How to add to Cursor

[gtupak]

Hey, I'm new to MCP servers and I'm very interested in your project. I tried adding it to Cursor, but I have had no success. This is what I've done:

1. Ran npx @smithery/cli install linear-mcp-server --client claude
2. Added my Linear API key
3. In Cursor, added the MCP server command as LINEAR_API_KEY=lin_api_abc npx -y linear-mcp-server

Running that command in the terminal gives me:

Starting Linear MCP Server...
Connecting server to transport...
Linear MCP Server running on studio

But Linear shows "no tools available" with a red status icon. What have I done wrong?

[findolor]

@gtupak Here is how I've done it:

1. Clone the repository and run npm install and npm run build
2. Go to Cursor and add the server command as env LINEAR_API_KEY=<key> node <path-to-index.js-inside-build-folder>

[giovaborgogno]

The command in cursor should be:

env LINEAR_API_KEY=lin_api_abc npx -y linear-mcp-server

[gtupak]

Ok so it isn't actually feasible with @smithery/cli right?

[Luc-Olsthoorn]

The command in cursor should be:

env LINEAR_API_KEY=lin_api_abc npx -y linear-mcp-server

type command

i've tried exactly this and get the
no tools found

[gustiando]

Same. This shouldn't be that hard 🤔

2025-02-25 17:58:27.411 [info] 6980: Handling CreateClient action
2025-02-25 17:58:27.411 [info] 6980: getOrCreateClient for stdio server
2025-02-25 17:58:27.411 [info] 6980: Starting new stdio process with command: env LINEAR_API_KEY=[omitted] npx -y linear-mcp-server
2025-02-25 17:58:27.737 [info] 6980: Successfully connected to stdio server
2025-02-25 17:58:27.737 [info] 6980: Storing stdio client
2025-02-25 17:58:27.738 [info] 6980: Handling ListOfferings action
2025-02-25 17:58:27.738 [info] 6980: Listing offerings
2025-02-25 17:58:27.738 [info] 6980: getOrCreateClient for stdio server
2025-02-25 17:58:27.738 [info] 6980: Reusing existing stdio client
2025-02-25 17:58:27.738 [info] 6980: Connected to stdio server, fetching offerings
2025-02-25 17:58:27.738 [info] listOfferings: Found 5 tools
2025-02-25 17:58:37.793 [info] 6980: Handling ListOfferings action
2025-02-25 17:58:37.793 [info] 6980: Listing offerings
2025-02-25 17:58:37.793 [info] 6980: getOrCreateClient for stdio server
2025-02-25 17:58:37.793 [info] 6980: Reusing existing stdio client
2025-02-25 17:58:37.793 [info] 6980: Connected to stdio server, fetching offerings
2025-02-25 17:58:37.794 [info] listOfferings: Found 5 tools
2025-02-25 17:58:54.808 [info] 6980: Handling ReloadClient action
2025-02-25 17:58:54.808 [info] 6980: Cleaning up
2025-02-25 17:58:54.808 [info] 6980: Client closed for command
2025-02-25 17:58:54.808 [error] 6980: Error in MCP: Client closed
2025-02-25 17:58:54.808 [info] 6980: getOrCreateClient for stdio server
2025-02-25 17:58:54.808 [info] 6980: Starting new stdio process with command: env LINEAR_API_KEY=[omitted] npx -y linear-mcp-server
2025-02-25 17:58:54.809 [error] 6980: Error listing offerings: MCP error -32000: Connection closed
2025-02-25 17:58:54.809 [error] 6980: Error listing offerings: MCP error -32000: Connection closed
2025-02-25 17:58:54.812 [info] 6980: Handling ListOfferings action
2025-02-25 17:58:54.812 [error] 6980: No server info found
2025-02-25 17:58:54.814 [info] 6980: Client closed for command
2025-02-25 17:58:54.814 [error] 6980: Error in MCP: Client closed
2025-02-25 17:58:55.149 [info] 6980: Successfully connected to stdio server
2025-02-25 17:58:55.149 [info] 6980: Storing stdio client
2025-02-25 17:58:55.149 [info] 6980: Handling ListOfferings action
2025-02-25 17:58:55.150 [info] 6980: Listing offerings
2025-02-25 17:58:55.150 [info] 6980: getOrCreateClient for stdio server
2025-02-25 17:58:55.150 [info] 6980: Reusing existing stdio client
2025-02-25 17:58:55.150 [info] 6980: Connected to stdio server, fetching offerings
2025-02-25 17:58:55.150 [info] listOfferings: Found 5 tools

