How to Use the Data.gov MCP in Windsurf
Windsurf Cascade connects to Data.gov to search 300,000+ federal datasets, fetch resource links, and build data pipelines autonomously.
Works with every AI agent you already use
…and any MCP-compatible client
Connect Data.gov MCP to Windsurf
Create your Vinkius account to connect Data.gov 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.
Autonomously search federal records in Windsurf
The `search_datasets` tool queries the US government catalog for public datasets across agriculture, health, and finance. You give Cascade a vague goal like finding recent climate data, and it figures out the exact search terms. It checks the results, filtering by organization or tags, without making you approve each API call. Once it spots the right dataset, Cascade runs `get_dataset` to pull the full metadata and download links. It reads the data dictionary, grabs the actual CSV or JSON files, and immediately starts writing Python pandas code to analyze the numbers right in your editor.
Map government agencies with this MCP Server
The `list_organizations` tool returns the names, descriptions, and contact info for every agency publishing data on Data.gov. Cascade uses this to map out which departments hold specific records. If you need financial data, your agent scopes the search down to the Treasury or SEC before pulling anything. Finding topic clusters happens through the `get_group` and `get_group_datasets` tools. Cascade navigates public-safety or education categories, pulling bulk lists of related datasets. It builds a complete picture of available government data before writing a single line of your application.
Parse government data formats natively
The `list_resource_formats` tool filters the entire federal catalog by file type. Government data comes in messy formats, but Cascade knows how to find the exact CSV, JSON, or GeoJSON files your project needs. It skips the PDFs and finds the machine-readable endpoints. After filtering the formats, your agent uses `list_tags` to discover how agencies categorize their records. It cross-references these tags with the format list to build a highly targeted data pipeline. You get a working data ingestion script while Windsurf handles the tedious federal API navigation.
Set up Data.gov 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 Data.gov MCP
Paste the JSON snippet shown on the right into the
mcpServersobject. 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 Data.gov payment history." If connected, Cascade will call the Data.gov tools directly. You will see a green dot next to the server name in the MCP panel.
{
"mcpServers": {
"datagov-mcp": {
"url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
}
}
}Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by Data.gov. 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 Data.gov MCP in Windsurf
Use it with your favorite AI tools
Connect this server to Cursor, Claude, VS Code, and more.
Start using the Data.gov MCP today
We host it, we monitor it, we maintain it. You just paste one token.
