Integrating Tishtar MCP with Cursor, Claude Desktop & Windsurf

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is the open standard that connects AI assistants and code editors to external tools, live databases, and background execution engines.

By connecting the Tishtar MCP Server to your developer environment, your AI assistant (inside Cursor, Claude Desktop, or Windsurf) gains direct superpowers:

• Query live web monitors and competitor deltas directly from your editor.
• Trigger background cloud routines without leaving your code.
• Read structured morning briefings, regulatory updates, and market disclosures during development.

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1. Setup for Claude Desktop

Claude Desktop reads MCP configuration from a local JSON file.

Config File Location:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Add Tishtar Configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tishtar": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@tishtar/mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "TISHTAR_API_KEY": "YOUR_TISHTAR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop. You will see the Tishtar hammer icon appear in the bottom-right corner of the prompt box.

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2. Setup for Cursor IDE

Cursor integrates MCP directly into its Composer and Chat interfaces.

Steps:

1. Open Cursor and navigate to Settings (Cmd+, or Ctrl+,).
2. Go to Features -> MCP Servers -> Click Add New MCP Server.
3. Fill in the details:
   • Name: tishtar
   • Type: command
   • Command: npx -y @tishtar/mcp-server
   • Environment Variables: TISHTAR_API_KEY=YOUR_API_KEY
4. Alternatively, add directly to your project’s .cursor/mcp.json:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "tishtar": {
         "command": "npx",
         "args": ["-y", "@tishtar/mcp-server"],
         "env": {
           "TISHTAR_API_KEY": "YOUR_TISHTAR_API_KEY"
         }
       }
     }
   }

5. In Cursor Chat or Composer, type: “Check latest competitor price delta using Tishtar” to trigger tool calling.

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3. Setup for Windsurf (Codeium Cascade)

Windsurf supports MCP servers natively through its Cascade configuration.

Config File Location:

• ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

Add Tishtar Configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tishtar": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@tishtar/mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "TISHTAR_API_KEY": "YOUR_TISHTAR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Open Cascade in Windsurf and run the command /tools to verify that tishtar_query_routines and tishtar_trigger_run are active.

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Troubleshooting Common Errors

Error 1: spawn ENOENT

• Cause: The host application cannot locate the npx or node binary in your system path.
• Fix: Replace "command": "npx" with the absolute path to your binary (e.g. "/usr/local/bin/npx" or "/opt/homebrew/bin/npx"). Find your path by running which npx in your terminal.

Error 2: SSE / Connection Timeout

• Cause: Strict local firewall or VPN proxy blocking outbound port calls.
• Fix: Ensure outbound HTTPS requests to https://api.tishtar.app are allowed in your proxy settings.

Error 3: Invalid API Key / Unauthorized (401)

• Cause: The TISHTAR_API_KEY environment variable is either missing or has trailing whitespace.
• Fix: Generate a fresh API key in Tishtar Settings -> API Keys and re-paste cleanly into your config file.