[gching]

Are you on Windows? Mac Cursor works for me but I've noticed issues with Cursor on Windows

[timbrunette]

My process to get this working (MacOS):

1. run: npx @smithery/cli install linear-mcp-server --client claude in terminal
2. enter the API key:

? The API key for the Linear server. (required) 
************************************************
linear-mcp-server successfully installed for claude

3. In Cursor go to MCP Servers -> Add new MCP Server:

name: linear
type: command
command: `env LINEAR_API_KEY=YOUR_API_KEY npx -y linear-mcp-server

Works:

[gching]

I think even running npx @smithery/cli install linear-mcp-server --client claude is not necessary - it specifically installed it for Claude,

Having only env LINEAR_API_KEY=YOUR_API_KEY npx -y linear-mcp-server as the command should work

[jharrell]

I'm also having difficulties here. Latest MacOS and Cursor versions. Any variation of env LINEAR_API_KEY=YOUR_API_KEY npx -y linear-mcp-server doesn't work.

Output:

2025-02-25 22:09:55.444 [info] c6ee: Handling ReloadClient action
2025-02-25 22:09:55.444 [error] c6ee: No client found
2025-02-25 22:09:55.447 [info] c6ee: Handling ListOfferings action
2025-02-25 22:09:55.447 [error] c6ee: No server info found

[gching]

Yeah, env LINEAR_API_KEY=YOUR_API_KEY npx -y linear-mcp-server works for me on Mac + Cursor....

Can you try running in your terminal? See if the command fails - or check cursor logs?

[jharrell]

Here's what I see in the Cursor MCP logs:

2025-02-26 07:59:09.533 [info] c14e: Handling CreateClient action
2025-02-26 07:59:09.533 [info] c14e: getOrCreateClient for stdio server
2025-02-26 07:59:09.533 [info] c14e: Starting new stdio process with command: env LINEAR_API_KEY=my-api-key npx -y linear-mcp-server
2025-02-26 07:59:09.538 [info] c14e: Client closed for command
2025-02-26 07:59:09.538 [error] c14e: Error in MCP: Client closed
2025-02-26 07:59:09.540 [info] c14e: Handling ListOfferings action
2025-02-26 07:59:09.540 [error] c14e: No server info found

Here's what happens when I run the same command in the terminal:

❯ env LINEAR_API_KEY=my-api-key npx -y linear-mcp-server
Starting Linear MCP Server...
Connecting server to transport...
Linear MCP Server running on stdio

[Luc-Olsthoorn]

I updated to latest cursor this morning and now it works. Elsewhere i saw the issue of having multiple npx for other mcp servers and that might be the issue for some of yall.

god speed

Do you guys have a manager like nvm installed? try npm install -g @modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking . close and open cursor and retry. if doesn’t work try full path to npx . ie which npx to get full path and use full path in command /home/myname/.nvm/versions/node/v20.11.0/bin/npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking see if that helps

https://forum.cursor.com/t/mcp-servers-no-tools-found/49094/14

[gtupak]

I think even running npx @smithery/cli install linear-mcp-server --client claude is not necessary - it specifically installed it for Claude,

Having only env LINEAR_API_KEY=YOUR_API_KEY npx -y linear-mcp-server as the command should work

Am I missing something obvious?

@Luc-Olsthoorn I tried using the full path to npx, and it still didn't work.

[jharrell]

@Luc-Olsthoorn I use mise so I hoped that was the fix, unfortunately it wasn't. npx, pnpm dlx with full paths or without doesn't work

[Luc-Olsthoorn]

interesting, i was mistaken. it does connect to the server, and is enabled using

env LINEAR_API_KEY=YOUR_API_KEY npx -y linear-mcp-server

however it doesnt do anything. in the logs i keep getting (output->Cursor MCP) are:

[info] 0528: Connected to stdio server, fetching offerings
2025-02-26 14:51:42.320 [info] listOfferings: Found 5 tools
2025-02-26 14:52:42.325 [error] 0528: Error listing offerings: MCP error -32001: Request timed out

i tried running through claude and its a similar state. timing out forever.

curling the linear with my api key works as a smell test here that the key and connection is good. unsure what the hold up is. hopefully this context helps