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Bitfab provides an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that lets coding agents like Cursor, Claude Code, Codex, and Windsurf set up Bitfab tracing in your codebase automatically. The MCP server provides two tools:
  • setup_bitfab — Returns a language-specific SDK setup guide with correct API usage, code examples, and best practices
  • get_bitfab_api_key — Retrieves your API key for the agent to configure

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API Key Requirements

The MCP server requires authentication to access your organization’s API keys and provide personalized setup guidance. You have two options:
  1. Automatic Authentication (Recommended): Use the setup page which automatically configures authentication
  2. Manual Configuration: Add authentication headers to your MCP client configuration

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Supported Languages

TypeScript

bitfab — withSpan wrapper

Python

bitfab-py — @span decorator

Ruby

bitfab — bitfab_span macro

Go

bitfab-go — Start/End spans
The easiest way to connect your agent is through the Bitfab setup page:
  1. Choose your agent: The page shows setup instructions for Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, and other MCP clients
  2. Follow the steps: Claude Code uses a plugin install flow; other agents use MCP configuration with your API key embedded
  3. Copy and paste: Each configuration is ready to use — no manual key copying needed
The setup page provides:
  • Claude Code: Plugin install commands that handle MCP setup and authentication automatically
  • Cursor: One-click deep link installation
  • Other agents: Ready-to-use MCP configuration with your API key embedded

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Manual Configuration

If you prefer to set up the MCP connection manually, you’ll need to include your API key in the configuration.

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Getting Your API Key

  1. From the setup page: Visit bitfab.ai/setup and copy your API key
  2. From the dashboard: Click your profile avatar → API Keys → Create/view your key
See the API Keys guide for detailed key management instructions.

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Cursor

Add this to your .cursor/mcp.json (project-level) or ~/.cursor/mcp.json (global): 
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "bitfab": {
      "type": "streamable-http",
      "url": "https://bitfab.ai/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}
Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your actual API key, or use the pre-configured setup from the setup page.

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Claude Code

Install the Bitfab plugin, which automatically configures the MCP connection and provides slash commands for setup, labeling, and diagnostics. Run this command in Claude Code to install from the official plugin marketplace (pre-registered, no marketplace add step required): 
> /plugin install bitfab@claude-plugins-official
> /exit
Then restart Claude Code: 
claude --continue
Once restarted, run the setup command to authenticate and connect: 
> /bitfab:setup

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Codex

Set your API key as an environment variable: 
export BITFAB_API_KEY="YOUR_API_KEY"
Then add this to ~/.codex/config.toml (global) or .codex/config.toml (project-level): 
[mcp_servers.bitfab]
url = "https://bitfab.ai/mcp"
bearer_token_env_var = "BITFAB_API_KEY"

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Windsurf

Add this to your MCP configuration: 
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "bitfab": {
      "serverUrl": "https://bitfab.ai/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

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How It Works

Once connected, your coding agent can:
  1. Call get_bitfab_api_key to retrieve your API key (requires your Bitfab session)
  2. Call setup_bitfab with a language parameter (typescript, python, ruby, or go) to get a complete setup guide
  3. Follow the guide to install the SDK, initialize the client, and instrument your functions
The agent receives the full SDK API reference including code examples, so it can make the correct changes without browsing documentation or guessing APIs.

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Example Workflow

Ask your coding agent: 
Set up Bitfab tracing for my project
The agent will:
  1. Detect your project language
  2. Call the MCP tools to get the API key and setup guide
  3. Install the SDK
  4. Read your codebase and identify all AI workflows
  5. Present you with a list of workflows it found, and why each is worth instrumenting
  6. Instrument whichever workflows you choose — one, several, or all
The agent presents options and lets you choose which workflows to instrument, so you stay in control. Each option explains what visibility tracing gives you into that workflow.

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Troubleshooting

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Authentication Issues

If your agent can’t access the MCP tools:
  1. Check your API key: Ensure you’re using the correct API key from your dashboard
  2. Verify the header format: Use Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY (note the space after “Bearer”)
  3. Organization access: Make sure you’re logged into the correct organization in Bitfab
  4. Try the setup page: Use the automatic configuration to avoid manual errors

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Connection Problems

Common issues and solutions:
  • MCP server not found: Verify the URL is https://bitfab.ai/mcp. If using Claude Code with the Bitfab plugin, run /bitfab:setup to reconfigure.
  • Tools not available: Restart your coding agent after adding the MCP configuration
  • API key errors: Generate a new API key from the API Keys page
  • Network issues: Ensure your network allows HTTPS connections to bitfab.ai

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Getting Help

If you’re still having trouble:
  1. Check the API Keys documentation for key management
  2. Visit the setup page for automatic configuration
  3. Contact support if the issue persists