How to Use the Cerbos MCP in Windsurf

Q: How do I install the Cerbos MCP server in Windsurf?

Open your /.codeium/windsurf/mcpconfig.json file or use the Settings UI under Cascade. Add the server details under the mcpServers key. Hit refresh in the MCP panel to auto-discover the tools.

Q: Can Windsurf and Cerbos test single AuthZEN actions?

Yes. Cascade uses the authzenevaluation tool to test individual requests against the AuthZEN entity model. It runs the check and shows you the exact evaluation result.

Q: Does the integration support batch evaluations?

It does. The authzenevaluations tool processes multiple access requests simultaneously. Cascade handles the execution semantics like permitonfirstpermit automatically.

Q: How does Windsurf generate query plans with Cerbos?

Your agent calls the planresources tool to figure out which resources a specific principal is allowed to access. It takes that generated query plan and writes the corresponding database filters directly into your code.

Connect the Cerbos MCP Server to Windsurf and let Cascade handle your authorization logic autonomously. Evaluate rules without leaving the IDE.

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Connect Cerbos MCP to Windsurf

Create your Vinkius account to connect Cerbos 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 Cerbos with Windsurf

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Evaluate permissions inside Windsurf

Windsurf's Cascade agent hooks directly into your authorization layer using the `check_resources` tool. You just tell it which principal needs access to what resource, and it runs the read-only evaluation immediately. No need to context-switch into another terminal or write curl commands. When you need to test multiple access requests at once, Cascade chains those actions using `authzen_evaluations`. It figures out the batch semantics like deny_on_first_deny and executes the entire sequence in one go.

Generate query plans for your app

The `plan_resources` tool automatically produces the exact query plan required for a specific principal. Building complex data filters based on user roles usually sucks, but this MCP Server writes the logic for you. Cascade reads your current file context, grabs the required principal details, and generates the AST or filter conditions. It drops that logic right into your codebase, saving you from manually mapping out complex permission trees.

Audit Cerbos MCP Server configurations

Keeping track of your AuthZEN API endpoints and instance versions is handled through the `get_authzen_config` and `get_server_info` tools. Cascade pulls this data autonomously when debugging connection issues. Instead of digging through configuration files or deployment logs, you ask your agent to verify the build details. It fetches the exact version running in your environment and reports back in seconds.

Setup guide

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

mcp_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cerbos-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 Cerbos. 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 Cerbos MCP in Windsurf

Open your `~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json` file or use the Settings UI under Cascade. Add the server details under the mcpServers key. Hit refresh in the MCP panel to auto-discover the tools.

Yes. Cascade uses the `authzen_evaluation` tool to test individual requests against the AuthZEN entity model. It runs the check and shows you the exact evaluation result.

It does. The `authzen_evaluations` tool processes multiple access requests simultaneously. Cascade handles the execution semantics like permit_on_first_permit automatically.

Your agent calls the `plan_resources` tool to figure out which resources a specific principal is allowed to access. It takes that generated query plan and writes the corresponding database filters directly into your code.

Vinkius runs this connection inside a V8 Isolate Sandbox. The agent only reads principal IDs, resource types, and policy rules. Every session is ephemeral and zero-trust, meaning your access control structures disappear the moment the task finishes.

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