What is MCP?
MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open protocol that Anthropic introduced to standardize how applications provide context to large language models (LLMs). Think of it like USB-C for AI—just as USB-C gives you a standard way to connect devices to peripherals, MCP provides a standard way to connect AI models with various data sources and tools.
What is the Luminary Cloud MCP Server?
The Luminary Cloud MCP Server supercharges AI agents in your favorite IDEs like Visual Studio Code and Cursor. It gives them insider knowledge of the Luminary Cloud Platform and SDK, plus access to key platform API resources.
This integration dramatically improves your AI agents' ability to write, refactor, and debug SDK scripts. The result? You'll build simulation pipelines with the Luminary Cloud SDK much faster.
Our MCP Server uses the latest Streamable HTTP transport protocol and works seamlessly with popular IDEs (Visual Studio Code, Cursor) and AI agents (Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Gemini CLI).
How to Connect to the Luminary Cloud MCP Server
Visual Studio Code
Option 1: One-Click Install
The easiest way to get started:
Open Visual Studio Code
Click the install link:
Click "Install" when VSCode shows the MCP Server installation window
Open Copilot by selecting the Copilot icon near the search bar
Don't see the Copilot icon? Make sure you've installed the "Copilot" extension first.
Select "Agent" mode from the options
Ask your first question about Luminary Cloud and its Python SDK. The authorization process will start automatically—just log in with your Luminary Cloud account.
Verify everything works by asking the Agent if it can see the Luminary Cloud MCP. If not, check the Troubleshooting section below.
Option 2: Manual Configuration
If you prefer to set things up manually:
Open the Command Palette and run MCP: Add Server
Select "HTTP" as your server type
Enter the server URL: https://app.luminarycloud.com/mcp
Add a descriptive name: Luminary Cloud
Choose your installation scope:
Global: Available in all workspaces, runs locally
Remote: Available on remote machine, runs on SSH
Workspace: Available in current workspace only
Confirm the configuration in your mcp.json file:
{
"servers": {
"Luminary Cloud": {
"url": "https://app.luminarycloud.com/mcp",
"type": "http"
}
}
}Allow authentication when the permission window appears, then complete the browser authorization process
Open Copilot (the icon near the search bar) and make sure "Agent" mode is selected
Complete authorization by clicking the circle icon and logging in with your Luminary Cloud account
Cursor
First, make sure you have Cursor downloaded from cursor.com. You might need a monthly subscription to enable the Cursor Agent.
Option 1: One-Click Install
Open Cursor
Click the install link or copy it into your browser:
Click "Install" when Cursor switches to the "Tools & Integrations" page with the pre-filled configuration
Complete authentication by clicking "Needs login" and following the browser authorization steps
Verify the connection by checking that the yellow dot turns green, showing "5 tools enabled"
If the dot stays yellow, try reloading the window from the Command Palette and repeat the authentication step.
Option 2: Manual Configuration
Note: Cursor's interface changes between versions, so these steps might vary slightly, but the core configuration remains the same.
Open Cursor Settings:
Mac: Cursor → Settings → Cursor Settings
Windows: File → Preferences → Cursor Settings
Or: Click the gear icon in the top right corner
Select "Tools & Integrations" from the left panel
Click "New MCP Server" at the bottom of the page
Add the configuration by copying this into the JSON file that opens:
{
"mcpServers": {
"Luminary Cloud": {
"url": "https://app.luminarycloud.com/mcp"
}
}
}Save and close the JSON file
Return to "Tools & Integrations" to see the Luminary Cloud server in your list
Complete authentication by clicking "Needs login" and following the browser steps
Confirm success when you see the green dot showing "5 tools enabled"
How to Use the MCP Server
Once you're connected, using the MCP Server is straightforward:
Open your chatbot and make sure "Agent" mode is selected
Ask questions like:
"Please list my Luminary Cloud projects"
"How do I create a project using the Luminary Cloud SDK?"
Grant permission when the agent requests to use Luminary Cloud tools (this only happens the first time)
Pro Tips
Remind your agent to use MCP tools: Sometimes agents might write code from scratch instead of calling our MCP tools, which can lead to outdated or incorrect code. If this happens, try adding this reminder to your prompt:
"You're encouraged to call the Luminary Cloud MCP tools before writing or editing any Python code using the Luminary Cloud SDK."
Use custom instructions: Both VSCode and Cursor support custom instructions where you can add this reminder permanently:
VSCode: Copilot customization guide
Cursor: Rules documentation
Troubleshooting
Visual Studio Code Issues
The Copilot agent isn't calling the Luminary Cloud MCP server
Check if your server is running:
Open your mcp.json file where servers are configured
Look for the "Running" status and click "Start" if needed
Alternatively, use Command Palette → MCP: List Servers
Verify tools are active:
In Copilot, click the icon in the bottom right
You should see Luminary Cloud MCP tools in the dropdown list
Look for tools like get_simulation_setup_code, list_projects, sdk_instruction, etc.
"Request failed" error with too many tools
If you see an error about having more than 128 tools in your request:
Click the Copilot icon and deactivate some tools to get below the limit
VSCode won't show auth window on macOS
If VSCode can't display the authentication window and shows constant 401 errors:
Check System Preferences → Privacy & Security → Automation
Find "Visual Studio Code" in the list
Make sure "System Events" is toggled on
Cursor Issues
Red dot in the MCP server list
Don't worry—a red dot doesn't mean the MCP server is disconnected. Your tools will still work perfectly. You can either:
Leave it as is (everything will work fine)
Toggle the MCP server off and on again to get the green dot back
---
Having other issues? We're here to help—reach out to our support team with your specific error messages and we'll get you up and running quickly.