server",
"--tools={{config.TOOLS}}"
],
"env": {
"EXA_API_KEY": "<EXA_API_KEY>"
}
}
}
}.vscode/mcp.json
{
"servers": {
"exa": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"exa-mcp-server",
"--tools={{config.TOOLS}}"
],
"env": {
"EXA_API_KEY": "<EXA_API_KEY>"
}
}
}
}~/.gemini/settings.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"exa": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"exa-mcp-server",
"--tools={{config.TOOLS}}"
],
"env": {
"EXA_API_KEY": "<EXA_API_KEY>"
}
}
}
}claude_desktop_config.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"exa": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"exa-mcp-server",
"--tools={{config.TOOLS}}"
],
"env": {
"EXA_API_KEY": "<EXA_API_KEY>"
}
}
}
}.trae/mcp.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"exa": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"exa-mcp-server",
"--tools={{config.TOOLS}}"
],
"env": {
"EXA_API_KEY": "<EXA_API_KEY>"
}
}
}
}Remote
claude mcp add --transport http exa https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp~/.codex/config.toml
[mcp_servers.exa]
url = "https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp"
# codex mcp add exa --url https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp~/.cursor/mcp.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"exa": {
"url": "https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp"
}
}
}.vscode/mcp.json
{
"servers": {
"exa": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp"
}
}
}~/.gemini/settings.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"exa": {
"httpUrl": "https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp"
}
}
}claude_desktop_config.json · Customize › Connectors › Add custom connector
{
"mcpServers": {
"exa": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"mcp-remote",
"https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp"
]
}
}
}.trae/mcp.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"exa": {
"url": "https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp"
}
}
}Environment variables
EXA_API_KEY
Replace the placeholders with your own credentials and keep them out of version control.