Set up MCP with Cursor and Claude.
Drive your Hilla boards from any AI client. Five minutes, two config files, no surprises.
MCP (Model Context Protocol) lets external AI tools read and write to your Hilla boards directly. This guide gets it running in Cursor and Claude Desktop. It assumes a Hilla account and an API token from Settings → API Tokens.
Grab your API token.
Go to Settings → API Tokens. Click New token. Copy the token — it starts with `play_` and is shown only once. All tokens carry read and write scope; guard it like a password.
Add the server to Cursor.
Open or create `.cursor/mcp.json` in your project root (or the global Cursor config). Add the block below, replacing `play_YOUR_TOKEN_HERE` with your token. Reload the Cursor window.
- Transport: SSE
- URL: `https://api.hilla.ai/functions/v1/mcp-server`
- Header: `Authorization: Bearer play_YOUR_TOKEN_HERE`
Add the server to Claude Desktop.
Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config. This opens `claude_desktop_config.json`. Add the same `hilla` block under `mcpServers` — same URL, same `Authorization` header. Save and restart Claude Desktop.
Test the connection.
In Cursor or Claude, ask: "List my Hilla projects." You should see your projects enumerated.
If you get a 401, the token is wrong or was revoked — generate a new one from Settings → API Tokens. If you get nothing, the server didn't start — check the client logs.
Use it for real.
From inside your IDE, ask the AI to add a card, complete one, or summarize a board. It will go through MCP and the change shows up live on the canvas.
Revoke the token from Settings → API Tokens if you suspect a device is compromised, then generate a fresh one.
MCP is the cheapest way to put Hilla into the surface you already live in. You don't switch tools to plan — you ask the tool you're already in.
Run this on your own canvas. 25 free credits, no card.
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