How to Connect Cursor, Cline & Other MCP Clients to Anki

Install the AnkiMCP add-on, then point your client at its local web address. The add-on runs a server inside Anki, so you skip Node.js and any extra add-on.

The add-on runs a local HTTP server at http://127.0.0.1:3141/. Your client connects to that address. This is the simplest path and gives access to the most Anki features.

What you need

• Anki 25.07 or newer, open on your computer. Check in Anki → About. Get it from apps.ankiweb.net.
• The AnkiMCP add-on for Anki, code 124672614. You’ll install it below.
• A client that supports remote HTTP MCP servers: Cursor, Cline, or Zed.

Time: about 3 minutes.

Step 1: Install the AnkiMCP add-on

The add-on starts a small server inside Anki. It launches on its own every time you open Anki.

1. Open Anki.
2. Go to Tools → Add-ons → Get Add-ons…
3. Enter this code: 124672614
4. Click OK, then restart Anki.

The server starts at http://127.0.0.1:3141/. You can check its status under Tools → AnkiMCP Server Settings…

Step 2: Add the server to your client

Each client points at the same address: http://127.0.0.1:3141/. Pick your client below.

Cursor. Create or edit ~/.cursor/mcp.json (macOS/Linux) or %USERPROFILE%\.cursor\mcp.json (Windows). Add the server with its url:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "anki-mcp": {
      "url": "http://127.0.0.1:3141/"
    }
  }
}

If the file already exists, add only the anki-mcp entry inside the existing mcpServers block.

Cline. In VS Code, open Cline, go to the MCP Servers panel, and use the Remote Servers tab. Enter a name and the URL http://127.0.0.1:3141/, then pick Streamable HTTP. To edit the file directly, set type to streamableHttp:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "anki-mcp": {
      "url": "http://127.0.0.1:3141/",
      "type": "streamableHttp"
    }
  }
}

Zed. Open Zed’s settings.json and add the server under context_servers (not mcpServers):

{
  "context_servers": {
    "anki-mcp": {
      "url": "http://127.0.0.1:3141/"
    }
  }
}

If your settings already have a context_servers block, add only the anki-mcp entry inside it.

Step 3: Restart your client and verify

Quit your client fully, then open it again. With Anki open, ask your assistant: “List my Anki decks.” If it names your decks, the connection works.

Keep Anki open. The server only reaches your cards while the Anki app is running.

Fix common problems

The assistant can’t reach Anki. Make sure Anki is open. Check the server status under Tools → AnkiMCP Server Settings… The server runs at http://127.0.0.1:3141/.

The server doesn’t appear in my client. Check that your config uses the right key: mcpServers for Cursor and Cline, but context_servers for Zed. Then restart your client.

The connection fails or times out. Open http://127.0.0.1:3141/ in your browser to confirm the add-on is running. If it isn’t, restart Anki. Another app may also be using port 3141.

Install the AnkiMCP CLI with npm, add the AnkiConnect add-on to Anki, then paste one config snippet into your client. The client launches the server over STDIO and talks to Anki on your machine.

Use this path only if your client needs STDIO, the local transport where your client runs the server as a subprocess and talks to it over standard input and output.

What you need

• Node.js 22.12.0 or newer. Get it from nodejs.org. Check your version with node --version.
• The AnkiConnect add-on for Anki, code 2055492159. You’ll add it below. It lets the server reach your cards.
• Anki open on the same computer. The server only reaches your cards while Anki is running.
• A client that supports STDIO: Cursor, Cline, Zed, or another.

Time: about 5 minutes.

Step 1: Install AnkiConnect in Anki

AnkiConnect is the add-on that lets the server talk to your collection.

1. Open Anki.
2. Go to Tools → Add-ons → Get Add-ons…
3. Enter this code: 2055492159
4. Click OK, then restart Anki.

To confirm it works, open http://localhost:8765 in your browser. You should see the plain text AnkiConnect.

Step 2: Install the AnkiMCP CLI

You have two ways to run the server. Pick one.

Option A: npx (no install). The config in Step 3 runs the server on demand. You don’t install anything now.

Option B: Global install. Install the ankimcp command once:

npm install -g @ankimcp/anki-mcp-server

Step 3: Add the server to your client’s config

Add the AnkiMCP server to your client’s MCP config file. The snippet below uses npx, so it works with no global install.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "anki-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@ankimcp/anki-mcp-server", "--stdio"],
      "env": {
        "ANKI_CONNECT_URL": "http://localhost:8765"
      }
    }
  }
}

If you installed the server globally (Option B), use the ankimcp command instead:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "anki-mcp": {
      "command": "ankimcp",
      "args": ["--stdio"],
      "env": {
        "ANKI_CONNECT_URL": "http://localhost:8765"
      }
    }
  }
}

Where the config file lives depends on your client:

• Cursor: ~/.cursor/mcp.json (macOS/Linux) or %USERPROFILE%\.cursor\mcp.json (Windows). Create or edit the file, paste the snippet, and save. If the file already exists, add only the anki-mcp entry inside the existing mcpServers block.
• Cline: open the Cline extension in VS Code and use its settings UI to add the MCP server. You can also create or edit cline_mcp_settings.json directly.
• Zed: open Zed’s settings.json. Zed uses the key context_servers (not mcpServers). Inside it, keep the same command and args fields.

Step 4: Restart your client

Quit your MCP client fully, then open it again. The client loads the new server at startup.

Keep Anki open. The server only reaches your cards while the Anki app is running.

Check it worked

With Anki open, ask your assistant: “List my Anki decks.” If it names your decks, the connection works.

Fix common problems

My client can’t find the server, or I see “command not found: npx”. Install Node.js 22.12.0 or newer from nodejs.org. npx ships with Node.js. Then restart your client.

I see an ERR_REQUIRE_ESM error. Your Node.js is too old. The server needs version 22.12.0 or newer. Run node --version to check, then update Node.js.

The assistant can’t reach Anki. Make sure Anki is open and AnkiConnect is installed. Open http://localhost:8765 in your browser. You should see AnkiConnect. If not, reinstall the AnkiConnect add-on with code 2055492159 and restart Anki.

The server doesn’t appear in my client. Check that your config JSON is valid: no trailing commas, matching quotes and braces. Then restart your client after any change.