How to Use the Exa MCP in Windsurf
Let Windsurf use Exa to find real data instead of guessing. Semantic search for your IDE agent.
Works with every AI agent you already use
…and any MCP-compatible client
Connect Exa MCP to Windsurf
Create your Vinkius account to connect Exa 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.
Search the web with Windsurf
Stop relying on basic keyword matches that miss the point. Use `exa_search` to find web content by concept, letting your agent pull in information that actually matters to your current task. Windsurf reads these results directly, meaning your context window stays clean. It skips the noise of traditional scrapers and gets right to the relevant pages.
Read clean page content
Feed specific URLs to `exa_get_contents` to strip away the ads and boilerplate. Your agent gets a structured text block ready for analysis or code generation. It works like this: you pass the links, and the server returns the core content. This saves your agent from parsing messy HTML and keeps your token usage predictable.
Find similar sources fast
When you find a great technical doc, use `exa_find_similar` to see what else exists on the topic. It helps you build a better knowledge base without hunting through search results manually. Windsurf can chain this with other tools to map out a whole domain. It's how you move from a single reference to a full understanding of a project.
Set up Exa 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 Exa 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 Exa payment history." If connected, Cascade will call the Exa tools directly. You will see a green dot next to the server name in the MCP panel.
{
"mcpServers": {
"exa-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 Exa. 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.
Why Choose Vinkius
Vinkius connects your tools to AI with real-time monitoring and automatic cost savings — all from one dashboard.
Real-time monitoring
Live
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Connect your favorite tools to your AI and see exactly what's happening — every request, every response, in real time.
Built-in savings
60%
lower AI costs
Vinkius compresses data between your apps and your AI automatically. Lower bills every month — no configuration required.
Single dashboard
One
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Every tool your AI connects to, managed from a single screen. One account, complete control.
Common questions about Exa MCP in Windsurf
Use it with your favorite AI tools
Connect this server to Cursor, Claude, VS Code, and more.
Start using the Exa MCP today
We host it, we monitor it, we maintain it. You just paste one token.
