Windsurf — MCP Configs
- File format
- JSON
- Syllago install method
- JSON merge
- Symlink support
- No
- Config file
-
.windsurf/mcp_config.json - Transports
-
stdio,sse
Features
How each feature converts to syllago's canonical format. See format conversion for what these statuses mean.
Other features
Behaviors, conventions, and capabilities that aren't tied to a single named field — things like path-based activation, discovery rules, and lifecycle behavior.
| Feature | Conversion | Summary |
|---|---|---|
enterprise_management | Translated Conversion type: Translated Actively mapped to the target provider’s equivalent field during conversion. Learn more → | enterprise_whitelist_and_registry: Windsurf supports organization-level MCP server allowlists and enterprise registries |
env_var_expansion | Translated Conversion type: Translated Actively mapped to the target provider’s equivalent field during conversion. Learn more → | config_interpolation: Windsurf MCP configuration supports ${env:VAR_NAME} and ${file:/path} interpolation for environment variables and file contents |
marketplace | Translated Conversion type: Translated Actively mapped to the target provider’s equivalent field during conversion. Learn more → | mcp_marketplace: Windsurf has an in-IDE MCP server discovery and one-click installation experience |
| OAuth support for all transport types | Translated Conversion type: Translated Actively mapped to the target provider’s equivalent field during conversion. Learn more → | Windsurf supports OAuth authentication for MCP servers across all three transport types (stdio, Streamable HTTP, SSE), enabling authenticated remote server connections. |
oauth_support | Translated Conversion type: Translated Actively mapped to the target provider’s equivalent field during conversion. Learn more → | Windsurf supports OAuth for each transport type (stdio, Streamable HTTP, and SSE) for remote MCP server authentication |
| Three transport types: stdio, Streamable HTTP, SSE | Translated Conversion type: Translated Actively mapped to the target provider’s equivalent field during conversion. Learn more → | MCP servers can use stdio, Streamable HTTP, or SSE transports; remote servers use `serverUrl`/`url` fields instead of `command`/`args`. |
tool_filtering | Translated Conversion type: Translated Actively mapped to the target provider’s equivalent field during conversion. Learn more → | tool_limit_100: individual MCP tools can be toggled on or off per server via the Cascade panel UI; disabled tools are tracked in a disabledTools array separate from whitelist matching |
transport_types | Translated Conversion type: Translated Actively mapped to the target provider’s equivalent field during conversion. Learn more → | three_transport_types: Windsurf supports stdio, SSE, and HTTP/streamable-HTTP transports |
| Variable interpolation in mcp_config.json | Conversion type: No canonical equivalent — appended as prose in a conversion notes block so nothing is silently lost. Learn more → | Config fields support `${env:VAR_NAME}` and `${file:/path}` interpolation to inject env vars and file contents without hardcoding secrets. |
| 100-tool cap across all MCP servers with per-tool toggle | Not portable Conversion type: Not portable Unique to this provider — can’t be carried across providers. Learn more → | Cascade caps total MCP tools at 100 across all configured servers; individual tools can be toggled on or off via the Cascade panel UI to stay within the limit. Disabled tools are tracked in a disabledTools array and are excluded from admin whitelist matching. |
| Enterprise MCP whitelist and custom registry | Not portable Conversion type: Not portable Unique to this provider — can’t be carried across providers. Learn more → | Team admins can whitelist approved MCP servers (regex matching) and replace the default marketplace with custom MCP registry URLs. Multiple registry URLs are supported; Windsurf takes the union of all registries. |
| In-IDE MCP marketplace with deeplink install | Not portable Conversion type: Not portable Unique to this provider — can’t be carried across providers. Learn more → | Built-in MCP marketplace accessible from the Cascade panel for one-click discovery and installation; supports deeplink format windsurf://windsurf-mcp-registry?serverName=<name> for direct server page navigation. |
Sources
| Source |
|---|
| https://docs.windsurf.com/windsurf/cascade/mcp.md |