Connect an MCP client

Use this page to add your PolicyArc environment to an MCP client. Every client points at the same gateway URL. The client matrix shows which clients have been run against the gateway, at which version and on which date.

Copy your gateway URL

In the Admin Portal, under Configure, select Clients & Agents and then the Connect MCP Client tab. The Endpoint line at the bottom of the Connect an MCP Client card shows your gateway URL. The snippets on that tab already contain it.

The snippets below use https://your-environment.example/gateway/mcp. Replace it with the URL you copied.

You do not create a client or a secret in PolicyArc first. Each client identifies itself when it signs you in.

Add the server and sign in

Claude Code

Add the server. By default Claude Code adds it in the local scope, which is private to you in the current project. Add --scope user to use it in every project.

claude mcp add policyarc https://your-environment.example/gateway/mcp --transport http

Sign in. Claude Code opens your browser at your identity provider.

claude mcp login policyarc

After you sign in, Claude Code prints Authenticated with "policyarc". Its tools are now available in Claude Code. Then check the connection.

claude mcp list

You should see policyarc: https://your-environment.example/gateway/mcp (HTTP) - ✔ Connected.

Run with Claude Code 2.1.296 on 2026-10-12. A tool call from Claude Code has not been run. Claude Code has the full steps.

OpenCode

Add this to opencode.json in your project.

{
  "mcp": {
    "policyarc": {
      "type": "remote",
      "url": "https://your-environment.example/gateway/mcp",
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}

Sign in. OpenCode opens your browser at your identity provider.

opencode mcp auth policyarc

OpenCode prints Authentication successful!. Then check the connection.

opencode mcp list

You should see policyarc marked connected.

Run with OpenCode 1.14.28 on 2026-10-12. A tool call from OpenCode has not been run. OpenCode has the full steps.

Claude Desktop

Add this to claude_desktop_config.json, then restart Claude Desktop. The file is in ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/ on macOS and in %APPDATA%\Claude\ on Windows.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "policyarc": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-remote", "https://your-environment.example/gateway/mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Claude Desktop starts the mcp-remote bridge, which needs Node.js. The bridge opens your browser to sign you in.

We have not run Claude Desktop yet. We ran the bridge on its own. mcp-remote 0.14.3 signed in, listed the tools and made one tool call that shows under Access Activity. Claude Desktop has the rest.

Cursor

Add this to ~/.cursor/mcp.json for every project, or to .cursor/mcp.json in one project.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "policyarc": {
      "url": "https://your-environment.example/gateway/mcp"
    }
  }
}

We have not run Cursor yet. The file locations come from the Admin Portal's own instructions. Cursor has what we know.

VS Code

Add this to .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace.

{
  "servers": {
    "policyarc": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://your-environment.example/gateway/mcp"
    }
  }
}

We have not run VS Code yet. VS Code has what we know.

If something goes wrong

• If the client never opens a sign-in page, check the URL. Check the gateway without a client shows the 401 and the WWW-Authenticate header that every client starts from.
• If claude mcp list shows ! Needs authentication, run claude mcp login policyarc.
• If opencode mcp list shows needs authentication, run opencode mcp auth policyarc.