What Windsurf needs for a local MCP server
Windsurf Cascade supports stdio, Streamable HTTP, and SSE transports. Windsurf MCP documentation describes ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json as the JSON file that lists servers Cascade can connect to. The documented example sets up a server as a local stdio-style entry, and the documented config fields include command, args, env, serverUrl, url, and headers, with environment variable interpolation supported in those fields. See Windsurf MCP documentation.
Create or copy a KnowMan API key
In the KnowMan web app, go to Settings > Connections > Connect an AI agent to create a key. The KnowMan MCP server reads the key from the KNOWMAN_API_KEY environment variable, and keys look like km_. See the KnowMan MCP server guide.
Add KnowMan to mcp_config.json
Open ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json and add the configuration shown on this page. The Windsurf example uses a local server entry, and the documented config fields include command, args, and env, with environment variable interpolation supported in those fields. See Windsurf MCP documentation.
Sign in once with knowman login
Run npx -p @knowman/mcp knowman login once for browser sign-in. The saved credential is shared by the KnowMan CLI and the MCP server, so you can drop the env block from the Windsurf config. See the KnowMan MCP server guide.
KnowMan tools available in Windsurf
The KnowMan MCP server provides kb_search, kb_ask, kb_get_item, kb_save, kb_recent, and kb_memories. Windsurf supports an MCP server's tools, resources, and prompts, and Cascade can access up to 100 tools at once. See Windsurf MCP documentation and the KnowMan MCP server guide.
Troubleshoot Windsurf MCP setup
Confirm that the server uses npx -y @knowman/mcp and that Windsurf is reading the expected config file. Windsurf MCP documentation says to provide the required arguments and environment variables for each configured server. You can also toggle individual tools on or off on each MCP's settings page. See Windsurf MCP documentation.
Where this configuration comes from
Windsurf's own documentation site now redirects to Devin Desktop documentation, so this page uses the last copy of Windsurf's MCP page that is still available, an archived copy from January 2026. If the config path in your version of Windsurf differs, open its MCP settings and use the path it shows.
Questions people ask
Can Windsurf use the KnowMan MCP server?
Yes. Windsurf supports stdio MCP servers, and KnowMan is a local stdio server. Windsurf MCP documentation lists stdio among its supported transport types. See the KnowMan MCP server guide.
Do I need KNOWMAN_API_KEY in the Windsurf config?
You can omit it after running npx -p @knowman/mcp knowman login once. The saved credential is shared by the CLI and the MCP server, so the env block can be dropped. See the KnowMan MCP server guide.
Can I add KnowMan through the Windsurf MCP Marketplace?
Windsurf provides an MCP Marketplace for adding servers, and it also allows a missing server to be added by editing the raw mcp_config.json file. See Windsurf MCP documentation and the KnowMan MCP server guide.
Which KnowMan tools can Cascade use?
KnowMan provides kb_search, kb_ask, kb_get_item, kb_save, kb_recent, and kb_memories. Windsurf supports an MCP server's tools, resources, and prompts. See the KnowMan MCP server guide and Windsurf MCP documentation.