# Connect an AI app

> Connect Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, VS Code or any MCP client to TradeCatalog with your own login.

TradeCatalog runs a remote [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io) (MCP) server. Connect it to your AI app and ask things like:

- “What does Oakfield Joinery pay for 20 boxes of HX-8510?”
- “Any new orders today?”
- “Who changed Brookside’s discount, and when?”
- “Find me a zinc hex bolt, M10, and my price for it.” (as a buyer)

## How it works

| Setting        | Value                                                                           |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Server URL     | `https://tradecatalog.app/mcp`                                                  |
| Transport      | Streamable HTTP                                                                 |
| Sign-in        | OAuth 2.1: you sign in with your normal TradeCatalog login and choose **Allow** |
| Access         | **Read-only**. The AI app can look things up but can’t change anything.         |
| Who it acts as | You. It sees exactly what you can see in TradeCatalog.                          |

- **Staff** see their workspaces: products, any customer’s prices, customers, orders and the activity log.
- **Buyers** see the suppliers they buy from, with their own prices and their own orders only.

Every tool call is checked with the same rules as the app. See [MCP tools](/docs/mcp/tools) for what each tool does.

## Claude (web, desktop and mobile)

1. Open **Settings**, then **Connectors**, and choose **Add custom connector**.
2. Name it “TradeCatalog” and paste `https://tradecatalog.app/mcp`.
3. Choose **Connect**. Sign in to TradeCatalog with your email code and choose **Allow**.

Connectors you add on the web also appear in Claude Desktop and the mobile apps. On Team and Enterprise plans an owner may need to add the connector for the organisation first.

## Claude Code

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http tradecatalog https://tradecatalog.app/mcp
```

Then run `/mcp` in Claude Code and choose **tradecatalog** to sign in.

## ChatGPT

1. Open **Settings**, then **Apps & Connectors**. If your plan needs it, turn on **Developer mode** under **Advanced**.
2. Create a connector with the URL `https://tradecatalog.app/mcp` and OAuth authentication.
3. Sign in to TradeCatalog and choose **Allow**.

## Cursor

Add this to `~/.cursor/mcp.json` (or `.cursor/mcp.json` in a project):

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tradecatalog": { "url": "https://tradecatalog.app/mcp" }
  }
}
```

Cursor opens the TradeCatalog sign-in page the first time you use it.

## VS Code

Add this to `.vscode/mcp.json`:

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "tradecatalog": { "type": "http", "url": "https://tradecatalog.app/mcp" }
  }
}
```

## Other clients

Any client that supports remote MCP over Streamable HTTP with OAuth works. For clients that only run local (stdio) servers, use the `mcp-remote` bridge:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tradecatalog": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-remote", "https://tradecatalog.app/mcp"]
    }
  }
}
```

Building your own client? See [OAuth for MCP clients](/docs/mcp/oauth).

## Disconnect an app

See every AI app you’ve approved, and disconnect any of them, at [tradecatalog.app/oauth/connections](/oauth/connections). Removing the connector in your AI app stops that app using it. Disconnecting here also revokes its access on our side, straight away.

## MCP or the REST API?

|                   | MCP                               | REST API                               |
| ----------------- | --------------------------------- | -------------------------------------- |
| For               | People chatting in an AI app      | Your own systems and scripts           |
| Signs in as       | Each person, with their own login | The workspace, with an owner’s API key |
| Buyers can use it | Yes, with their own prices        | No                                     |
| Can change data   | No, read-only                     | Yes, with a Read & write key           |
| Set up by         | Each person, in their AI app      | The owner, in Settings                 |
| Docs              | [Tools](/docs/mcp/tools)          | [REST API](/docs/api)                  |