Model Context Protocol

MCP Integration

Save prompts directly from Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, Claude.ai, or any MCP-compatible AI tool — without leaving your workflow.

How it works

Get your API key

Create a key in your MCP settings. Starts with pb_.

Connect your AI tool

Add a connector URL (Claude.ai) or install the npm package and paste a config snippet (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf).

Save prompts naturally

Say “Save this to pbox” in any conversation.

Setup Guide

1Get your API key

Go to Settings → MCP Integration and click “New Key”. Copy the key — you'll only see it once.

2Install the MCP server

Run this once in your terminal. It installs the server globally so your AI tool can start it instantly.

npm install -g @promptingbox/mcp

Using Claude.ai (web)? Skip this step — no install needed. Jump to Step 3 → Claude.ai (Web).

3Configure your AI tool

No install needed — works entirely in the browser.

This connects PromptingBox to claude.ai so you can use it in web conversations and Cowork (Claude's cloud agent mode).

Go to claude.ai → Settings → Connectors (or click your profile icon → Settings).
Click “Add custom connector”.

Enter the connector URL:

https://www.promptingbox.com/api/mcp-transport

Name it pbox (recommended). This lets you say “save this to pbox” naturally in conversation. You can use any name you prefer, but Claude will use whatever name you enter here.
Click Connect. A window will open asking for your PromptingBox API key. Paste your key and click Authorize.
Done! The connector shows as “Connected” in your settings. Start a new conversation and try it out.

Usage examples in Claude.ai:

“Save this conversation as a prompt to pbox”
“List all my pbox prompts”
“Search pbox for my email templates”
“Save this as 'Meeting Notes Template' in my Work folder on pbox”
“Get my prompt called 'Code Review' from pbox”

Naming tip: We recommend pbox so you can say “save to pbox” naturally. If you choose a different name (e.g. “my-prompts”), say “save to my-prompts” instead. Claude uses the exact name you entered when adding the connector.

Add to .cursor/mcp.json in your project root or global config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pbox": {
      "command": "promptingbox-mcp",
      "env": {
        "PROMPTINGBOX_API_KEY": "pb_your_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Reload the window (Cmd+Shift+P → “Developer: Reload Window”).

Add to your Windsurf MCP config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pbox": {
      "command": "promptingbox-mcp",
      "env": {
        "PROMPTINGBOX_API_KEY": "pb_your_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Restart Windsurf to pick up the new server.

Claude Code CLI uses its own registry — not a config file. Run these two commands in your terminal (replace the key with yours):

npm install -g @promptingbox/mcp

claude mcp add -e PROMPTINGBOX_API_KEY=pb_your_key_here -- pbox promptingbox-mcp

Restart Claude Code. The pbox server will be available in all sessions for this project. Verify with claude mcp get pbox.

Easier option: Install the Claude Code Plugin — adds slash commands, smart skills, and auto-configured MCP in one step.

4Start saving prompts

In any conversation, just ask your AI assistant to save a prompt:

“Save this to pbox”

“Save this as "Code Review Checklist" in my Work folder on pbox”

“Save this to pbox with tags "python" and "debugging"”

“List all my pbox prompts”

“Search my pbox prompts for "API"”

“Get my prompt called "Meeting Notes" from pbox”

“Update the content of "Email Template" on pbox”

“Move "Brainstorm Ideas" to my Marketing folder on pbox”

“Show me the version history of my prompt on pbox”

“Restore version 2 of "Code Review" on pbox”

“Duplicate my "Email Template" prompt on pbox”

“Star my "Daily Standup" prompt on pbox”

“Create a folder called "Projects" on pbox”

“Tag "Code Review" with testing and automation on pbox”

“Browse pbox templates for coding prompts”

“Which pbox account am I connected to?”

Claude Code Plugin

A plugin that wraps the MCP server and adds slash commands, smart prompt-saving skills, and auto-configured MCP — so you don't need to run npm install or edit config files.

Download Plugin (.zip)

Extract and run: claude plugin install ./plugin

Alternative: Install via CLI

/plugin install pbox

Or install from our GitHub marketplace:

/plugin marketplace add promptingbox/claude-plugins
/plugin install pbox

Setup

After installing, set your API key as an environment variable. Get your key from Settings → MCP Integration.

export PROMPTINGBOX_API_KEY=pb_your_key_here

Add this to your shell profile (~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc) so it persists across sessions.

Slash Commands

Command	Description
/pbox:save	Save a prompt from the current conversation
/pbox:list	List all your prompts grouped by folder
/pbox:search	Search your prompt library by keyword

Smart Skill

The plugin includes a skill that teaches Claude when to proactively suggest saving prompts — for example, after you iterate on a prompt and reach a good version, or when you create a complex system prompt. Claude will offer to save it to your PromptingBox with a suggested title, folder, and tags.

Desktop Extension

A one-click installer for Claude Desktop. No terminal, no npm, no JSON editing — just double-click to install.

