Setting Up a Client

An assistant that supports MCP is told how to start the server, and starts it when it needs it. Every client asks for the same two things: the command that starts the server, and the environment to start it with, which is where the API token goes.

You will need an API token. You can view and manage your API tokens from the StatusCake account panel. A token with read access is enough.

Claude Code

Add the server with the claude mcp add command:

Terminal

$ claude mcp add statuscake --env STATUSCAKE_API_TOKEN=<token> -- statuscake-mcp

Everything after the -- is the command that starts the server. Check that it was added with claude mcp list.

Claude Desktop

Add the server to the mcpServers section of Claude Desktop's configuration file, claude_desktop_config.json, and restart Claude Desktop.

claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "statuscake": {
      "command": "statuscake-mcp",
      "env": { "STATUSCAKE_API_TOKEN": "<token>" }
    }
  }
}

If statuscake-mcp is not on the PATH that Claude Desktop sees, give the full path to it as the command.

Docker

To run the server as a container, make the command docker and pass the token through. The -i keeps standard input open, which the protocol needs, and --rm removes the container when the assistant is done with it.

claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "statuscake": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": ["run", "--rm", "-i", "-e", "STATUSCAKE_API_TOKEN", "statuscake/statuscake-mcp"],
      "env": { "STATUSCAKE_API_TOKEN": "<token>" }
    }
  }
}

-e STATUSCAKE_API_TOKEN with no value copies the variable from the environment the client gives to Docker, so the token is not written in the arguments.

Other clients

Any client that supports MCP servers started as local programs over standard input and output can use the server. Give it:

Setting	Value
Command	statuscake-mcp, or docker with the arguments above
Arguments	None needed
Environment	STATUSCAKE_API_TOKEN set to your token
Transport	Standard input and output (stdio)

The server does not listen on a network port and cannot be used as a remote server.

Checking it works

Ask the assistant to check the server is running. It has a tool for exactly this, which returns a fixed reply without contacting StatusCake, so it confirms the assistant can start the server before you involve your token. Then ask something real:

What checks do I have, and is anything down?

If the assistant says it has no such tool, or the server fails to start, see Troubleshooting.

Next Steps

Look at what each tool does.