Cutshort MCP Server Setup: Configure Claude and Cursor

The Cutshort MCP server is available as an npm package. Connect it to any MCP-compatible client — Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, or a custom AI agent — by adding a single configuration block and your API key.

The package name @cutshort/mcp-server used in the examples below is a placeholder. Replace it with the actual npm package name provided in your Cutshort dashboard.

Prerequisites

Node.js 18 or later
A Cutshort API key (see Authentication)
An MCP-compatible client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, or a custom agent)

Installation

Install the MCP server package

Install the Cutshort MCP server globally so it is available as a command on your system:

npm install -g @cutshort/mcp-server

yarn global add @cutshort/mcp-server

pnpm add -g @cutshort/mcp-server

Configure your MCP client

Add the Cutshort MCP server to your client’s configuration. Choose the tab that matches your client:

Claude Desktop
Cursor
Programmatic (Node.js)

Open Claude Desktop settings and go to the MCP Servers section. Add the following block to your claude_desktop_config.json file:

claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cutshort": {
      "command": "cutshort-mcp",
      "env": {
        "CUTSHORT_API_KEY": "YOUR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Save the file and restart Claude Desktop. The Cutshort tools will appear in Claude’s tool panel on next launch.

Open Cursor settings with Cmd+, on Mac (or Ctrl+, on Windows/Linux), navigate to Features → MCP, and add the following block:

cursor_settings.json

{
  "mcp": {
    "servers": {
      "cutshort": {
        "command": "cutshort-mcp",
        "env": {
          "CUTSHORT_API_KEY": "YOUR_API_KEY"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Save your settings. Cursor will automatically detect and register the Cutshort tools.

Use the MCP SDK to connect your own agent programmatically:

agent.js

import { MCPClient } from '@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/client/index.js';
import { StdioClientTransport } from '@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/client/stdio.js';

const transport = new StdioClientTransport({
  command: 'cutshort-mcp',
  env: { CUTSHORT_API_KEY: process.env.CUTSHORT_API_KEY }
});

const client = new MCPClient({ name: 'my-hiring-agent', version: '1.0.0' }, {});
await client.connect(transport);

// List available tools
const { tools } = await client.listTools();
console.log('Available tools:', tools.map(t => t.name));

Verify the connection

Confirm that the Cutshort MCP server is connected and all tools are registered:

Claude Desktop or Cursor — Ask the agent: “What Cutshort tools do you have available?” The agent should respond by listing the 5 available tools: search_candidates, get_candidate_profile, create_job, get_shortlist, and send_invite.
Programmatic clients — Call client.listTools() and verify that exactly 5 tools are returned in the response.

Environment variables

Variable	Required	Description
`CUTSHORT_API_KEY`	Yes	Your Cutshort API key
`CUTSHORT_BASE_URL`	No	Override the API base URL (default: `https://api.cutshort.io/v1`)
`CUTSHORT_LOG_LEVEL`	No	Log verbosity: `debug`, `info`, `warn`, `error` (default: `info`)

Never hardcode your API key in configuration files committed to source control. Use environment variables or a secrets manager to keep your credentials secure.

Get Started

Core Concepts

Guides

MCP Server

Cutshort MCP Server Setup: Configure Claude and Cursor

Prerequisites

Installation

Environment variables

​Prerequisites

​Installation

​Environment variables

Prerequisites

Installation

Environment variables