Windsurf Exa Search company_research_exa
How to: Windsurf Exa Search company_research_exa
Add Exa Search to Windsurf
-
01
Open ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json and merge this in. Keep any servers already there.
{
"mcpServers": {
"exa-mcp-server": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"exa-mcp-server"
],
"env": {
"EXA_API_KEY": "<EXA_API_KEY>"
}
}
}
}
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02
Save the file and restart Windsurf.
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03
Ask for something company_research_exa does. Windsurf lists the server's tools on connect and calls company_research_exa itself — you do not invoke it by name.
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04
If nothing happens, check the server is running and that Exa Search's identifier in your config matches the one above exactly.
Global only — Windsurf has no per-project MCP config. Refresh Cascade after saving. Windsurf docs
Set these first
Exa Search will not start until these are set, so company_research_exa never becomes available.
-
EXA_API_KEY
Same tool, other clients
Mutating and Read-only are read off each tool's name, not its schema — a hint, not a guarantee. The registry stores tool names only; connect the server for its live schemas.