Connect MCP servers

Overview

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard that lets AI tools talk to other software. If one of your own systems has an MCP server, for example your member directory, application portal or user database, you can connect it to AtomicX Chat. Your AI agents can then use its tools during a conversation to look up or update information. For example, an agent could check an application's status for a visitor.

Connecting a server doesn't give any agent access by itself. After you connect it, you choose which of its tools each agent may use. See Give AI agents MCP tools.

You'll find this page under AI → MCP servers. It's available on plans that include AI, and only Owners and Admins can see it.

Before you start

You need the following from whoever runs the MCP server:

The server URL, for example https://api.example.com/mcp. It must start with https://. AtomicX Chat supports the Streamable HTTP and SSE transports.
If the server needs a login, the header name and value to send, for example Authorization and Bearer <token>, or X-API-Key and your key.

Steps

Add a server

Go to AI → MCP servers and click Add MCP server.
Enter a Name, for example "Members". The AI sees this name as the source of the tools, so make it descriptive.
Enter the Server URL.
If the server needs authentication, fill in Auth header name and Auth header value. The value is stored encrypted.
Leave Active ticked so the tools can be offered to your agents.
Click Save.

AtomicX Chat tests the connection straight after saving. Under the server you'll see either Connected, with the number and names of the tools it offers, or Connection failed with the reason.

Test a connection

Click Test next to a server at any time. The result appears under the server and lists every tool the server offers. It's a good idea to test after the server's owner makes changes on their side.

Edit a server

Click Edit next to the server.
Change what you need. To keep the stored Auth header value, leave that field blank. Type a new value only if you want to replace it.
Click Save.

Pause or remove a server

To pause a server, click Edit, untick Active, and click Save. Its tools stop being offered to agents. Each agent's tool selection is kept, so when you tick Active again, everything works as before.
To remove a server for good, click Delete and confirm. Agents lose access to its tools straight away.

Troubleshooting

Message or problem	What to do
"URL must be an absolute https:// URL"	Use the full address, starting with `https://`.
Connection failed mentioning 401 or 403	Check the Auth header name and Auth header value with the server's owner.
Connection failed for a server on your internal network	For security, AtomicX Chat can't connect to private or internal network addresses. The server must be reachable from the internet.
"Connected, but the server exposes no tools."	The connection works, but the server has nothing to offer yet. Ask its owner to check its setup.
New tools don't show up in the agent editor	The tool list is refreshed every few minutes. Click Test, or wait a few minutes, then reopen the agent.

Tips

Only connect servers you trust. The AI sends conversation details to the tools it calls, and uses what the tools return in its answers.
Give each server a short, clear name. Tool names are shown as "Server name · Tool name" in the agent editor.
Use a separate API key for AtomicX Chat, with only the permissions the AI needs. You can then revoke it without affecting other systems.