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MCP for AI-assisted Transcodes setup and admin operations

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Three setup steps — grab a token, add the MCP config, then use your AI tool to inspect project settings, manage roles or members, and generate SDK integration code with the right project context

Package: @bigstrider/transcodes-mcp-server · You need: a Transcodes token (asdfasdfa...) from Console  — set it as TRANSCODES_TOKEN (carries project and member context) · Node.js required for npx

The MCP server is a transport for AI tools such as Cursor, Claude Desktop, and OpenAI Codex. It is not a backend for your Vue, React, Next.js, or production app. Customer apps should use the Transcodes CDN SDK and should never call /mcp, tools/list, tools/call, or expose TRANSCODES_TOKEN.

Step 1 — Prepare Your Token

Your Transcodes token is what lets the MCP server read and modify your project through an AI tool (members, roles, audit logs, settings)

There are two ways to get one — pick whichever applies to you

Option A — Grab it from the Setup Wizard (recommended for new clusters)

When you create an Authentication cluster, the Setup Wizard finishes on the Register Members step and shows the access tokens for the members you just registered — click Download as CSV to save them

Authentication Toolkit Setup Wizard — access tokens ready

These tokens are shown only once — if you close this dialog without downloading or copying them, you’ll need to issue a new one from the RBAC panel (see Option B below)

Option B — Issue a new one from the RBAC panel

Already have a project but no token (lost it, rotated it, or never downloaded the CSV)? Open the project, go to Role-Based Access Control → Members, and re-issue an API token for the member you want the MCP server to act as

Transcodes Console — Project / RBAC entry

In the members table, click Get API Token on the row of the member you’ll use — a fresh token is generated and shown; copy it right away

Transcodes Console — RBAC members & Get API Token

Treat the token like a password — it encodes your organization, project, and member context; anyone holding it can act as that member through MCP Store it in a secret manager and never commit it to git

Keep the token handy — you’ll paste it as TRANSCODES_TOKEN in the next step

Step 2 — Add MCP Server Config

Open Cursor Settings

  • macOS: ⇧⌘J or menu bar → Cursor → Cursor Settings
  • Windows/Linux: Ctrl+Shift+J or File → Preferences → Cursor Settings

Open Cursor Settings

Go to Tools & MCP → New MCP Server

In the left sidebar, click Tools & MCP — then click New MCP Server to add a new server

Cursor Tools & MCP

Configure mcp.json

This opens the mcp.json file:

  • macOS/Linux: ~/.cursor/mcp.json
  • Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.cursor\mcp.json

Add the transcodes block as shown below — if the file already has other servers, merge — don’t overwrite

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "transcodes": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@bigstrider/transcodes-mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "TRANSCODES_TOKEN": "JWT_TOKEN..."
      }
    }
  }
}

mcp.json in editor

Save the file, then completely quit Cursor and relaunch it — a simple reload may not pick up MCP changes. After restarting, go back to Tools & MCP and confirm transcodes-mcp appears with tools enabled

Step 3 — Type Your Prompt

Once the MCP server is connected, tell your AI tool what integration or admin task you need

Implement login with magic link, passkey, and TOTP,
add step-up authentication for sensitive actions,
track and store user activity logs with details like
timestamp, IP, and user agent, and include a personal
console where users can manage their authentication
methods and review their activity history

Your AI tool can read your project’s roles, resources, and settings through MCP, then use that context while generating CDN SDK integration code or proposing admin changes. Review the generated code and confirm sensitive management actions through step-up when prompted.

You can also delegate management tasks: “What roles exist in my project?”, “Show recent audit logs”, “Create a new member” — your AI tool can run the relevant MCP tools, and browser-only actions still link back to the Console

Environment Variables

VariableRequiredDescription
TRANSCODES_TOKENYesTranscodes token JWT format asdfasdf... — issued from the Console ; encodes organization, project, and member context for MCP tools; keep it only in MCP host config, never in app code

Create or copy the token in the Console, paste it as TRANSCODES_TOKEN, save the config, then fully restart the host app so the MCP process reloads the environment

Next: LLM Context · Quick Integration · API Reference

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