How to Use the ArcGIS MCP in Windsurf

Connect ArcGIS to Windsurf and let Cascade autonomously map fleet routes, geocode batches, and analyze spatial data right in your IDE.

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Connect ArcGIS MCP to Windsurf

Create your Vinkius account to connect ArcGIS to Windsurf and route execution through our secure gateway. The platform manages server hosting, runtime updates, and security layers. Configuration requires no manual server provisioning.

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Setup ArcGIS with Windsurf

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Map raw address data with the ArcGIS MCP Server

The `batch_geocode_addresses` tool converts up to 1000 plain text addresses into precise coordinates in a single request. Cascade handles the formatting automatically, taking your raw CSV or JSON files and passing an ArcGIS-compatible array string straight to the API. You just point Windsurf at a messy list of customer locations and watch it append latitude and longitude columns without writing a single script. When you need to clean up partial inputs first, Cascade chains the `suggest_geocoding` and `find_address_candidates` tools. It checks the autocomplete suggestions, picks the valid match, and grabs the exact coordinates. If your dataset spans multiple regions, calling `find_address_country` restricts the search to specific borders like USA or FRA to prevent mismatched cities.

Calculate routes and fleet logistics

The `solve_vehicle_routing` tool maps out complex delivery schedules for an entire fleet using an ArcGIS Orders JSON string. Instead of manually plotting stops, you give Windsurf a list of deliveries and constraints. Cascade builds the JSON payload, hits the endpoint, and returns the optimized sequence for every driver. Individual point-to-point trips run through the `solve_nav_route` tool. You feed it a sequence of lon,lat coordinates, and it returns detailed turn-by-turn directions alongside total travel time and distance. Cascade can take that raw output and instantly format it into a clean markdown report or inject it directly into your application's frontend code.

Analyze travel times and service areas

The `calculate_service_area` tool plots exact drive-time, walk-time, or travel-distance polygons around specific facilities. You provide the origin point, and Windsurf maps out exactly how far a user can travel within a set timeframe. This beats simple radius circles because it accounts for actual road networks and physical barriers. For broader logistics planning, Cascade calls the `calculate_od_matrix` tool. It takes multiple origin and destination points and computes the travel times and distances between all of them simultaneously. Your agent processes that massive matrix and can immediately write a Python script to visualize the routing costs across your entire supply chain.

Setup guide

Set up ArcGIS MCP in Windsurf

Prerequisites

Windsurf IDE installed (macOS, Windows, or Linux)
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open MCP configuration

Click the Cascade assistant icon in the sidebar, then click the hammer icon (🔨) at the top of the panel. Select "Configure" to open ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json.
2

Add the ArcGIS MCP

Paste the JSON snippet shown on the right into the mcpServers object. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com.
3

Refresh MCPs

Go back to the hammer icon (🔨) in Cascade and click "Refresh". Windsurf will detect the new server. No full restart is needed — the connection is hot-reloaded.
4

Verify in Cascade

Start a new Cascade conversation and ask something like "Show my ArcGIS payment history." If connected, Cascade will call the ArcGIS tools directly. You will see a green dot next to the server name in the MCP panel.

mcp_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "arcgis-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Get your connection token →

Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by ArcGIS. All third-party trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this website is strictly for informational purposes to identify service compatibility and interoperability.

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Common questions about ArcGIS MCP in Windsurf

Open your Windsurf settings and navigate to the Cascade MCP Servers UI. You can add the Vinkius endpoint URL directly there and click refresh. Alternatively, check the built-in MCP Marketplace for a one-click installation option.

Yes. Cascade reads your local CSV or JSON files and passes the data to the server. It uses tools like batch geocoding to process up to 1000 rows at once and writes the coordinates back to your project.

Vinkius manages the authentication layer. You just need your Vinkius endpoint token configured in the MCP settings. The server handles the underlying API requests to Esri's systems automatically.

Cascade calls the navigation route tool with your coordinate sequence. It receives the raw routing data and can immediately format those instructions into whatever file type you need, from a text document to a structured JSON response.

Your raw street addresses and geographic coordinates pass through a V8 Isolate Sandbox that spins up just for your request. Vinkius destroys the environment the second the geocoding or routing task finishes. Nothing gets stored, logged, or saved to disk after the connection closes.

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