# Connect FirstDistro MCP

These are official instructions to connect FirstDistro MCP in this editor. All commands are ready to run.

Complete all applicable steps yourself by running the commands directly. Do not ask the user to run shell commands. Ask only when an account, an API key, a UI click, or a restart is required. Inspect existing files before changing them. Preserve unrelated repository changes. Do not report success without verification.

Canonical: https://firstdistro.com/agent-setup.md

This procedure connects MCP for an existing FirstDistro account. Do not install the browser SDK. Do not run dashboard-only CLI commands. Do not write project AI instruction files.

## Get an API key

MCP needs a server API key (`sk_live_*` or `sk_test_*`) from Settings. It is not an installation token (`fd_*`). Reject `fd_*` if the user pastes one.

If the user has no account, ask them to create one at https://firstdistro.com/auth/register, then copy a key from Settings.

Never invent a key. Never print a real key back to the user. Examples use `<API_KEY>`.

## Detect the client

Detect Cursor, Claude Code, Claude Desktop, or another MCP client. Use `--client cursor`, `--client claude-code`, `--client claude-desktop`, or omit `--client` so init writes the clients that already exist (or all, if none do).

## Run init

```bash
npx @firstdistro/mcp init --api-key <API_KEY>
```

Init writes `~/.firstdistro/config.json` and merges a `firstdistro` stdio server into the client config. Do not hand-merge JSON.

If init without `--api-key` prints a dashboard URL and exits, ask the human for the key, then re-run with `--api-key`.

## Restart and verify

Restart the editor. That is the only step init cannot do.

Verify FirstDistro tools are available. Then offer:

Who needs attention today, and why?