Integrate GrepAI with Cursor IDE via MCP. Use this skill to enable semantic code search in Cursor.
GrepAI MCP Integration with Cursor
This skill covers integrating GrepAI with Cursor IDE using the Model Context Protocol (MCP).
When to Use This Skill
Setting up GrepAI in Cursor
Enabling semantic search for Cursor AI
Configuring MCP for Cursor
Troubleshooting Cursor integration
What is Cursor?
Cursor is an AI-powered IDE that supports MCP for external tools. GrepAI integration gives Cursor's AI:
Semantic code search beyond simple text matching
Call graph analysis for understanding dependencies
Index-based code navigation
Prerequisites
GrepAI installed
Ollama running (or other embedding provider)
Project indexed (grepai watch)
Cursor IDE installed
Configuration
Step 1: Create MCP Config File
Create .cursor/mcp.json in your project root:
{
"mcpServers": {
"grepai": {
"command": "grepai",
"args": ["mcp-serve"]
}
}
}
Step 2: Restart Cursor
Close and reopen Cursor for the config to take effect.
Step 3: Verify
Ask Cursor's AI:
"Search the codebase for authentication"
Cursor should use the grepai_search tool.
Global Configuration
For GrepAI in all Cursor projects, use global config:
Location
macOS: ~/.cursor/mcp.json
Linux: ~/.cursor/mcp.json
Windows: %APPDATA%\Cursor\mcp.json
Content
{
"mcpServers": {
"grepai": {
"command": "grepai",
"args": ["mcp-serve"]
}
}
}
Per-Project Configuration
For project-specific settings:
{
"mcpServers": {
"grepai": {
"command": "grepai",
"args": ["mcp-serve"],
"cwd": "/absolute/path/to/project"
}
}
}
Available Tools
Once configured, Cursor has access to:
Tool
Description
grepai_search
Semantic code search
grepai_trace_callers
Find function callers
grepai_trace_callees
Find function callees
grepai_trace_graph
Build call graphs
grepai_index_status
Check index health
Usage Examples
Finding Code
Ask Cursor:
"Find code that handles user login"
Cursor uses grepai_search to find semantically related code.
Understanding Dependencies
Ask Cursor:
"What functions call validateToken?"
Cursor uses grepai_trace_callers to show all callers.
Code Navigation
Ask Cursor:
"Show me the call graph for processPayment"
Cursor uses grepai_trace_graph to display dependencies.
Cursor Settings Integration
Enable MCP in Settings
Open Cursor Settings (Cmd+, / Ctrl+,)
Search for "MCP"
Ensure MCP is enabled
Verify MCP Status
Open Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P)
Search "MCP"
Check connected servers
Windsurf Configuration
Windsurf uses the same MCP format as Cursor:
Location
Create .windsurf/mcp.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"grepai": {
"command": "grepai",
"args": ["mcp-serve"]
}
}
}
Multiple Projects Setup
Option 1: Separate Configs
Each project has its own .cursor/mcp.json with appropriate cwd.
Option 2: Workspaces
# Create workspace
grepai workspace create dev
grepai workspace add dev /path/to/project1
grepai workspace add dev /path/to/project2
{
"mcpServers": {
"grepai": {
"command": "grepai",
"args": ["mcp-serve", "--workspace", "dev"]
}
}
}
Environment Variables
If GrepAI uses environment variables (like API keys):
{
"mcpServers": {
"grepai": {
"command": "grepai",
"args": ["mcp-serve"],
"env": {
"OPENAI_API_KEY": "sk-..."
}
}
}
}
Better: Set environment variables in your shell profile instead.
Troubleshooting
MCP Not Recognized
❌ Problem: Cursor doesn't see GrepAI tools
✅ Solutions:
Check file location: .cursor/mcp.json in project root
Verify JSON syntax (no trailing commas)
Restart Cursor completely
Check grepai is in PATH
Search Returns Nothing
❌ Problem: Empty search results
✅ Solutions:
Ensure index exists: grepai status
Run grepai watch first
Verify working directory
Connection Errors
❌ Problem: MCP connection failed
✅ Solutions:
Test manually: grepai mcp-serve
Check Ollama: curl http://localhost:11434/api/tags
Look at Cursor's developer console for errors
Wrong Results
❌ Problem: Results from wrong project
✅ Solutions:
Set explicit cwd in config
Check you opened the right folder in Cursor
Use grepai_index_status to verify
Performance Tips
Background daemon: Keep grepai watch --background running
Use compact mode: MCP tools use compact by default
Limit results: AI will request appropriate limits
Index regularly: Especially after git pull
Comparison: Cursor vs Claude Code
Feature
Cursor
Claude Code
Config location
.cursor/mcp.json
~/.claude/mcp.json
Setup command
Manual JSON
claude mcp add
Project scope
Per-project or global
Global
IDE integration
Native
Terminal
Best Practices
Version control: Add .cursor/mcp.json to git (without secrets)
Team setup: Document MCP config in README
Keep index fresh: Run watch daemon
Test locally: Verify grepai mcp-serve works first
Use workspaces: For multi-project setups
Removing Integration
Delete .cursor/mcp.json and restart Cursor.
Or remove just GrepAI:
{
"mcpServers": {
// Remove grepai entry
}
}
Output Format
Successful Cursor setup:
✅ GrepAI MCP Integration for Cursor
Config: .cursor/mcp.json
Server: grepai mcp-serve
Status: Ready
Available tools:
- grepai_search
- grepai_trace_callers
- grepai_trace_callees
- grepai_trace_graph
- grepai_index_status
Cursor AI can now search your code semantically!
Test: Ask Cursor "search for authentication code"don't have the plugin yet? install it then click "run inline in claude" again.