Bring Kubernetes
to Windsurf
Create your Vinkius account to connect Rancher to Windsurf and start using all 10 AI tools in minutes. Fully managed, enterprise secure, and ready to use without writing a single line of code. No hosting, no server setup — just connect and start using.
GDPR Free for SubscribersCompatible with every major AI agent and IDE
Gemini
What is the Rancher MCP Server?
Connect your Rancher Kubernetes management platform to your AI agent, allowing seamless orchestration of your container infrastructure directly from a chat interface. By integrating this server, your AI can introspect and interact with multiple remote Kubernetes clusters managed governed by your Rancher deployment.
What you can do
- Cluster Oversight — List and examine the status of all managed clusters connected to your Rancher control plane.
- Namespace Discovery — Explore specific logical partitions (namespaces) within those clusters without digging into complex kubectl configuration.
- Workload Management — Access deployments, daemonsets, and statefulsets to observe operational health across environments.
- Pod Introspection — Query individual pod states, find crashing containers, and pull context faster than running manual CLI queries.
How it works
- Enable the MCP server integration.
- Configure it with your Rancher Server URL and the generated Bearer Token for API authentication.
- Instruct your AI to inspect a cluster, query specific namespaces, or detail the status of a specific pod.
Who is this for?
- DevOps Engineers — Debug and query live cluster statuses interactively, bypassing the need to constantly switch context between terminals and UI dashboards.
- Kubernetes Administrators — Run automated queries to verify policies, scaling sets, and general deployment topologies rapidly.
- Backend Developers — Ensure microservices are running smoothly on target clusters and verify namespace health without complex local setups.
Built-in capabilities (10)
Retrieves details for a specific Kubernetes cluster
Retrieves details for a specific Rancher project
Lists Helm applications installed in a project
Lists available Helm chart repositories (Catalogs)
Lists all Kubernetes clusters managed by Rancher
Lists Kubernetes namespaces associated with a project
Lists all nodes within a specific cluster
Use this to find project IDs. Lists logical projects within a cluster
Lists all user accounts in the Rancher platform
Lists all Kubernetes workloads (Deployments, StatefulSets) in a project
Why Windsurf?
Windsurf's Cascade agent chains multiple Rancher tool calls autonomously. query data, analyze results, and generate code in a single agentic session. Paste Vinkius Edge URL, reload, and all 10 tools are immediately available. Real-time tool feedback appears inline, so you see API responses directly in your editor.
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Windsurf's Cascade agent autonomously chains multiple tool calls in sequence, solving complex multi-step tasks without manual intervention
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Purpose-built for agentic workflows. Cascade understands context across your entire codebase and integrates MCP tools natively
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JSON-based configuration means zero code changes: paste a URL, reload, and all 10 tools are immediately available
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Real-time tool feedback is displayed inline, so you see API responses directly in your editor without switching contexts
Rancher in Windsurf
Why run Rancher with Vinkius?
The Rancher connection runs on our fully managed, secure cloud infrastructure. We handle the hosting, maintenance, and security so you don't have to deal with servers or code. All 10 tools are ready to work instantly without any complex setup.
You stay in complete control of your data. Your AI only accesses the information you approve, keeping your sensitive passwords and private details completely safe. Plus, with automatic optimizations, your AI works faster and more efficiently.
* Every connection is hosted and maintained by Vinkius. We handle the security, updates, and infrastructure so you don't have to write code or manage servers. See our infrastructure
Over 4,000 integrations ready for AI agents
Explore a vast library of pre-built integrations, optimized and ready to deploy.
Connect securely in under 30 seconds
Generate tokens to authenticate and link external services in a single step.
Complete visibility into every agent action
Audit live requests, latency, success rates, and active security compliance policies.
Optimize spending and track token ROI
Analyze real-time token consumption and cost metrics detailed by connection.
Explore our live AI Agents Analytics dashboard to see it all working
This dashboard is included when you connect Rancher using Vinkius. You will never be left in the dark about what your AI agents are doing with your tools.
Rancher and 4,000+ other AI tools. No hosting, no code, ready to use.
Professionals who connect Rancher to Windsurf through Vinkius don't need to write code, manage servers, or worry about security. Everything is pre-configured, secure, and runs automatically in the background.
Raw MCP | Vinkius | |
|---|---|---|
| Ready-to-use MCPs | Find and configure each manually | 4,000+ MCPs ready to use |
| Connection Setup | Manual coding & server setup | 1-click instant connection |
| Server Hosting | You host it yourself (needs 24/7 uptime) | 100% hosted & managed by Vinkius |
| Security & Privacy | Stored in plaintext config files | Bank-grade encrypted vault |
| Activity Visibility | Blind execution (no logs or tracking) | Live dashboard with real-time logs |
| Cost Control | Runaway AI token spend risk | Automatic budget limits |
| Revoking Access | Must delete files or code to stop | 1-click disconnect button |
How Vinkius secures
Rancher for Windsurf
Every request between Windsurf and Rancher is protected by our secure gateway. We automatically keep your sensitive data private, prevent unauthorized access, and let you disconnect instantly at any time.
Frequently asked questions
How do I generate a Bearer Token in Rancher?
Log into your Rancher UI. Go to your User Profile menu and select 'API & Keys'. Create a new API Key with appropriate scopes. Combine the generated Access Key and Secret Key using a colon (AccessKey:SecretKey), or use the final Bearer Token provided to authenticate the MCP server.
Does the integration require direct cluster network access?
No, the MCP server acts exclusively by pinging the overarching main Rancher Server API URL rather than connecting locally to standard cluster API endpoints separately. Your network configuration remains secure as it relies completely on the Rancher gateway role.
Can I deploy new workloads to my cluster via the chat interface?
Currently, the server allows listing and fetching comprehensive statuses for namespaces, workloads, endpoints, clusters, and pods natively to observe the infrastructure state interactively without allowing unmanaged destructive configurations to roll out purely based on prompt.
How does Windsurf discover MCP tools?
Windsurf reads the mcp_config.json file on startup and connects to each configured server via Streamable HTTP. Tools are listed in the MCP panel and available to Cascade automatically.
Can Cascade chain multiple MCP tool calls?
Yes. Cascade is an agentic system. it can plan and execute multi-step workflows, calling several tools in sequence to accomplish complex tasks without manual prompting between steps.
Does Windsurf support multiple MCP servers?
Yes. Add as many servers as needed in mcp_config.json. Each server's tools appear in the MCP panel and Cascade can use tools from different servers in a single flow.
Server not connecting
Check Settings → MCP for the server status. Try toggling it off and on.
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