How to Use the Azure Cognitive Search MCP in Windsurf

Q: How does Windsurf use Azure Cognitive Search for semantic discovery?

Windsurf calls vectorsearch to find semantically similar records. Cascade parses the embedding vectors directly to answer complex questions that keyword searches miss.

Q: What happens when Windsurf encounters a missing index in Azure Cognitive Search?

The agent runs listindexes to find available indexes. It then alerts you or automatically switches the query target to the correct index name.

Let Windsurf autonomously run full-text and vector searches across your Azure Cognitive Search indexes.

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Connect Azure Cognitive Search MCP to Windsurf

Create your Vinkius account to connect Azure Cognitive Search 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 Azure Cognitive Search with Windsurf

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Query Azure Cognitive Search inside Windsurf

The `search_documents` tool lets Windsurf query your Azure indexes using lexical search. When you ask Cascade to find a document, it doesn't just guess; it triggers a search query, gets the raw hits, and parses the results on the fly. Cascade uses this MCP Server to inspect your data structure without manual intervention. If a query returns empty, the agent automatically runs `list_indexes` to verify you are targeting the correct index name.

Perform KNN vector searches on embedding profiles

The `vector_search` tool runs structural KNN vector queries directly against your Azure embedding profiles. Cascade uses this to pull semantically relevant documents when keyword matching falls short. Instead of writing custom Python scripts to test your embeddings, you tell Cascade what you need. It chains the search, grabs the coordinates, and feeds the context straight into your active workspace.

Audit indexers and skillsets autonomously

The `list_skillsets` tool retrieves the cognitive enrichment pipelines configured in your Azure search service. Cascade inspects these skillsets to understand how your raw data gets transformed into searchable fields. If your search results look stale, the agent runs `list_indexers` to check the execution state. It diagnoses sync issues without you ever opening the Azure Portal.

Setup guide

Set up Azure Cognitive Search 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 Azure Cognitive Search 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 Azure Cognitive Search payment history." If connected, Cascade will call the Azure Cognitive Search tools directly. You will see a green dot next to the server name in the MCP panel.

mcp_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "azure-cognitive-search-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 Azure Cognitive Search. 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 Azure Cognitive Search MCP in Windsurf

Windsurf calls `vector_search` to find semantically similar records. Cascade parses the embedding vectors directly to answer complex questions that keyword searches miss.

Yes, Cascade chains multiple tools autonomously. For example, it lists indexes with `list_indexes` and then queries the correct one via `search_documents` without asking you for permission.

The agent runs `list_indexes` to find available indexes. It then alerts you or automatically switches the query target to the correct index name.

You configure your Azure API keys and endpoint directly in Vinkius. The platform provides a single endpoint token that you paste into your Windsurf MCP configuration file.

Yes, Vinkius runs this MCP Server in an ephemeral, zero-trust V8 isolate sandbox. Your raw document payloads and search queries never persist on our servers; they transit directly to your IDE client over an encrypted MCP connection.

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