Install Windsurf

Windsurf

1
Click Customize in the agent sidebar of the Agents window.
2
Open the MCPs tab.
3
Pick the scope with the Install MCPs for selector, for example This computer.
4
Under Available, click Install on a server from your MCP registries.
5
Under This computer, toggle a server on or off, open its config file, or refresh the list.

Windsurf is now Devin Desktop (June 2, 2026), so the docs describe this as the Devin Local agent. Before v3000.3 (the Local 3.6 release) servers lived under mcpServers in config.json; newer versions use the dedicated mcp_config.json files and migrate old entries on startup. Keep personal keys in .devin/mcp_config.local.json, which is gitignored.

From the vendor's docs. Source.

At a glance

Name: Windsurf is now Devin Desktop (rename on June 2, 2026)
Add a server: Customize, then the MCPs tab
Config file (project, shared): .devin/mcp_config.json
Config file (local override): .devin/mcp_config.local.json, gitignored
Config file (user): ~/.config/devin/mcp_config.json; %APPDATA%\devin\mcp_config.json on Windows
Top-level key: mcpServers
Transports: stdio, Streamable HTTP, SSE
Sign in (OAuth): Supported for each transport; devin mcp login <name>
Local server fields: command, args, env, disabled
Remote server fields: url, transport, headers, oauthClientId, oauthClientSecret, oauthResource
Prompts: Servers that declare prompts add /mcp__<server>__<prompt> slash commands (CLI docs)
Tool approval: Prompts before calling any MCP tool by default
Team controls: MCP allowlist and MCP registry for enterprise admins
Tool limit: Not stated in the docs

Add an MCP server to Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

1
Open the MCPs tab
Click Customize in the agent sidebar of the Agents window, then open MCPs. Use Install MCPs for to pick the scope, for example This computer. Available lists servers from your MCP registries; click Install on one to add it.
2
Or choose a config file
Project, shared with your team: .devin/mcp_config.json. Personal and gitignored: .devin/mcp_config.local.json. All projects: ~/.config/devin/mcp_config.json (%APPDATA%\devin\mcp_config.json on Windows).

3

Add a local server (stdio)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
      "env": { "GITHUB_TOKEN": "<your-token>" }
    }
  }
}

Put the token in .devin/mcp_config.local.json so it stays out of version control.

Uses GitHub MCP Server

4
Or add a remote server by URL
```
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "notion": {
      "url": "https://mcp.notion.com/mcp",
      "transport": "http"
    }
  }
}
```
For an OAuth server, run devin mcp login notion, or click Authenticate when the server shows Needs authentication. Remote servers try Streamable HTTP first; set "transport": "sse" for a legacy SSE endpoint.
5
Check it loaded
Open Customize, MCPs, This computer and look for the server. Use the list's refresh action after you edit a file. In the Devin CLI, devin mcp list shows every configured server.
6
Use it in a prompt
The agent asks for approval before it calls an MCP tool. You can allow one tool or every tool on that server, for the session or permanently.
Prompt
```
List my open GitHub issues for this repository and summarize the three oldest.
```
Uses GitHub MCP Server
7
If it does not work
Check for a Needs authentication state and click Authenticate. If tools are missing, ask the agent to list MCP servers and tools, since a server can need a moment to start. For a stdio server, run its command in a terminal to confirm it starts and that its environment variables are set.

Best MCP servers for Windsurf

Official servers with an approved PlugWiki page that run in Windsurf (Devin Desktop) over stdio or HTTP; ordered by GitHub stars, then name. Derived from data we hold.

