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Your First Server

A detailed walkthrough to create, test, and deploy your first MCP server.

What You'll Build​

By the end of this guide, you'll have:

  • ✅ A custom web search tool
  • ✅ An MCP server with your tool
  • ✅ A working API key
  • ✅ Tested the server in Chat
  • ✅ Connected to Cursor IDE

Estimated time: 15 minutes

Step 1: Choose Your Tools​

Let's start with a simple but useful tool: Google Search.

  1. Navigate to Tools in the dashboard
  2. Use the search bar or browse categories
  3. Find "Google Search" (in the Web Search category)
  4. Click on it to see details:
    • What it does
    • Parameters it accepts
    • Example usage
    • Credit cost

Step 2: Create a Custom Tool​

Now configure your instance of Google Search.

  1. Click "Create Custom Tool" on the Google Search page
  2. Fill in the details:
Name: My Web Search
Description: Search Google for recent information

  1. (Optional) Set parameter overrides:

    • num_results: 5 (return top 5 results)
    • time_range: "past_month" (recent results)

  2. Click "Create Custom Tool"

Your custom tool is now ready! You can:

  • View it in Tools → My Tools
  • Edit configuration anytime
  • Use it in multiple servers

Step 3: Create Your Server​

Now bundle your custom tool into an MCP server.

  1. Navigate to Servers
  2. Click "Create Server"
  3. Configure:
Name: My First Server
Description: A simple search server for testing

  1. In "Select Custom Tools":

    • Search for "My Web Search"
    • Click to add it

  2. Under "API Key Configuration":

    • Enable "Auto-generate API Key"
    • Name it: "Development Key"

  3. Click "Create Server"

Your server is now live! 🎉

Step 4: Copy Your API Key​

You'll need this key to authenticate.

  1. After creation, you'll see your new API key
  2. Copy it immediately (it's only shown once)
  3. Store it securely (e.g., password manager)

Format: mcpk_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lost your key? You can create a new one in Server Settings → API Keys.

Step 5: Test in Chat​

Let's verify your server works.

  1. Navigate to Chat
  2. Select "My First Server" from the dropdown
  3. Type a message:
Search the web for "latest developments in AI safety"
  1. Watch the AI:
    • Call your My Web Search tool
    • Display search results
    • Synthesize an answer

Expected behavior:

  • Tool call shown with parameters
  • Results returned with URLs
  • Credits deducted (check your balance)

Step 6: Test in API Playground​

For more control, use the Playground.

  1. Go to your server page: Servers → My First Server
  2. Click "Playground" tab
  3. Select "Tool Call" action
  4. Choose "My Web Search" tool
  5. Set parameters:
{
  "query": "best practices for MCP integration"
}
  1. Click "Test Call"

Response:

  • Status code
  • Execution time
  • Results (JSON)
  • Credits used

This is useful for:

  • Debugging parameter issues
  • Testing without AI
  • Understanding raw responses

Step 7: View MCP Configuration​

Get your server's MCP config for IDE integration.

  1. On your server page, click "MCP Config" tab
  2. You'll see something like:
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "my-first-server": {
      "url": "https://api.joinreeva.com/mcp/server_abc123",
      "apiKey": "mcpk_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
    }
  }
}
  1. Click "Copy Configuration"

This config tells IDEs how to connect to your server.

Step 8: Connect to Cursor​

Now use your server in Cursor IDE.

Add Configuration​

  1. Open Cursor
  2. Open Settings: Cmd+, (Mac) or Ctrl+, (Windows/Linux)
  3. Navigate to: Features → MCP
  4. Click "Edit Config" or "Add Server"
  5. Paste your MCP configuration
  6. Save

Verify Connection​

  1. Open Cursor terminal

  2. Check MCP servers are loaded:

    • Look for "MCP Connected" indicator
    • Or check Cursor's MCP panel

  3. Test in a file:

    • Open any file
    • Start chatting with Cursor AI
    • Ask: "Search the web for Python async best practices"

  4. Observe:

    • AI uses your tool automatically
    • Results appear in chat
    • Context is added to the conversation

Success! Your tool is now available to Cursor's AI.

Step 9: Monitor Usage​

Track how your server is being used.

  1. Go to Usage
  2. View:
    • Tool calls: Which tools were executed
    • Credit usage: How many credits consumed
    • Timestamps: When calls occurred
    • Responses: Success/failure status

This helps you:

  • Understand usage patterns
  • Optimize credit spending
  • Debug issues

Common First-Time Issues​

"Insufficient credits"​

  • Check your credit balance
  • Purchase credits in Usage → Buy Credits
  • New accounts start with free trial credits

"Authentication failed"​

  • Verify API key is correct (no extra spaces)
  • Check key is linked to the right server
  • Try generating a new key

"Tool not found"​

  • Ensure custom tool is added to server
  • Refresh your IDE's MCP configuration
  • Check tool name spelling

Cursor not recognizing server​

  • Restart Cursor after adding config
  • Verify JSON syntax is valid
  • Check MCP panel for error messages

Next Steps​

Congratulations! You've created and deployed your first MCP server.

Add More Tools​

Expand your server's capabilities:

Learn Advanced Features​

Use the API​

Build programmatically:

Deploy to Other IDEs​

Summary​

You've learned to:

  • ✅ Choose and understand base tools
  • ✅ Create configured custom tools
  • ✅ Build an MCP server
  • ✅ Generate API keys
  • ✅ Test with Chat and Playground
  • ✅ Get MCP configuration
  • ✅ Connect to Cursor IDE
  • ✅ Monitor usage

You're now ready to build more advanced servers with multiple tools!

Need Help?​

  • Stuck? See Troubleshooting
  • Questions? Check the FAQ
  • Feedback? We'd love to hear how it went!