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mcp/harbor

Windsurf Exa Search web_search_exa

How to: Windsurf Exa Search web_search_exa

client:Windsurf transport:stdio tool:web_search_exa

Add Exa Search to Windsurf

  1. 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>"
      }
    }
  }
}
  1. 02

    Save the file and restart Windsurf.

  2. 03

    Ask for something web_search_exa does. Windsurf lists the server's tools on connect and calls web_search_exa itself — you do not invoke it by name.

  3. 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 web_search_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.

Exa Search MCP server