Download Desktop Extension (.mcpb)

How to install

Download promptingbox.mcpb using the button above, or from our GitHub releases page.

Double-click the file. Claude Desktop will open and show an install prompt.

Click Install and enter your API key when prompted. Get your key from Settings → MCP Integration.

Done! The pbox tools are now available in Claude Desktop chat. Try saying “Save this to pbox”.

How is this different from the manual setup?

	Manual Setup	Desktop Extension
Requires terminal	Yes	No
Requires npm	Yes	No
Edit config files	Yes	No
API key storage	Plain text in config	OS keychain (encrypted)

Available Tools

21 tools across 6 categories. Most tools accept either an ID or a title — so you can say “get my prompt called API Helper” without knowing the ID.

Prompt Management

save_prompt

Save a prompt with title and content. Folders and tags are auto-created if they don't exist.

title*content*foldertagNames[]

get_prompt

Get the full content, tags, folder, and metadata of a prompt.

promptIdpromptTitle

update_prompt

Update title and/or content. Automatically creates a new version when content changes.

promptIdpromptTitletitlecontent

delete_prompt

Permanently delete a prompt and all its versions.

promptIdpromptTitle

duplicate_prompt

Create a copy of a prompt. Inherits folder and tags.

promptIdpromptTitle

toggle_favorite

Star or unstar a prompt.

promptIdpromptTitleisFavorite*

move_prompt_to_folder

Move a prompt to a different folder. Creates the folder if it doesn't exist.

promptIdpromptTitlefolder*

Search & Discovery

find_relevant

Semantic

AI-powered semantic search. Finds prompts by meaning, not just keywords. Your AI assistant can call this proactively to surface relevant prompts based on what you're working on.

context*limitthreshold

search_prompts

Search prompts by title, content, tag, folder, or favorites (keyword-based).

querytagfolderfavorites

list_prompts

List all prompts grouped by folder with IDs, titles, and favorite status.

Folder Management

list_folders

List all folders. Useful for knowing where to save a prompt.

create_folder

Create a new folder. Returns the existing folder if the name is already taken.

name*

delete_folder

Delete a folder. Prompts inside are moved to your default folder.

folderIdfolderName

Tag Management

list_tags

List all tags. Useful for knowing available tags when saving a prompt.

add_tags

Set tags on a prompt (replaces existing tags). Tags are auto-created if they don't exist.

promptIdpromptTitletagNames[]*

delete_tag

Delete a tag entirely and remove it from all prompts.

tagIdtagName

Version History

list_versions

Get the full version history for a prompt with version numbers, notes, and timestamps.

promptIdpromptTitle

restore_version

Restore a prompt to a previous version. Creates a new version with the restored content.

promptIdpromptTitleversionNumber*

Public Templates

search_templates

Browse and search the public template library by keyword or category.

querycategorylimit

use_template

Save a public template to your collection as an editable copy.

templateId*

Account

whoami

Show which PromptingBox account is connected. Returns email, name, and version info.

Environment Variables

Variable	Required	Description
PROMPTINGBOX_API_KEY	Yes	Your API key (starts with `pb_`)
PROMPTINGBOX_BASE_URL	No	Override the API URL (default: `https://www.promptingbox.com`)

FAQ

What is MCP?

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard that lets AI assistants connect to external tools and services. It's supported by Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, and other AI tools.

Is my data secure?

Yes. For local setups (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf), the MCP server runs on your machine and communicates over HTTPS. For the web connector (Claude.ai), authentication uses OAuth 2.1 with PKCE — your API key is never exposed to Claude directly. In all cases, we store only a SHA-256 hash of your key, never the raw key itself.

Does it work with ChatGPT, Gemini, or other AI tools?

We now support remote HTTP MCP with OAuth 2.1 authentication, which is the standard these platforms require. ChatGPT, Gemini, and other tools are adding MCP support — we'll update this page as they become available. Claude.ai (web) is fully supported today via the custom connector setup above.

What name should I use for the connector?

We recommend pbox — it's short and lets you say “save this to pbox” naturally. You can also use promptingbox or any name you prefer. Just remember to use your chosen name when talking to Claude (e.g. “save to my-prompts” if you named it “my-prompts”).

Can I use both the desktop and web connector?

Yes! The desktop MCP (via Claude Desktop app) and the web connector (via claude.ai) can coexist. The desktop version works in Claude Desktop chat, while the web connector works in claude.ai conversations and Cowork. They share the same tools and connect to the same account.

Do I need Node.js?

For the manual setup and Claude Code Plugin, yes — Node.js 18+ is required. Check with node --version. The Desktop Extension and the Claude.ai web connector don't require Node.js at all.

Is the MCP server open source?

Yes. The source code is public at github.com/promptingbox/mcp. The server is a thin API client — it runs locally on your machine and calls the PromptingBox API over HTTPS. No proprietary logic or secrets are included.

Ready to get started?

Create your free account and start saving prompts from your AI tools.