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Quickstart

Install Causly Server, connect your editor and run your first request in about five minutes.

Requirements​

  • Node.js 22.13 or newer. Check with node --version.
  • An MCP client: Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Code, or any client that can start a stdio MCP server.

You do not need any API keys to start. Files, git, shell, Docker and Terraform work without keys. Add keys later for the services you want.

1. Install​

npm install -g causly-server

Prefer not to install globally? Run npx causly-server init instead. In that case init registers the server with your editor as npx -y causly-server, so it keeps working after the temporary npx cache is cleaned.

2. Connect your editor​

causly-server init

init does the following:

  • Finds which of Claude Desktop, Cursor and Windsurf are installed (it looks for their config folders) and adds Causly Server to each. If none is found, it sets up Claude Desktop.
  • Keeps every other MCP server in those config files. If a config file already exists, it saves a copy named <file>.backup-<timestamp> first.
  • Creates ~/.causly/.env for your API keys, if you do not have one.
  • Sets the packs that load at startup: research, leads, seo, pipeline, reminders and meetings.
  • Prints the one-line command to add it to Claude Code.
  • Offers to add API keys now.

Then quit your editor completely and open it again (including the system tray icon, for Claude Desktop).

ClientConfig file written by init
Claude Desktop (Windows)%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
Claude Desktop (macOS)~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Claude Desktop (Linux)~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Cursor~/.cursor/mcp.json
Windsurf~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json
Claude CodeNot written. init prints claude mcp add causly-server -- ... for you to run

Init options​

causly-server init --client cursor                          # choose editors instead of auto-detecting
causly-server init --workspace D:\my-project                # limit file tools to one folder
causly-server init --toolsets research,pipeline,meetings    # choose the packs that load at startup
causly-server init --no-setup                               # do not offer to add keys afterwards

Re-running init is safe. It updates the existing entry instead of adding a second one.

We recommend --workspace. With it, file and command tools cannot touch anything outside that folder. See Security.

3. Check your setup​

causly-server doctor

doctor prints one line per check:

ok    Node.js: 22.13.0
ok    Settings file: C:\Users\you\.causly\.env
ok    Integrations configured: GitHub, Telegram
warn  ffmpeg (large recordings): not found; only needed for recordings over 25 MB
warn  Workspace limit: off: file tools can reach any folder
ok    Set up in: Claude Desktop, Cursor

A warn is information, not an error. Only a missing Node.js or settings file makes doctor exit with an error.

4. Add keys for the services you use (optional)​

causly-server setup

setup walks you through each service and checks every key live as you enter it. To add one service only, run causly-server setup github. Changes apply immediately. You do not need to restart your editor.

To verify everything later:

causly-server doctor --test

Gmail and Calendar use a browser sign-in instead of a pasted key: causly-server login google. See the CLI reference.

5. Ask your first question​

Open your editor and try one of these:

  • "Find companies hiring React developers and add the best three to my pipeline."
  • "Save notes from my call with Acme: they want a demo next week, follow up on Friday."
  • "What is due this week? Include meeting action items and reminders."

If your agent says it cannot find a tool, ask it to call the tool with use_tool, or add the pack to startup with causly-server toolsets add <pack>.

Updating and removing​

npm update -g causly-server       # update
causly-server remove              # take it out of your editors
npm uninstall -g causly-server    # uninstall

remove leaves ~/.causly (your keys and data) alone. Delete that folder yourself if you want them gone.

Something not working?​

Start with causly-server doctor, then see Troubleshooting.