MCP servers that work in Windsurf

40 · official first, then servers with a page, then by stars

Show all 40

Common errors and fixes

Server shows Needs authentication
Cause: The stored OAuth credentials expired or were revoked.
Fix: Click Authenticate, or run devin mcp logout <name> then devin mcp login <name>.
windsurf Source
Auth required or AuthRequired error from a remote server
Cause: The server requires OAuth and this client has no session yet. Each MCP client signs in separately.
Fix: Run devin mcp login <name>, even if you signed in from Claude Code.
windsurf Source
OAuth fails because of the resource parameter
Cause: Some authorization servers reject the RFC 8707 resource parameter that Devin sends by default.
Fix: Set "oauthResource": "" on the server entry, then log out and log in again.
windsurf Source
Remote server will not connect on a different SSE path
Cause: Devin tries Streamable HTTP first and falls back to SSE on the same URL only for non-authentication 4xx errors.
Fix: Set "transport": "sse" with the SSE URL.
windsurf Source
Tools do not appear
Cause: The server may need a moment to initialize.
Fix: Ask the agent to list MCP servers and tools. For a stdio server, run its command in a terminal and check its environment variables.
windsurf Source
Server is configured but blocked
Cause: MCP is disabled for the team, or the server is not on the allowlist or in an enforced MCP registry.
Fix: Ask your admin to add it to the allowlist or registry.
windsurf Source

Verdict

Windsurf is now Devin Desktop, and the MCP setup moved to Customize, MCPs and the .devin/mcp_config.json files, with stdio, Streamable HTTP, SSE and OAuth. The main limit is that old Windsurf guides and the old docs URLs no longer match what you see, and the docs state no tool limit to plan around.

Best for

Windsurf users who upgraded to Devin Desktop
Teams that share servers in a committed .devin/mcp_config.json

Skip it if

You are following a guide that points at a Windsurf-era config path

Questions

Is Windsurf now Devin Desktop?

Yes. The Devin docs say Devin Desktop is the new name for Windsurf, effective June 2, 2026, with the same editor. The old docs.windsurf.com MCP page now redirects (HTTP 308) to docs.devin.ai.

Where is the Windsurf MCP config file?

.devin/mcp_config.json in a project, .devin/mcp_config.local.json for a gitignored personal override, or ~/.config/devin/mcp_config.json for all projects. On Windows the user file is %APPDATA%\devin\mcp_config.json.

How do I add an MCP server in the app?

Open Customize in the agent sidebar, choose MCPs, pick a scope with Install MCPs for, and click Install on a server under Available. Servers under This computer can be toggled, refreshed or opened in their config file.

Does it support remote (HTTP) MCP servers?

Yes. Devin Local supports stdio, Streamable HTTP and SSE. For a remote server set url, and optionally transport ("http" or "sse") and headers.

Does it support OAuth for MCP servers?

Yes, for each transport. Run devin mcp login <name>, or click Authenticate when a server shows Needs authentication. If a provider has no dynamic client registration, set oauthClientId and oauthClientSecret.

Does it ask before running MCP tools?

Yes, by default it prompts before calling any MCP tool. You can allow one tool or a whole server for the session or permanently, and admins can default-allow trusted servers.

How do I disable an MCP server?

Use the toggle under Customize, MCPs, This computer, or set "disabled": true on the entry. In the Devin CLI, devin mcp disable <name> does the same.

Can admins limit which MCP servers my team can use?

Yes. Enterprise admins manage an MCP allowlist and MCP registries under MCP & ACP in team settings. A server that is not on the allowlist or registry will not connect.

What about the Windsurf JetBrains plugin?

The FAQ says the plugin is in maintenance mode and recommends Devin over ACP. Its MCP page says Open MCP config file opens ~/.config/devin/mcp_config.json, or %AppData%/devin/mcp_config.json on Windows.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Transports: stdio, SSE, Streamable HTTP
Config file (all): ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json
MCP docs: docs.windsurf.com

Docs

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 6

Devin Local Customizations · docs.devin.ai
MCP Configuration · docs.devin.ai
Devin Desktop FAQ · docs.devin.ai
Devin Local Customizations (redirect target of the old Windsurf MCP URL) · docs.devin.ai
Devin Local Permissions · docs.devin.ai
Windsurf Cascade MCP configuration · docs.devin.ai

How to add an MCP server to Windsurf (now Devin Desktop)

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